Old Hong Kong-3 — Page 56

632

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Cont.)

senger ships, fees to be taken under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, Exportation of military stores, protection of patents, trade marks, the law of debtor and creditor, bills of sale, bills and promissory notes, commercial law, and finally, the incorporation, regulation, and winding up of Trading Companies.

As to other legal enactments of this period, the principal Ordinance of permanent value was No.7 of 1860 which gave authority to two commissioners to compile an edition of the Ordinances in force in the Colony, and to consolidate, particularly, the Criminal Law. The task was completed in October of 1864.

While all these new Ordinances were being rushed on to the Statute Book, it must not be thought that Unofficial Members of the Council had forgotten their old grievance. "Greater representation" was their constant cry and in their appeals, they were not without the wholehearted support of the community. The partial success of the Unofficials' campaign will be dealt with on Monday.

The first popular measure introduced during the Administration of Sir Richard MacDonnell was a revision of the constitution of the Legislative Council. The need for such a revision had made itself felt both by the Colonial Office and by the community, when the Colonial Secretary (Mr.F.H. Forth) was censured in March, 1866, for having seconded the motion of an unofficial member to the effect that the item of $92,000 for the military contribution be struck from the Estimates until the profits of the Mint were in excess of the amount required.

There being only three unofficial against seven official members in the Council, the community argued that as the official members were thenceforth compelled either to resign or vote in favour of every Government measure, the unofficial members were virtually powerless, unless the Constitution was modified to suit the new rules.

On August 27, 1869, the Governor gave Mr. Rowett the seat vacated by Judge Ball, so that there were then on the Council six official and four unofficial members as well as the Governor, who had both an ordinary and a casting vote.

The Governor had one encounter with the Unofficials, when they, led by the Hon.Mr.W. Keswick, attacked the Governor's creation of a special savings and excess account.

The Colony's finances were again troubling the Council at this time, but thanks to the efforts of the Governor, the Colony emerged from a state of insolvency to one of assured financial stability, without leaving a single claim unsatisfied or borrowing from the special fund which had unavoidably accrued from the gambling licences.

This financial stability was achieved principally by means of the Stamp Ordinance (No.12 of 1866). A pretty story goes with the passing of this Ordinance. For a time the community could not understand what its effect would be and it reached its second reading stage before criticism began. Then arguments against it began to pile up. Public meetings were called and the foreign population was once more "agin the Government". But Sir Richard MacDonnell swept the Bill through the Legislative Council and It was finally ratified by the Home authorities. Accusations of not fully explaining the community's objections were hurled against the Governor. The Chinese managed to evade the tax in many cases and prosecutions only served to embitter the public.