Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 5

3. For obvious reasons, it is in the highest degree important that this Council should adhere to the constitutional forms followed by the Legislatures of the other principal Crown Colonies. The address of the Governor at the opening of each annual session will contain, here as elsewhere, a general view of the financial and social condition of the Colony, and a statement of the Legislative and other measures, and of the public works proposed. So the address of the Council in reply will afford the Members of the Legislature the usual constitutional opportunity of expressing their opinion of the conduct and proposals of the Government.

4 Further, in accordance with the practice elsewhere, I recommend you to appoint a Committee of Finance (which should be a Committee of the whole Council), a Committee of Laws, and a Committee of Public Works, which should respectively examine in the first instance the details of every proposed vote and measure.

5. After this brief explanatory preface, I will proceed to state generally the principal subjects to which your attention will be directed during the present Session. Full details will be found in the papers which will be laid before you, and in the statements of the several Heads of Departments.

6. In the first place, with regard to the paramount question of Finance, it is very gratifying to be able to inform you that our position is satisfactory. The Revenue of the year 1883 amounted to $1,286,500; and the Ordinary Expenditure to $1,165,700; leaving an excess of revenue over Ordinary Expenditure of $120,800. The Extraordinary Expenditure of 1883 was defrayed from the accu- mulated Balances, and included the

Tai-tam Water Works,

$90,966

Break-water,

22,510

Causeway Bay Reclamation,

9,000

Purchase of Houses and Land for the New Central Market,

21,000

Sanitary Works,

30,483

Total,..

$173,959

The Estimated Balance to the credit of the Colony on the 31st December, 1883, was $1,095,505. 7. Hongkong is probably the only State or Colony of importance which at the present day is not only without a Public Debt, but which possesses invested Assets nearly equal to its annual revenue. However, the existing Balances will not be sufficient to carry out several Public Works which are urgently required by this Community, in addition to those "strong and complete measures of sanita- tion" which Mr. CHADWICK (the Civil Engineer recently sent out from England) has reported to be absolutely necessary "for the immediate benefit of the public health." Under these circumstances, I concur with the Executive Council in what appears to be the general opinion of the Colony, viz., that the present generation of Colonists ought not to be deprived of the advantages referred to, while it cannot of course be expected to defray the entire cost of works of a permanent and reproductive character; and that, consequently, it will be expedient to raise, on the exhaustion of the existing assets, a moderate loan, not much exceeding the revenue of a single year. This question will not have to be decided in its details during the present Session; but I desire to elicit the opinion of the Council on the principle involved.

8. The Estimates for 1884 have been already voted. The Estimates for 1885 will be laid before you in next November; which seems to be the most generally convenient period for the opening of the annual Session.

9. With regard to Legislative measures;-The following Ordinances, among others, have already become law since I assumed this Government in the spring of last year, viz.: Ordinances to provide for the better Regulation of Vehicles and Public Traffic; To organise the construction of certain lines of Tramways; To constitute a Sanitary Board; To amend the Merchant Shipping Law and provide for the enforcement of Quarantine; To continue the operation of the French Mail Steamers Ordinance; To authorise the construction of certain Piers and Wharves. The principal Bills which will be laid before you during the present session will be the following:--

(1.) To regulate Weights and Measures.

2.) To consolidate and amend the Ordinances relating to Opium. 3.) To establish a Savings Bank.

4.) To consolidate and amend the laws relating to Stamp Duties.

5.) To provide for the Registration of Medical Practitioners.

6.) To regulate Prisons and Prisons Discipline.

7.) To amend the Dangerous Goods' Ordinance, 1873.

(8.) To amend the Preservation of Birds' Ordinance, 1870.

(9.) To amend certain Ordinances relating to Criminal Procedure.

(10.) To amend the law relating to the punishment of criminals.

(11.) To amend the Bankruptcy Ordinance of 1864.

(12.) To regulate the Post Office and Postal Service.

(13.) To amend Ordinance No. 10 of 1867.

(14.) To provide for the more effectual protection of Chinese female children.