1902-06-23 — Page 1

PRESENT:―

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23RD JUNE, 1902.

Hon. R. SHEWAN―That is open to two objections. In the

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT, Major-General Sir W. GASCOIGNE, K.C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).

Hon. F. H. MAY (Colonial Secretary).

Hon. A. G. WISE (Acting Attorney-General).

Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer).

Hon. Commander R. M. RUMSEY, R.N. (Harbour Master).

Hon. F. J. BADELEY (Captain Superintendent of Police). Hon. Dr. HO KAI.

Hon. WEI A YUK.

Hon. C. S. SHARP.

Hon. C. W. DICKSON.

Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR.

Hon. R. SHEWAN.

Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Councils). NEW MEMBERS.

Mr. G. W. F. Playfair and Mr. Robert Shewan were sworn in and took their seats as members of the Council.

QUESTION ON THE MINUTES.

The ACTING CLERK having read the minutes of last meeting,

Hon. R, SHEWAN said―Sir, With reference to the minutes which have just been read, I have to make a suggestion. I hope hon. members present will not think me presumptuous in so soon making any remark on the minutes, minutes of a meeting at which I was not present; but I should like to suggest that, when questions of hon, members are stated in full in the minutes, the replies should also be stated. It seems to me that if the questions themselves are of sufficient importance to be recorded in the minutes surely the replies to these questions must be of still greater importance. As it is at present it seems to me that the minute is valueless. I would therefore propose that the replies to the questions put by hon. members should be printed in extenso the same as the questions themselves,

HIS EXCELLENCY―Your proposal is to have the replies printed in the minutes?

Hon. R. SHEWAN―Yes, I refer specially to the questions put by Mr. Sharp on behalf of Mr. Whitehead. When the questions are stated in full it is only proper that the replies should be given. It seems to me that if I wished to get the reply there would be no record of that reply if I could not find it in the minutes. If it is necessary I shall propose an amendment, but in the meantime I make the suggestion.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY―I would beg to remind the hon. gentleman that the record, if he wishes to see it, is to be found in the local Hansard. The minutes of the Council are a bare record of the proceedings. If the hon. member's suggestion is adopted, it might apply to the proposing and seconding of a motion in extenso which is never done in minutes such as these.

first place these minutes are printed in the Government Gazette which is circulated publicly in the Colony, and it is there that most people go for the information―not to the Hansard. If it is not necessary to put the replies in the minutes, I do not think it is necessary to put the questions in. I leave it to hon. members to say whether it is of any value to put in one and not the other.

The HARBOUR MASTER―The thing appears in the public prints; the questions and answers are all given.

Hon. Mr. SHEWAN―They are not official.

The matter then dropped.

FINANCIAL.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY submitted the Financial Minutes (Nos. 23, 24, 25 and 26), and moved that they be remitted to the Finance Committee.

The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 6), and moved its adoption.

The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

PAPERS.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Supplementary Colonial Estimates, Hongkong, 1901; an Alphabetical Reference Table to Professor Simpson's Recommendations; and a Report on the Question of the Housing of the Population of Hongkong.

FIRST READINGS.

The following Bills were submitted by the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL and read a first time:―A Bill entitled An Ordinance to further amend The New Territories Land Court Ordinance, 1900 (No. 18 of 1900); a Bill entitled An Ordinance to further amend the Law relating to Dangerous Goods; and a Bill (moved by the COLONIAL SECRETARY) entitled An Ordinance, to authorise the Appropriation of a Supplementary Sum of Five hundred and fifteen thousand two hundred and twenth-five Dollars and seven Cents, to defray the Charges of the Year 1901.

Referring to the last-mentioned Bill, the Hon. R. SHEWAN said―Sir, I think there should be some more specific statement of "Miscellaneous Services" than the mere figures $253,000. The whole vote is for $515,000, and $253,000, which is about half of that sum, is to be devoted to "Miscellaneous Services." No particulars are given at all. It seems a very large item in comparison with all the others.

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The COLONIAL TREASURER―Full opportunity to discuss the Bill will be afforded the hon. member when it is referred to the Finance Committee.

Hon. R. SHEWAN―Exactly, but I do not see the object of putting down items at all unless we are able in some way to gather what they are. Why not put down the item as $515,000?

HIS EXCELLENCY―The full explanation of everything will come later on, when the Bill is read a second time and the Council goes into Committee and considers it clause by clause.

