1899-08-08 — Page 1

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, No. 11.

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TUESDAY, 8TH AUGUST, 1899.

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PRESENT :

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR

(Sir HENRY ARTHUR BLAKE, G.C.M.G.).

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (JAMES HALDANE STEWART LOCKHART, C.M.G.).

,, the Acting Attorney General, (HENRY EDWARD POLLOCK).

,, the Harbour Master, (ROBERT MURRAY RUMSEY, R.N.).

,, the Colonial Treasurer, (ALEXANDER MACDONALD THOMSON).

,, the Captain Superintendent of Police, (FRANCIS HENRY MAY, C.M.G.).

,, the Director of Public Works, (ROBERT DALY ORMSBY).

,, CATCHICK PAUL CHATER,C.M.G.

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

,, THOMAS HENDERSON WHITEHEAD.

,, EMANUEL RAPHAEL BELILIOS,C.M.G.

,, WEI YUK.

ABSENT :

His Excellency Major-General WILLIAM JULIUS GASCOIGNE, C.M.G., General Officer Commanding. The Honourable JAMES JOHNSTONE KESWICK.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 31st July, 1899, were read and confirmed.

PAPER.—The Colonial Secretary, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following paper:—

Statement of Revenue and Cost of the Medical Departments.

FINANCIAL MINUTE.—The Colonial Secretary, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following Financial Minute, (No. 11), and moved that it be referred to the Finance Committee:— HENRY A.BLAKE.

[3930] of 1898. The Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of Five thousand Six hundred and Forty-five

C.S.O.

Dollars and Cents Fifty ($5,645.50) only, to cover the cost for the installation of Electric Light at Government House.

Government House, Hongkong, 4th August, 1899.

The Colonial Treasurer seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.—The Colonial Secretary, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee dated the 31st July, 1899, (No. 3), and moved its adoption.

The Colonial Treasurer seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

His Excellency addressed the Council and gave an account of the work that had been done in the New Territory from the date it was taken over by the British, and submitted a financial statement of the amount expended on public works in connection therewith to 31st July last.

QUESTION.—Mr. WHITEHEAD, pursuant to notice, asked the following question:—

Will the Government lay upon the table copy of Despatch No. 107 of 28th, April last to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and its enclosures, regarding the recent disturbances in connection with the taking over of the New Territory leased by China to Great Britain by the June Convention of last year and any other Despatches from the Colonial Government to the Home Authorities bearing on the subject?

The Colonial Secretary replied as follows:—

Yes. The despatches are being printed and will be laid on the table as soon as possible.

Mr. BELILIOS, pursuant to notice, asked the following question:—

Referring to the report by the Honourable J. H. Stewart Lockhart on the Kowloon Extension to the Colony, will the Government state what is the source of the information referred to in paragraph 1 under head of Revenue, page 13 of the Blue Book, stating:—"But from information derived from another source it is estimated that the annual revenue of that portion of the Sun On District contained within the leased area amounts to $160,000, or, say, £16,000," this being an increase of more than a lakh of dollars on the estimate given by the Sun On District Magistrate for the territory in question?

The Colonial Secretary replied as follows:—

The Government is not aware of the source from which the information was derived. I may add that the information having been given privately and confidentially to the writer of the Report on the Extension of the Colony of Hongkong he is not at liberty to state its source.

NOTICE OF QUESTION.—Mr. WHITEHEAD gave notice that at the next meeting of Council he would ask the following question:—

Will the Government inform the Council of the reasons why the proposal to expend a substantial amount of public money for repairs and alterations to "Beaconsfield" was not submitted to the Public Works Committee for their consideration and report, under what authority has the said sum of $19,076.70 been disbursed, and why have not the new public works undertaken since middle of last year been referred to the Public Works Committee for consideration and report to the Council before same were commenced?

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND "THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS ORDINANCE, 1897."—The Acting Attorney General addressed the Council and moved the second reading of the Bill. The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Council in Committee on the Bill.

Council resumed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE NATURALIZATION OF YEUNG CHEUK HIN alias YEUNG SHUN KONG.—The Acting Attorney General moved the second reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Council in Committee on the Bill.

Council resumed and Bill reported without amendment

The Acting Attorney General moved the third reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

Question put—that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE CONCEALMENT OF OPIUM ON BOARD STEAMSHIPS.—The Acting Attorney General addressed the Council and moved the second reading of the Bill. The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Council in Committee on the Bill.

Council resumed and Bill reported without amendment.

The Acting Attorney General moved the third reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

Question put—that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE LIQUOR LICENSES ORDINANCE, 1898.—Council in Committee on the Bill.

Council resumed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORISE THE APPROPRIATION OF ASUPPLEMENTARY SUM OF THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHT THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-TWO DOLLARS AND EIGHTY-SEVENS CENTS,TO DEFRAY THE CHARGES OF THE YEAR 1898.—The Colonial Treasurer moved that the Council go into Committee on the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Council in Committee on the Bill.

Council resumed and Bill reported without amendment.

The Colonial Treasurer moved the third reading of the Bill.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

Question put—that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed.

BILL ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE TO FURTHER AMEND THE CATTLE DISEASES, SLAUGHTER HOUSES AND MARKETS ORDINANCES.—The Acting Attorney General moved the third reading of the Bill. The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question—put and agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

Question put—that this Bill do pass.

Bill passed.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned till Thursday, the 24th August, 1899, at 4 p.m.

HENRY A.BLAKE,

Governor.

Read and confirmed, this 24th day of August, 1899.

R. F. JOHNSTON,

Acting Clerk of Councils.