Sessional_Paper_1885-1886 — Page 14

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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL No. 4.

WEDNESDAY, 28TH OCTOBER, 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 Acting Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.)

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

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the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER.)

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE.)

PHINEAS RYRIE.

THOMAS JACKSON.

FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON.

WONG SHING.

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ABSENT:

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

WILLIAM KESWICK, on leave.

The Council met in pursuance of adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 21st instant, were read and confirmed.

VOTES OF MONEY REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Governor:-

G. F. BOWEN.

The Governor recommends the Council to vote the following sums:-

C.S.O. 2400 of 1885.

(1.) For fitting machine gun to Police Steam-launch, No. 2, £72.0.6 @ 3/5ž=$

415.28

C.5.0.

2400 of 1885.

(2.) For flags supplied by the Naval Yard, for the Auxiliary Flotilla, £8.0.6

@ 3/53=$

46.27

C.S.O.

2509 of 1885.

(3.) For alterations in the Post Office building to provide rooms for the Parcel

Post service, ...

S 504.00

C.S.O.

2582 of 1865.

...$ 8,000.00

(4.) For re-building the retaining wall below the Civil Hospital, damaged by the

recent fire,.

Government House, October 28th, 1885.

The Acting Colonial Secretary moved that these votes be referred to the Finance Committee. The Colonial Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Governor then addressed the Council as follows:

HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.-Before proceeding to the order of the day, I desire to make a brief statement. In the speech with which I opened the present session, I addressed you as follows:-"Under the circumstances stated in a report of the Colonial Treasurer which will be laid before you, it has been found necessary to increase the Police rate by 1 per cent. As the law of this Colony has hitherto stood, the power of assessing the municipal rates is vested solely in the Governor in Executive Council. I think that this anomaly, for which there is probably no precedent in any other part of the British Empire, should be removed; and that, for the future, the Municipal, like the general taxation should be imposed, after full consideration, by a vote of the Legislative Council. I have recommended to Her Majesty's Government that I should receive authority to carry out this reform." I have now much pleasure in informing you that I have received the approval of the Imperial Government to my recommendation. Accordingly, a new Municipal Rating Ordinance will be introduced, which will carry out the proposed reform, and so place the entire taxation of the Colony under the control of the Council.