The COLONIAL TREASURER―It will be referred to the Finance Committee first.

The discussion then dropped.

NOTICE OF QUESTION.

Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR gave notice of the following question, which he will ask at next meeting of Council― Will the Honourable Director of Public Works inform the Council what steps, if any, are being taken to carry out the recommendation of Mr. Osbert Chadwick in his report on the water supply of Hongkong dated 18th April, 1902, especially having reference to the question of prompt action in enlarging the storage capacity, as emphasised by his following remarks: "It is evident that the water question is pressing."―"It is one which should take precedence of all other sanitary improvements such as those of sewerage and drainage."―"It is necessary to act with promptitude."

THE MARRIAGE ORDINANCE.

In moving the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend the Marriage Ordinance (14 of 1875), the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL said―I have very few words to say with regard to this Bill, and the amendments are very simple. Section 9 of Ordinance 14 of 1875 is amended by striking out the words "Supreme Court House" and by inserting in lieu thereof the words "Registrar-General's Office." The table of fees I have altered in order to meet the drop in the present value of the dollar, and the words "marriage licence" are taken out, because they mean nothing at all.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was carried.

The Council then went into Committee on the Bill, and considered it clause by clause.

On resuming, the Bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion of the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY.

RELEASE OF PREMISES.

In moving the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to release certain premises situate at Victoria in the Colony of Hongkong from a settlement dated the 31st day of March, 1884, and made between Meyer Elias Sassoon of the one part and Frederick David Sassoon, Edward Elias Sassoon and the said Meyer Elias Sassoon of the other part, the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL said―In

order to explain this Bill, I should have to read the whole Bill straight out. It is purely a technical measure, and as will be seen from the objects and reasons attached, Mr. Jacob Sassoon desires to make a comprehensive settlement of certain leasehold lands in Hongkong, viz., Section B of Inland Lot No. 577, Section A of Inland Lot No. 589 and Section A of the addition to Inland Lot No. 589―upon which the new Jewish Synagogue is erected. If he can do so he will greatly benefit the Jewish community of Hongkong by spending a considerable sum of money in the erection of the building and endowing it with a repair fund. A technical difficulty exists, however, to the proposed settlement by the fact that the property is caught by the trusts of a settlement of 1884, being property purchased with the money arising from the sale of land subject to the 1884 settlement. This Ordinance releases the property in question from the 1884 settlement and so gets rid of the difficulty in question. I see no objection to the Bill, unless hon. members have heard objections outside.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was carried.

The Council then went into committee on the Bill, and considered it clause by clause.

On resuming, the Bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion of the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY.

NATURALISATION.

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance for the Naturalisation of Ku Fai Shán, alias Ku Ting Kwong, alias Ku Pak Tai, alias Ku Chong Tsung, alias Ku Yuk Tsing.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.

Hon. R. SHEWAN―Sir, I wish to enquire if this gentleman is to be naturalised under all these names or under one name only. In the former case, I think he should be naturalised under only one name, and only that name.

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL ― As far as my experience goes, they are naturalised always under aliases.

Hon. Dr. HO KAI―Sir, I think it is necessary to put all the names down for purposes of identification. It has been the custom in this Council to pass a Naturalisation Ordinance in this form, and I do not see any reason why it should be altered.

Hon. R. SHEWAN―I suggest that in future he should be required to use one name only in this naturalisation certificate. I merely make the suggestion for the Government.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY―We cannot alter Chinese manners and customs, sir, and this is one of them―that a man bears several names, and has a right to do so.

Hon. R. SHEWAN―I am making a suggestion to Government, that in future these naturalisation certificates should apply to a

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man under one name only. None of us use five or six aliases, and I do not see any reason why the Chinese should. I suggest that he be required, as we Britishers are, to use only one name.

Hon. WEI A YUK―It would perhaps be better to keep all the names in but put forward one name only.

The HARBOUR MASTER―I submit, sir, that this desultory conversation is not in order. What is before the Council at the present time is the naturalisation of a certain man, not the renaming of him, and if we pass that it is as much as the Council is asked at present.

HIS EXCELLENCY―That is so.

The Bill was read a second time.

The Council then went into Committee on the bill, and considered it clause by clause.

On resuming, the Bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion of the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL TREASURER.

