Sessional_Paper_1884-1885 — Page 59

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL No. 20.

WEDNESDAY, 15TH APRIL, 1885.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY. THE GOVERNOR

(SIR GEORGE FERGUSON BOWEN, G.C.M.G.)

His Honour the Chief Justice, (SIR GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt.)

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (WILLIAM HENRY MARSH, C.M.G.)

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the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY.)

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER.)

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE.)

the Registrar General (FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.) PHINEAS RYRIE.

WILLIAM KESWICK.

THOMAS JACKSON.

FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON.

WONG SHING.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

Minutes read and confirmed.

PAPERS.-The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the following papers :-

(1.) The Colonial Surgeon's Report for 1884.

(2.) Despatches respecting the proposed Incorporation of the Vicar Apostolic of the Roman

Catholic Church in Hongkong.

QUESTION.-The Honourable P. RYRIE, pursuant to notice, asked, with reference to the resolution passed at the Meeting of Council on 1st April, what replies, if any, have been received from the Home Government?

His Excellency the Governor addressed the Council as follows:-

The

HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,-As I have already intimated to my Honourable Friend, I have not as yet received the reply of the Imperial Authorities with reference to the subjects of the Resolution passed by this Council on the 1st April. Council may rest assured that I will always communicate to them forthwith every decision of the Imperial Government affecting the interests of this Colony. I am glad, however, that the Honourable Gentleman has asked this question, for it gives me an opportunity of laying before you a further official statement on the matters to which it refers. As you, Honourable Gentlemen, are already aware, a paternal Governor had anticipated your wishes in the matters referred to in the Resolution of the 1st April, as also with regard to the fortification of Hong- kong generally; and what has been done already, and is now doing for our Defences, is mainly due (as there is abundant documentary evidence to prove), to my constant and urgent representations during the two years of my administration here, both in official despatches, and in private letters to my personal friends among English Statesmen and among the chief Military Authorities in England. It was very satisfactory to me to observe that all the speakers at the recent discussion in this Council fully recognised my foresight, energy, and perseverance in promoting the true interests of this Colony in these and in all other matters; and to hear the Honourable Gentleman who represents the Chamber of Commerce declare that " "of emergency has now arisen, and it is in times of emergency that we should all act together "and rally round the Governor for the common good."

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It will be recollected that I expressed a hope that the Resolution of the 1st April would be passed unanimously, because it would add force to the representations which I had already made to the Imperial Authorities on the subjects of which it treated. Accordingly, on the 2nd April, I telegraphed to the Secretary of State that the Legislative Council, as well as the Admiral and General Commanding Her Majesty's Forces on this Station, concurred with me on the points in question. As I said just now, I have not as yet received any reply

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