Sessional_Paper_1886-1887 — Page 56

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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL No: 21.

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FRIDAY, 25TH MARCH, 1887.

PRESENT:

HIS EXCELLENCY WILLIAM HENRY MARSH, C.M.G.,

Administering the Government in the absence of His Excellency 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.)

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the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD.)

the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER.)

the Surveyor General, (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE.)

HENRY GEORGE THOMSETT, R.N.

PHINEAS RYRIE.

WONG SHING.

JOHN BELL-IRVING, (vice the Honourable WILLIAM KESWICK, on leave). ALEXANDER PALMER MACEWEN, (vice the Honourable THOMAS JACKSON,

on leave).

CATCHICK PAUL CHATER, (vice the Honourable FREDERICK DAVID SAS-

SOON, on leave).

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 18th instant, were read and confirmed.

VOTE OF MONEY REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government:---

C.S.0. 696 of 1887.

W. H. MARSH.

Chinese correspondence having increased very much of late, especially registered letters from America, the duties of the Senior Postman, who has to distribute all registered letters and obtain signatures to receipts, are now more than one man can accomplish in the course of a day.

The Officer Administering the Government, on the representation of the Postmaster General, recommends the Council to vote a sum of $80 to meet the salary of another Postman at the rate of $10 per month from 1st of April next.

Government House, Hongkong, 22nd March, 1887.

The Acting Colonial Secretary moved that this vote be referred to the Finance Committee. The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

PAPER.-The Acting Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid upon the table the following paper:-

Correspondence in connection with the proposed Loan. · (No. 17).

PETITIONS.-The Acting Colonial Secretary said that the Clerk of Councils had received two Petitions, and moved that they be read.

The following Petitions were then read by the Clerk of Councils:-

(1.)

To HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT, AND THE HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONGKONG.

The humble petition of Shellim Ezekiel Shellim, of the firm of David Sassoon, Sons & Co., Jacob Silas Moses, of the firm of E. D. Sassoon & Co., Ruttonjee Dadabhoy Tata, of the firm of Tata & Co., Marcus David Ezekiel, of the firm of Abraham, Ezekiel & Co., Mahomedbhoy Khetsey, of the firm of Tharia Topan, Jafferbhoy Khetsey, of the firm of Jairazbhoy Peerbboy & Co., and Hormusjee Meherwanjee Mehta, of the firm of Framjee Hormusjee & Co., all of Victoria in the Colony of Hongkong, for and on behalf of the Opium Importers and wholesale Opium Merchants of the said Colony.

SHEWETH,-That at a recent Meeting of the Opium Importers and wholesale Opium Merchants of this Colony, held for the purpose of considering the Bill now before your Honourable Council, entitled An Ordinance for the better regulating of the trade in Opium, it was inter alia resolved that the said Bill, if passed in its present form, would prejudicially affect their trade, and that your petitioners should be appointed a Committee to take such measures as they might consider advisable to bring their complaints before your Honourable Council.

That while fully recognizing the necessity of carrying out the object aimed at by the said Bill, namely, the prevention of Opium smuggling into China, and while sympathizing with its spirit, your petitioners submit that the means by which it is proposed to effectuate such object would inflict serious injury upon the Opium trade, and especially on the aforesaid Opium Importers and wholesale and retail Opium dealers, and prove a blow to the general commerce and prosperity of this Colony.