CHINESE ANGLICAN CHURCH,

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL ― In moving the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to provide for the incorporation of the Church Body of the Chinese Anglican Church in Hongkong, I have very little to say more than what is in the objects and reasons. These people have qualified themselves to be incorporated. They are in a sound financial position, and I see no reason why the Bill should not be passed. The objects and reasons are as follows: ― The Chinese members of the Anglican Communion in Hongkong, being now in a position to pay their own Pastors and in other ways to support their own pastoral works, regulations have been drawn up for self support and self-government and, as Hongkong contains several churches and chapels, it has been considered advisable to form Vestries to administer the affairs of each Church or Chapel, and to form a Church Body to administer the affairs of the whole native Anglican Church in Hongkong. A Church Body having been duly constituted and appointed in accordance with the Regulations of the Chinese Branch of the Anglican Communion in Hongkong, it is wished to have it constituted a Corporation under the laws of the Colony for the purpose of holding and transferring property and for the other purposes mentioned in the Bill. The usual clause as to saving the rights of the Crown is inserted.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

The Council then went into Committee and considered the Bill clause by clause. On resuming,

The Bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion

of the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY.

THE WATER BILL.

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL―In moving the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to provide for and regulate the Supply of Water in Hongkong and for the Maintenance and Repair of the works connected therewith, I have only a few remarks to make. It is useless for me to dilate at any length on the crisis from which this Colony has just emerged with reference to water or rather the want of water, but I think I may tell you briefly that in consequence of the continued drought we have been perilously near the end of our supply and certainly nearer to the end than we have ever been before. It is of course no use to say that we have plenty of water now and therefore the danger is over for the present, for what has happened before may happen again, and therefore we have prepared this Bill. Mr. Chadwick, who was sent out by the Government of England at the request of a section of the community, told us before he went away that the Colony generally, owing to its increased population, could not in the future always depend on the natural annual rainfall, in spite of our large addition at Tytam, for a continuous daily supply to all tenements in the Colony. When he said that I think he referred―in fact, I am sure he did―principally to tenements in the Chinese parts of the town, because I think we are all agreed that waste has occurred there in a very large way and I think there can be no denying that the ordinary Chinese coolie is very ready to turn on a tap but has a horrible horror of turning it off. Some years ago―not so long after all, for it is within my recollection―there was no such system as a continuous water supply to Chinese tenements. The supply was then by means of water-pipes and stand pipes in the streets, and the Chinese occupants of these houses had to carry their water, and that was a safe guard, for they did not carry much more than they wanted. To prevent waste at these stand-pipes various precautions were taken. The first consisted of some sort of automatic appliances which I must say did not prove very efficacious. One of these was a brass button which as long as you kept your thumb upon it allowed the water to flow and when you took it away the water stopped. But the coolie put a bit of wood in to keep the water going. Another appliance was a chain that you pulled down. As long as it was down the water flowed and it stopped when the chain was let back. The coolie tied a knot in that chain. These appliances were if on great use, although there may be some fresh ones now. The chief precaution taken was this: there was a body of watchmen who patrolled the streets, and it was their duty when they came across a stand-pipe running to cut it off and if they could catch the man leaving it running they took him to the Magistracy and had him fined $10. Under that system things worked very well as the Chinese were accustomed to carry their water. Although I thoroughly recognise that there is a difference in the

