1915-12-23 — Page 1

PRESENT:─

HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 105

23RD DECEMBER, 1915.

a man of a crystal mind pure and innocent of guile

as that of a child, and of a heart of pure gold. His

HIS EXCELLENCY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR F. H. MAY, K.C.M.G.

HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR-GENERAL F.VENTRIS (General Officer Commanding Troops).

HON. MR. CLAUD SEVERN (Colonial Secretary).

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

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

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

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

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

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

HON. MR. POLLOCK, K.C.

HON. MR. E. SHELLIM.

HON. MR. D. LANDALE.

HON. MR. LAU CHU PAK.

HON. MR. P. H. HOLYOAK.

MR. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Councils).

Minutes

The minutes of the last meeting were confirmed. The Late Sir Thomas Jackson

HIS EXCELLENCY, Gentlemen, we meet today under the shadow cast by the death of one who is now numbered among the great dead upon the Institution which he served so nobly, upon the Colony of which he was the greatest citizen it has ever possessed, and upon the hearts of the many friends in every station of life who bad the privilege of his acquaintance. Sir Thomas Jackson, with the brilliant abilities by which the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank was raised under his care from small beginnings to the splended position it now occupies in the financial world, combined a kindness of heart which endeared him to all who came into contact with him. He was the un-official adviser of successive Governors of this Colony, and in his generosity he dispensed his counsel to all who cared to ask for it. In my younger days I have more than once had recourse, not in vain, to that fountain of wisdom. He was in very truth

friendship was indeed a priceless gift from Heaven for those who were honoured by it. I beg to move the following resolution. "This Council desires to place on record its deep sorrow at the death of Sir Thomas Jackson, a former member of the Legislature, its appreciation of the magnificent services of the deceased to the Colony and to British trade, and its heartfelt sympathy with his widow and family in their bereavement."

HON. MR. WEI YUK seconded, and the resolution was passed in silence, all the members standing.

HIS EXCELLENCY beg to move, as a mark of respect to the memory of this great man, that, after the questions appearing on the agenda have been answered, Council be adjourned until Thursday next.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, seconded, and this was agreed to.

Papers

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid on the table the report of the proceedings of the Finance Committee No. 17, and moved that it be adopted.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.

Valuation of Tenements

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution: "It is hereby resolved that the percentages on the valuations of the tenements in the undermentioned places be altered as follows with effect from the 1st of January, 1916:

Taikoktsui, ....................... from 11 ½ % to 13% Hon Un and Kowloon City

Road from the Hung

Hom Police Station to

the north as far as and

including Kowloon

Inland Lot 1150 and

Kowloon Marine Lot

67, ............ from 11 ½ % to 13%

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.

106 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Finance

Under the Royal Instructions, which form part of

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 59, and 67 to 73, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee on Thursday next.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.

Hon. Mr. Pollock and the

Executive Council

HON. MR. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C., in accordance with notice of motion, asked the following questions:

1. What steps is the Government or His Excellency the Governor taking to fill up the place of the late Mr. Hewett on the Executive Council?

2. Is it not the fact that I was a Member of the Executive Council, as Acting Attorney-General, for periods of time amounting to nearly 3 years, and is it not the fact that I acted in addition as an Unofficial Member of that Council during the last absence on leave in Europe of Sir Paul Chater and Mr. Hewett respectively, in the years 1911 and 1912?

3. Has the Government or has His Excellency the Governor sent any Despatch, and, if so, when, to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies recommending any, and, if so, what person as successor to Mr. Hewett on the Executive Council?

4. If any such Despatch has been addressed to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, has the Right Honourable Gentleman been informed in such Despatch of the facts referred to in the above question 2? Will the Government lay such Despatch (if any) upon the table of this Council?

5. Will the Government recommend to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies that the two Unofficial Members of the Executive Council shall be elected Members, instead of being nominated by the Government?

6. Will the Government recommend to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies that all the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council shall be elected, instead of two-thirds of them being nominated by the Government, and also that the number of Unofficial Members in that Council be increased?

the Constitution of the Colony, appointments to that Council are reserved as the sole prerogative of the Crown, and on me as the representative in the Colony of His Most Gracious Majesty the King devolves the sole responsibility of humbly submitting, through the Secretary of State for the Colonies for His Majesty's consideration, recommendations for such appointments. I am therefore not prepared to permit myself to be catechised as to what action at the present juncture I have taken or shall take to acquit myself of my heavy responsibility. But I can assure the Honourable Member in whose name the questions stand that his services to the Colonial Government, which none appreciate more than I do, have not been, and will not be, lost sight of. The last two questions relate to an alteration of the Constitution of the Colony. The suggestions made do not commend themselves to my judgment, and the season, in my opinion, is strangely out of joint for even the discussion of such questions, since the energies both of the Colonial and of the Imperial Governments are at present concentrated on the internecine struggle in which well nigh the whole world is now engaged.

Hon. Mr. Holyoak and Interned

Alien Enemies

HON. MR. HOLYOAK asked the following questions:

With reference to a Reuter's telegram published in the Daily Press of the 16th December in which it is stated that "In the House of Commons Mr. Bonar Law said the question of the desirability of removing alien enemies interned in Hongkong was being considered most carefully, and the Secretary of State was corresponding telegraphically with Hongkong on the subject":

Will the Government, for the information of the Colony, lay upon the table of this Council the telegrams and despatches which have passed to and fro between the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies and this Government, or His Excellency the Governor, upon this subject?

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied as follows: The correspondence with the Secretary of State for the Colonies on this subject which is still under consideration, is confidential, and has not yet reached the stage when its purport can be published.

HIS EXCELLENCY, Council stands adjourned until this day week..