1907-07-16 — Page 1

PRESENT:─

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16TH JULY, 1907.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY─I have the

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT, Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G.

MAJOR-GENERAL R. G. BROADWOOD, C.B., A.C.D.

Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Secretary).

Hon. Mr. H. H. J. GOMPERTZ (Attorney-General)

Hon. Mr. C. McI. MESSER (Colonial Treasurer).

Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G. (Director of Public Works).

Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General). Hon. Mr. F. J. BADELEY (Captain-Superintendent of Police).

Hon. Dr. HO KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. WEI YUK.

Hon. Mr. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C.

Hon. Mr. E. OSBORNE.

Hon. Mr. H. KESWICK.

Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Councils). MINUTES.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and confirmed.

FINANCIAL MINUTES.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 26 to 30, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.

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

PAPERS.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the following papers:─Despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies with regard to Sir Matthew Nathan's departure; Report on the health and sanitary condition of the Colony for the year 1906; Report of the Inspector of Schools for the year 1906; Despatch from the Secretary of State regarding the Typhoon Relief Fund Committee; Correspondence on the subject of salaries of European Civil Servants.

CIVIL SERVANTS' SALARIES.

honour to move the following resolution: "Resolved that the principle of the payment of salaries of European Civil Servants contained in Lord Elgin's despatch No. 122 of the 11th June, 1907, be approved."

I move this resolution, Sir, pro forma, leaving it to the unofficial members of the Council to express their opinions on the subject. The extra amount required for the first six months of this year will be about $44,000. As regards the remainder of the year, and in fact for the whole year, the total amount has already been voted, as the estimates were taken at the rate of 2/-.

Hon. Dr. HO KAI─I have much pleasure in seconding the resolution which has just been proposed by the hon. gentleman opposite. The hon. Colonial Secretary said he proposed this pro forma, and I can quite appreciate his position inasmuch as it is a resolution dealing with salaries of members of the public service, of which service he is a member. The question arose eighteen months ago, and at one time it excited a good deal of comment both in the public press and in private conversation, and culminated in May last in a series of petitions being sent home to the Secretary of State regarding the unfortunate position of members of the Civil Service on account of the rise in value of the dollar, thus placing them all in a position to lose a number of dollars, while at the same time the cost of living and other expenses did not decrease in proportion to the rise in value of the dollar. Unfortunately the Secretary of State did not see fit in the first instance to grant their prayer, but as is seen in Despatch 122, dated 11th June, 1907, the Secretary of State, Lord Elgin, has at last consented, with the approval of this Council, to a certain arrangement which, I am sure, will give to members of the Civil Service in this Colony adequate compensation for their losses. As I said, Sir, the subject was brought prominently before the public some time ago, and I must say that most members of this Council, and also the public, sympathised a very great deal with the members of the Civil Service, and we think an arrangement of this sort in fixing

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the dollar at 2/- is a fair settlement of the question. We feel, however, having regard to the increased value of the dollar, that, if there should be any loss, the Colony as a whole should bear it rather than the different members of the Civil Service. I go upon the principle, Sir, in supporting the resolution, that the Colony has a right to expect good and faithful service from its Civil Servants, and on their part they have a right to look to the Colony to give them an amount commensurate with their services, also to enable them to maintain their position in the Colony with some degree of comfort. I have much pleasure in seconding this resolution, and I am sure my unofficial colleagues will unanimously support it (applause).

HIS EXCELLENCY─I gather from the silence which has fallen on the Council after the remarks of the senior unofficial member that the hon. unofficial members are in favour of this resolution (applause). Members of the Government will, of course, not vote on the resolution, and all I can say is, that after this resolution is passed the Civil Servants will feel that they have been liberally treated in this matter, and I have not the slightest doubt that they will, one and all, properly appreciate that liberality (applause).

INSURANCE COMPANIES ORDINANCE.

The ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill entitled "An Ordinance relating to Life, Fire, and Marine Insurance Companies."

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

FACILITIES FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY. The ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill entitled "An Ordinance for giving to a Foreign Company, called the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij, certain facilities for carrying on its business in the Colony."

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

His EXCELLENCY─The Council stands

adjourned till this day week.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council─the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding. The following votes were passed:

EDUCATIONAL.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of Five thousand five hundred Dollars ($5,500) in aid of the vote Education, Other Charges, Grants Building Grants.

HARBOUR MASTER'S DEPARTMENT.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to revote a sum of one thousand seven hundred and sixteen dollars ($1,716) in aid of the vote Harbour Master's Department, Harbour Office─Special Expenditure, Purchase of 3 Fairway Lights and Buoys.

PUBLIC WORKS.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of One thousand nine hundred Dollars ($1,900) in aid of the vote Public Works Recurrent, Maintenance of Lighthouses.

JUDICIAL.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of Two hundred and seventy-five Dollars ($275) in aid of the vote, Judicial and Legal Departments, A.─Supreme Court, Other Charges, for the following items:─

Electric Fans and Light............................ $ 75 Incidental Expenses ................................. 200 Total.................................. $275

PUBLIC CEMETERY.

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of Three hundred and fifty Dollars ($350) in aid of the vote, Public Works Recurrent, Miscellaneous, Maintenance of Public Cemetery.