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population, at the same time, speaking comparatively, I have no hesitation in saying that in those days there was little danger of a water famine. After a time some philanthropic person or persons came along and granted what they thought to be a boon to the Chinese householders―which was a curse to the Colony―a continuous daily supply. What was the result? We had various shortages, periods of want of water, until last Spring, when the climax was reached. The question is― How is it to be put a stop to? This Bill is an endeavour on our part to do it. The system we have taken up is the system of meters. Section 13 says:―"Water will only be supplied to any tenement in the Colony through any service, provided it is measured by meter. Such meter shall be kept in repair by the Water Authority." That section applies to European and Chinese houses as well, so there can be no question of race coming in. The meters will measure the water supplied to your house, European or otherwise, and any excess over a certain allowance the owner or occupier will be charged for. With reference to the European, he has already been acquainted with the system. Apart from the European, any respectable Chinaman who wishes to keep on his connection with the main has only to notify the Government and they will supply a meter and charge him a reasonable rent for it. You might then ask―How does this prevent waste? I will tell you. I think it does. It seems certain that if the owner, who was the person primarily and principally involved in excess of consumption of water, finds that his tenants or occupiers are wasting water and causing him to spend a certain amount of money for excess, all he has to do is to refuse to carry on the undertaking and thereupon the Government can disconnect him with the mains, and the tenants and occupiers would have to carry their water as in the good days of old. You may say, perhaps, it is hard on the owner, but I think if you will consider it you will see surely no grounds for such an objection. It would be obviously unfair, to my mind, to charge all the occupants of a Chinese house, which is very much like a rabbit warren, for the misdeeds of one or two. It would be absolutely impossible in nine cases out of ten to find out who is the delinquent. With regard to Chinese houses I do not think it would be unfair to charge the owner, who has always the means to stop it. With reference to this subject I might say that a gentleman who has left the Colony just now, but who has very close relations and interests in property, namely the Hon. C. P. Chater, stated that he approved of this scheme. That is all I can say. I heard him saying it, and therefore it seems to me there can be no hardship on owners. The owner can always get rid of his obligations and make his tenants revert to the old system, which in my opinion will reduce the waste. Your waste is there. That is where it will have to be cut off. There are Europeans who have large gardens and who use a great amount of water, but the main waste is in Chinese houses, and that is the evil we have to fight with. With

regard to excess consumption it is defined as follows:― "Any quantity of water ascertained by meter as having been used in a tenement in excess of a quarterly allowance, which, at 50 cents per 1,000 gallons, would be equal to one-third per centum on the rating valuation of the said tenement." I think before the word "rating" you must put in "annual." I will give you an example how it works out. Suppose an annual rating valuation of $100 a month. Then one-third per cent. of that would be $4, which at 50 cents per 1,000 gallons would give you 88 or 89 gallons per day. The other clauses of the Bill refer to the powers of the Government to collect the rents of the meter and also to collect any charges for excess consumption. There are of course general powers given to carry out the provisions of the Ordinance. That practically is the new part of the Bill. The balance is a sort of collection of provisions in various Ordinances which are hereby repealed and simply present to you in a consolidated form the Water Ordinances of this Colony.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded,

Hon. Dr. HO KAI―Sir, shortly before I came to the Council I received a communication from some of the leading Chinese asking me to represent their views to the hon. members of this Council and also to oppose the second reading of this Bill. Personally I have not much objection to the principles of the Bill, but since I have to represent the views of our Chinese citizens, I wish to say a few words to put their case before you. The Chinese object to the provisions of this Bill on the following grounds. First of all, the allowance for daily consumption is too small. Just now we heard the learned Attorney-General giving the maximum quantity of water for a house with $100 a month rental, and he has told us that the water allowance for a quarter is $4 at 50 cents per 1,000 gallons―that means to say, 8,000 gallons for the quarter. Now, a little arithmetic will show that 8,000 gallons divided by three will give you only 2,666, and then divide that by thirty and you will find that the house―a very big house, mind you, when you pay $100 a month for it―will get only about 88 gallons allowance per day, and if the house contained ten persons that only gives us eight gallons per day per head. I put it, sir, to you, in a Chinese house paying $100 a month there would very likely be twenty or thirty occupants. In European houses, including servants―"boys," cooks, and so on―there might be an average of fifteen persons, and thus the quantity of water allowed to them would be something like between four and five gallons, and whatever was in excess of this

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would be charged at the rate of 50 cents per 1,000 gallons. At that rate, in Chinese tenement houses consisting of thirty persons in a house for which the rent is $100 the quantity allowed to them would be something between one and two gallons per head. That, I say, is extremely small, and the Bill is justly regarded by them as giving them no water at all. Again, there is another objection against the Bill, and that is that Chinese drawing this small quantity of water have to use it not only for potable purposes but for washing as well, and that on about two gallons per head per day. Again the Sanitary Board are trying their utmost to get the Chinese to clean their houses, and we hope that in time we may induce them to keep their houses fairly clean and to use as much water as possible in washing their places. Now, the Chinese, if they have to pay such a heavy sum for water, will, I am sure, wherever possible, leave all washing alone. That would be hurtful to the sanitary requirements of the Colony, and for that reason alone I think the Bill should be opposed. Then again, there is another objection to this Bill, and that is charging by meter. It does not matter whether a man wastes the water or not―he must have a meter fixed on the premises. I believe the cost of a meter is pretty expensive just now; I think a meter will cost between sixty and seventy dollars.

