1911-11-02 — Page 1

208 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 2ND NOVEMBER, 1911.

PRESENT:―

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR FREDERICK JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD, G.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.

HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR-GENERAL C. A. ANDERSON, C.B. (General Officer Commanding Troops).

HON. MR. A. W. BREWIN (Colonial Secretary).

HON. MR. C. G. ALABASTER (Attorney General).

HON. MR. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer).

HON. MR. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G. (Director of Public Works).

HON. MR. E.R. HALLIFAX (Registrar General).

HON. CAPTAIN F. W. LYONS (Captain Superintendent of Police).

HON. DR. HO KAI, M.B., C.M.G.

HON. MR. WEI YUK, C.M.G.

HON. MR. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C.

HON. MR. E. A. HEWETT.

HON. MR. C. H. ROSS.

HON. MR. E. OSBORNE.

MR. C. CLEMENTI (Clerk of Councils). Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.

Financial Minutes

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table Financial Minutes No. 81 to 87, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.

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

Financial

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee (No. 17), and moved its adoption.

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

New Bye-Law

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table bye-law No. 26 of the market bye laws made by the Sanitary Board on the 12th September, 1911, and moved its approval.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL seconded and the motion was agreed to.

New Member

Mr. E. R. Hallifax took the oath and assumed his seat as a member of the Council.

The Late Colonial Secretary

HIS EXCELLENCY―Gentlemen, since we last met at this table the tragic death of our late Colonial Secretary has removed from our counsels an officer whom we had learned to value highly although he had been so short a time amongst us. As a colleague and as a friend his charming personality had endeared him to us all, and I can say for my own part that I had no conception how much it was so until he had gone. As the holder of a high and important office in this Colony he had in a marvellous way possessed himself in the short time he was here of the problems and conditions of this Colony. There is perhaps no one better able to speak from personal knowledge than myself, and I can say that

HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 209

I found in him a man who could be entirely relied upon, of abundant commonsense, and indefatigable industry; a man of sane and temperate judgment and liberal views. His long experience as Protector of the Chinese in the Straits Settlements peculiarly qualified him for his high office in this Colony, and in him the Chinese community have lost a real friend. His thorough grip of administrative details in all branches enabled him, even in the short period of five months, to leave, as I am sure he has left, a permanent mark on the administration of the Colony. 1 feel most deeply and most keenly his death, and I beg to move in the terms of the resolution now before you that this Council record in its archives an expression of its sorrow at the loss which we have sustained by his death and an expression of sympathy and condolence with his bereaved mother and his relatives.

HON. DR. HO KAI―Sir, on behalf of the unofficial members of this Council, I beg most sympathetically to second the resolution which you have so feelingly moved. We fully concur, Sir, in the sentiments to which you have just given expression, and we join with you, Sir, in tesifying our appreciation of our late colleague, his sterling qualities, and also our high regard

for him, although, as you say, Sir, he had been only but a few months with us, and also in expressing our deep sorrow at his sudden death. We unite with you, Sir, in tendering our sincerest and deep sympathy and condolence to his relatives.

HIS EXCELLENCY―The resolution before the Council is:

The President and Members of the Legislative Council of Hongkong desire to place on record an expression of their deep sorrow at the sudden death of the late Colonial Secretary, Mr. Warren Delabere Barnes, a colleague and a friend for whom they had the highest regard, and to offer their sincere sympathy to his relatives in their bereavement. The motion was carried unanimously.

HON. DR. HO KAI―Sir, as a mark of respect to our late Colonial Secretary, I beg to move that the Council adjourn for a week.

HON. MR. ROSS―I rise to support the hon. senior unofficial member.

HIS EXCELLENCY―I shall be most glad to adopt this proposal of the unofficial members and adjourn the Council. Council will now adjourn.