1914-09-10 — Page 1

96 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 10TH SEPTEMBER, 1914.

PRESENT:―

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR FRANCIS HENRY MAY, K.C.M.G.

HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR-GENERAL F. H. KELLY, C.B. (General Officer Commanding Troops).

HON. MR. CLAUD SEVERN (Colonial Secretary).

HON. MR. J. H. KEMP (Attorney-General).

HON. MR. E. D. C. WOLFE (Colonial Treasurer).

HON. MR. A. F. CHURCHILL (Director of Public Works).

HON. MR. E. R. HALLIFAX (Secretary for Chinese Affairs).

HON. MR. C. MCI. MESSER (Captain Superintendent of Police).

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

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

HON. MR. E. A. HEWETT, C.M.G.

HON. MR. D. LANDALE.

HON. MR. LAU CHU PAK.

MR. M. J. BREEN (Clerk of Councils). Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.

Financial Minutes

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 45 to 50, 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 H.E. the Governor, laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 12), and moved its adoption.

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

The Prince of Wales' Relief Fund

HIS EXCELLENCY ― Gentlemen, before we proceed with the orders of the day, I would like to read to you a telegram which I have received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies in reply to one from myself inquiring as to the nature and object of the Prince of Wales' Fund, of which you have no doubt read in the newspapers. The reply I got was as follows:―

Your telegram of 31st August, Prince of Wales' Fund. Fund will be applied for relief of persons in the British Isles who are dependents of men at the front and of those who suffer from unemployment caused by interruption and dislocation of trade and industry, or otherwise are plunged into poverty and distress in consequence of war. Am prepared to approve grant from Colonial Funds.

HARCOURT.

The latter part of the telegram was in reply to a question of mine as to whether the Secretary of State would allow me to propose a vote at this Council of $100,000 to begin with in aid of this fund. I also intimated that I would call for public subscriptions in support of the fund. In that behalf I propose to invite the following gentlemen to form a Committee under the Chairmanship of myself to take the necessary steps for opening a subscription list:―

Hon. Mr. E. R. Hallifax (Secretary for Chinese Affairs), Hon. Mr. C. MCI. Messer (Captain Superintendent of Police), Hon. Sir Paul Chater, C.M.G., Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, C.M.G., Hon. Mr. H. E. Pollock, K.C., Hon. Mr. D. Landale, Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, Hon. Mr. Wei Yuk, C.M.G., Hon. Mr. Lau Chu Pak, Mr. A. G. Stephen, Mr. W. Dickson, Mr. A. R. Linton, Mr. G. K. Nuttall, Mr. C. S. Gubbay, Mr. Chan Kai Ming, Mr. Ng

HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 97

Hon Tsz, Mr. Chau Siu Ki, Mr. Ho Tung, Mr. Ho Kom Tong, Mr. Ho Fook, Mr. Tong Lai Tsun, Mr. Chan Lok Tsun and Mr. Wong Kam Fuk.

These Chinese gentlemen are all, as you may observe, British subjects, and this is a fund in aid of those who are defending and upholding the honour of our country, and of those who are suffering from the incidence of the war, which is a burden that Britishers alone are expected to bear. But I have no doubt that the members of the Chinese community who are not British subjects, except in so far as they are British subjects while they remain here in the Colony, may wish also to subscribe to the fund. If they do so, we shall accept gratefully any contributions they may give, but I would like to emphasise now, here publicly, that I do not wish them to allow their generosity to prejudice local charities which, owing to the dislocation of trade and the bad times that have therefore fallen on the Colony, must suffer to a very considerable extent; nor would I like them to allow their generosity to prejudice that assistance which the Province of Kwangtung desires on account of the large expenditure necessary to repair the terrific damage done to dykes and embankments along the territories bordering on the West river, owing to the recent floods there. I am sure you will all agree with me that, acting on the principle that "charity begins at home," Chinese who are here merely as temporary residents should remember that their countrymen have need for very considerable assistance at this time. I would also like to take this opportunity of expressing my great gratification at the manner in which all parts of the British community have come forward in the present crisis to bear their share of the burden which has fallen upon the Empire. In doing so they have shown that spirit which we know animates the whole Empire; a spirit which I feel confident will carry this war to a successful issue. ("Hear, hear" and applause.)

Hongkong and Shanghai Bank

Amendment Ordinance

HON. MR. LANDALE moved the first reading of a Bill entitled, "An Ordinance to amend the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Ordinance, 1866."

HON. MR. POLLOCK seconded, and the Bill

was read a first time.

HON. MR. LANDALE moved that the Standing Orders be suspended in order to enable the Bill to go through all its stages at this meeting of the Council.

HON. MR. POLLOCK seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

HON. MR. LANDALE then moved the second reading of the Bill. In doing so he said ―I beg to move the second reading of this Bill, the objects and reasons of which are explained in the printed note attached to the foot of the Bill. I may say that it was considered that Section 20 of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Ordinance of 1866 was somewhat ambiguous in its wording. Its meaning is not clearly expressed, and it is the desire of shareholders of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation that there should be no ambiguity as regards the power of the Corporation to take security from constituents by way of mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, deposit or otherwise, howsoever, on every kind of property or rights. An extraordinary meeting of shareholders was held on the 22nd August and the directors were authorised to apply for and accept this Ordinance. The taking of such security very largely enters into the business of modern banking, and it is universally done by all banks, and I feel convinced that this Council will agree with the shareholders that the Corporation's powers in this respect should be made quite clear in the Ordinance governing the constitution of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank.

HON. MR. POLLOCK seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.

Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.

On resuming,

HON. MR. LANDALE reported that the Bill had passed through Committee without amendment, and moved that it be read a third time.

HON. MR. POLLOCK seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.

HIS EXCELLENCY ― Council stands adjourned sine die.

98 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

FINANCE COMMITTEE.

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A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding. The following votes were passed:―

Language Bonus

The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $600 in aid of the vote Public Work Department, Other Charges, Language Bonus to Assistant Engineer.

Charitable Services

The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,600 in aid of the vote Charitable Services, Passages and Relief of Destitutes.

Police and Prison Vote

The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $800 in aid of the following votes:―

Police and Prison Departments, C.― Prison, Other Charges:―

Clothing and Shoes for Staff ............ $700 Gratuities to Prisoners for Industrial Labour ........................................... 100 ——

$800

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Harbour Department

The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $550 in aid of the vote Harbour Master's Department, A. ― Harbour Office, Other Charges, Electric Fans and Light.

Volunteers

The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $2,825 in aid of the following votes:―

Military Expenditure, B.―Volunteers, Other Charges, Volunteer Reserve:―

Uniform ........................................... $2,625 Upkeep of Arms .............................. 200 ———

$2,825

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Public Works Department

The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $2,350 in aid of the following votes:―

Public Works Department, Other Charges: ―

Drawing Materials and Mounting Plans .............................................. $1,200 Incidental Expenses .......................... 150 Transport and Travelling Expenses .. 1,000 ———

$2,350

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