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL―Oh no, five dollars?

Hon. Dr. HO KAI―Five dollars? Well, anyhow, they charge for a gas-meter something like forty cents rental per month. However, if the water meter is so cheap that objection falls to the ground. I thought it would take a very heavy sum to buy one and that the rental would be fifty or sixty cents a month. The object of this Bill is detailed in the preamble as follows:― "Whereas large sums have from time to time been expended and may hereafter be expended in the establishment and maintenance of waterworks to secure a proper and adequate supply of water for the inhabitants of the Colony and it is expedient to provide for and regulate the supply of water from such works as well as the maintenance and repairs of all works in connection therewith also to make provision for the payment of all such sums as aforesaid not otherwise provided for and for the repayment of any loans in connection therewith and of the interest to accrue thereon." Now, to meet the payment of the sums necessary in connection with these waterworks, I think the Chinese made a very good suggestion when they said the Government should raise the taxes of the Colony. By doing so you would realise this extra sum, and that course would be preferable to trying to get income from the excessive consumption of water, which I believe would be a very expensive way of getting the money. As to the waste of water and how to prevent it, it is stated in the objects and

reasons that "as the waste principally occurs in Chinese tenement houses and the cost of excess consumption in nine cases out of ten will have to be paid by the owner it is conceived that such owners will elect to disconnect their services and allow their tenants to have recourse to the public fountains―a system which used to be universal in the case of such tenements. At the same time any person who prefers to be connected can be so." Now, upon this point, personally I must say I do not see any more effective means of preventing waste than by resorting to the plan proposed here. Again, about this waste of water I must say that water is wasted in European houses quite as much as in Chinese, for the Chinese servants waste the water just the same as they would do in their own houses; besides, in European quarters a large amount of water is used for watering the garden and watering the lawn―quite as much perhaps as would suffice for the requirements of two or three tenement houses. To touch upon yet another point, the learned Attorney-General seems to think that the charging for excessive consumption of water will fall on the house-owner or landlords, but you will find that the cost will fall on the tenant, inasmuch that if the landlord finds he has been charged for excessive consumption he can put so many dollars on the rental. I propose, therefore, sir, that this Ordinance be read a second time three months hence.

Hon. WEI A YUK seconded.

Hon. C. S. SHARP―I have only a few remarks to make, sir, upon this Ordinance. We have listened very carefully to what has been said by the hon. member who has just sat down. I wish to preface my remarks by saying that I approach this Bill in no hostile spirit. I fully approve of the broad principles of this Bill so far as they aim at preventing and penalising waste. Our experience has been such that we must make some strong effort to prevent a repetition of this thing. I therefore heartily welcome this Bill a being as a step in the right direction and think the public will adopt that view of it. I am somewhat concerned, however, at one or two matters in it, especially the matter of the proposed charges for water. As I take it, the effect of the proposed charges will be to halve the certain free consumption allowed under the meter system. Under the present system, I believe, consumption is charged for at the rate of 25 cents per 1,000 gallons, and up to 13 per cent. on rating value is allowed free to consumers on this basis. The change now proposed is 50 cents. We certainly should husband our supply but to halve the allowance is rather a heroic measure. Stress has been laid by the Sanitary Board and others on the advisability of a better water supply. Mr. SHARP went on to quote from the Drainage Bye-laws, which referred to the necessity of a liberal application of water

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for the proper maintenance of house drains. I take it, he continued, that if we practically double the present cost of water I am afraid that may have the effect of making people penurious over their water consumption, and speaking from the sanitary point of view as embodied in these extracts I have just read I think that would be rather a misfortune. As regards the present water consumption of the Colony, I have taken some of Mr. Chadwick's notes for my guidance, and he states that the consumption of water per head per day is about 17 gallons. He goes on to say that though the present water consumption is reasonable it must certainly be reduced. But I submit that he could hardly have meant by a reduction such a tremendous reduction as cutting it down one-half; and therefore I am inclined to advocate that in place of fixing the free supply at the rate mentioned, 50 cents per 1,000 gallons, the rate for the free supply might if necessary be increased from 25 but certainly should not be doubled. I think though that 50 cents for 1,000 gallons might very well be applied to the excess consumption. I see that Mr. Chadwick in one of his reports has suggested an ascending scale of charges. It would require an expert to go into the matter thoroughly, but looking at it from a very broad point of view the suggestion is, I think, rather good. There are one or two― ―

HIS EXCELLENCY―Your remarks are most excellent, but the question before us now is whether the Bill be read a second time There is a proposal that it be put off, practically, which has been seconded. If the Bill had come up for reading I think your various comments would come in. I take it that you are in favour of the Bill?

