1890-03-26 — Page 1

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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 7.

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WEDNESDAY, 26TH MARCH, 1890.

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PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (The Honourable FRANCIS FLEMING, C.M.G.)

The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary, (WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

,, the Attorney General, (WILLIAM MEIGH GOODMAN).

,, the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).

,, the Surveyor General, (SAMUEL BROWN).

,, the Acting Registrar General, (NORMAN GILBERT MITCHELL-INNES, vice the Honourable WALTER MEREDITH DEANE).

,, PHINEAS RYRIE.

,, ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN.

,, CATCHICK PAUL CHATER.

,, JAMES JOHNSTONE KESWICK, (vice the Honourable JOHN BELL-IRVING).

,, HO KAI, M.B., C.M.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 19th instant, were read and confirmed.

The Queen's Warrant for the appointment of the Honourable SAMUEL BROWN, Surveyor General, to be an Official Member of the Legislative Council having been received, he was duly sworn and took his seat as a Member of the Council.

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.—The Acting Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee, dated the 19th instant, (No. 5), and moved that the following vote referred to therein be passed, viz.:—

C.S.O.

519 of 1889. To complete the cost of building an Epidemic Hospital Hulk, ..................................................... $ 8,500.00

C. O. Desp. 144 of 1888, and

226 of 1889.

Mis. Serv. C.S.O.

453 of 1890. £50.

Additional Salary to the Assistant Harbour Master, from $1,920 to $2,640, who will not draw any pay as Collector of Light Dues, while any fees for examination of Masters and Mates in the Mercantile Marine, will be paid into the Treasury, ............................................ $ 720.00

Remuneration to Colonel BEAUMONT for his report on the proposed removal of the Bokhara rocks, ........................................................................................................................................... £ 50. 0. 0

also,

$100. For the cost of his stay in Hongkong, .............................................................................................. $ 100.00

The Treasurer seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

The Acting Colonial Secretary then moved the following:—

That a Special Committee of this Council be appointed for the purpose of framing new Standing Rules and Orders for the regulation of the Council's Proceedings in pursuance of Article XIX. of the Royal Instructions of the 19th of January, 1888.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question—put and motion agreed to.

The Acting Colonial Secretary moved that the following Members form the Special Committee to frame the new Standing Rules and Orders, viz.:—

Hon. Attorney General.

Hon. N. G. MITCHELL-INNES.

Hon. A. P. MACEWEN.

Hon. Dr. HO KAI.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question—put and motion agreed to.

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The Acting Colonial Secretary moved the following:—

That the Revenue of the Colony shall be charged in respect of the year 1890, with the equivalent of £40,000 or $266,666, including the sum of £20,000 or $133,333 roted in the Appropriation Ordinance, No. 34 of 1889, in order to meet the claims of Her Majesty's Government for Military Contribution.

The Surveyor General seconded.

Honourable P. RYRIE addressed the Council.

Question—put and motion agreed to.

The Acting Colonial Secretary moved that the Standing Rules and Orders be suspended. The Treasurer seconded.

Question—put and motion agreed to.

The Honourable P. RYRIE then moved the following resolutions:—

1.—That this Council, while recognising the justice and fairness of the demand made upon the Colony for an addition to the Military Contribution, desires to place upon record the fact that the vote authorising the additional payment has been passed by the unanimous voice of the Members, Official and Un-Official, in the belief that the proposed increase in the strength of the troops stationed here is essentially necessary for the safety of the Colony and with the full assurance that the force mentioned in the appendix to the Secretary of State's despatch of the 20th January, 1890, 3,018 men of all ranks, of whom 2,525 are to be Europeans, will be present in the Colony within the year, and will be retained here.

2.—It is the unanimous hope of this Council that as the additional moneys voted have been asked for and granted as the Colony's contribution to an increased garrison and principally, if not entirely because of the proposed increase, no demand will be made by the Imperial Government for the payment thereof until the strength of the garrison has actually been raised to the full extent of the figures in the Secretary of State's despatch, and that, if any additional payment is demanded before that point has been reached, it should be proportional to such increase as shall from time to time be made in the force stationed in the Colony.

3.—That in the opinion of this Council the attention of the Secretary of State should be directed to the fact to which no reference is made in Lord KNUTSFORD'S despatch of the 20th January, 1890, that the Military Departments are in the occupation of rather more than 337 acres of land in this Colony, of which 84 acres are in the City of Victoria; that these 84 acres are situate in the very centre of the town and are, at the very lowest, of the value of Three millions of Dollars representing a revenue in the shape of Crown Rents and Taxes of $50,000 a year lost to the Colony, and that this being so it is earnestly hoped that no further demand will be made on the Colony in respect of Barrack Expenditure, referred to in paras. 20, 21 and 22 of the despatch above-mentioned, at all events unless the land in the centre of the town be given up by the Military Authorities, as has been suggested, in exchange for other sites nearer the batteries.

4.—That His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government be requested to forward a copy of these Resolutions to the Secretary of State with a view to their being laid before Her Majesty's Government.

The Honourable A. P. MACEWEN seconded.

The following Members addressed the Council:—Honourable P. RYRIE, Honourable A. P. MACEWEN, and the Treasurer.

His Excellency addressed the Council.

Question—put and resolutions agreed to.

BILL ENTITLED THE HONGKONG LAND INVESTMENT AND AGENCY COMPANY LIMITED ORDINANCE 1890.— Honourable C. P. CHATER moved the first reading of the Bill.

Honourable A. P. MACEWEN seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE LAW RELATING TO INFANT VACCINATION AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ALL PERSONS VACCINATED BY A PUBLIC VACCINATOR.—The Acting Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of this Bill.

The Treasurer seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

BILL ENTITLED THE MAGISTRATES' ORDINANCE, 1890.—The Acting Colonial Secretary moved that the consideration of this Bill be adjourned which was agreed to.

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BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDINANCE, 1887.—The Acting Colonial Secretary moved the third reading of this Bill.

Honourable Dr. HO KAI addressed the Council.

The Attorney General moved that the Bill be re-committed.

The Acting Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Council in Committee accordingly.

After discussion debate adjourned.

Council resumed.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned till Wednesday, the 9th April, at 3 P.M.

F. FLEMING,

Officer Administering the Government.

Read and confirmed, this 9th day of April, 1890.

F. A. HAZELAND,

Acting Clerk of Councils.