Hon. Mr. SHARP―Yes, with modifications.

HIS EXCELLENCY―But the question now is whether the Bill be read a second time at all. If you can speak on that subject I shall be delighted to hear you.

Hon. Mr. SHARP―I am afraid, sir, I am not sufficiently acquainted with the methods of procedure to know whether I was in order or not. I take it that I was out of order?

HIS EXCELLENCY―Oh, no; I do not say that

Hon. Mr. SHARP―Might I suggest that the mover of the amendment should make the period less than three months. It might be accepted. Three months is rather a long time.

Hon. Dr. HO KAI―I will make it six weeks.

On a division, the motion was carried by 7 votes to 4 for the amendment. For the motion there voted Mr Shewan, Mr. Playfair, Mr. Thomson, Mr. Badeley, Mr. Wise, Mr. Rumsey and Mr. May; for the amendment Mr Dickson, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Wei A Yuk and Dr. Ho Kai.

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL intimated that he did not intend to proceed further with the Bill at that meeting.

PAWNBROKERS' ORDINANCE.

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL ― In moving the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to further

amend the Pawnbroker's Ordinance (No. 3 of ) I may state that it mainly provides under Section 3 that all fees shall be payable yearly in advance, but there is power given to pay them quarterly. With regard to the fees themselves they are very obsolete. They were fixed in 1860 and we have raised them a little and provided that all fees shall be posted up in the shop; if they are not posted up the licensee will be liable to a penalty. With regard to the time at the expiration of which goods shall become the property of the pawnbroker an extension of three months, was desired. I have made it eight months except in the New Territory where it has been made twelve months. assimilating it to the time already prescribed in the neighbouring Chinese province.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

The Council went into Committee on the Bill and considered it clause by clause. On resuming,

The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL stated that he would not proceed further with the Bill at that meeting.

The Council adjourned sine die.

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FINANCE COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the Colonial Secretary (Hon. F. H. May) presiding.

HOUSE ALLOWANCE.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $120, being 4 months' house allowance granted to Mr. M. McIver, Inspector of Junks, Harbour Department, at the rate of $30 per mensem.

The vote was agreed to.

INCREASE OF SALARY.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $300 to meet, during the current year, the increase in salary of Mr. N. G. Nolan, Interpreter to the Magistracy.

The CHAIRMAN―This increase of salary to Mr. Nolan, one of the interpreters at the Magistracy, was recommended at the end of last year, and after some correspondence it has now been approved by the Secretary of State, and this sum submitted to you is to cover the increase of $25 per month for the current year.

The vote was agreed to.

KOWLOON SCHOOL EXPENSES.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $4,357.86 to cover, during the current year, the

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salaries of Mr. and Mrs. B. James, the Master and Mistress of the Kowloon School:―

Abstract.

Mr. James, half salary, from 3rd to 19th February; full salary from 20th February to 31st December, at £330 per annum ................. $3,411.03

Mrs. James, half salary, from 20th January to 19th February; full salary from 2th February to 31st December, at £90 per annum ............... 946.83 ————

Total .......................................... $4,357.86

The CHAIRMAN―This school, as you are aware, was opened not long ago at Kowloon, and the salaries and other charges for keeping up the institution are to be defrayed by the Government. This was not provided for in the

Estimates, and therefore you are now asked to vote these sums to cover the salaries of the master and mistress for the current year.

The vote was agreed to.

HOSPITAL WASHING.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $500 in aid of the vote of $500 for Washing performed for the Government Civil Hospital.

The CHAIRMAN―The Civil Hospital used to get most of its washing done in the Goal by the prisoners, hence only $500 was voted for washing. This year, however, owing to the shortage of water, the Goal could not do the washing, and therefore it had to be done outside at the increased cost of $500. That is the reason of this vote.

The vote was agreed to.

This was all the business.

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