Sessional_Paper_1889 — Page 12

10

C.S.O.

213 of 1889.

As to the amount of contribution, the Governor, all things considered, is of opinion that it should be at least ten thousand dollars. He therefore invites the Council to pass a vote for that amount; he proposes to remit this, or any other sum which may meet with the approval of the Council, to H.M.'s Consul-General at Shanghai, with the request that he and the other British Consular Officers stationed there will apportion the fund among the various relief agencies, without any regard to religious or denominational prejudices, in such a manner as, according to their joint discretion, may appear likely to do most good.

As no possible amount of contributions can afford substantial relief to all, or even to any large proportion, of the millions who are suffering from this calamity, the Governor hopes that the vote which he now proposes will not prove to be a check but will rather operate as a stimulus, to that private benevolence for which the community of Hongkong is so honour- ably known; and he trusts that here also as at Shanghai, Europeans and Chinese will exert themselves for an object which appeals alike, if not equally, to the sympathies of both.

By Command,

Government House, Hongkong, 28th January, 1889.

FREDERICK STEWART, Colonial Secretary.

The Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the correspondence on the subject.

The Colonial Secretary moved that the question be referred for the consideration of the Finance Committee.

The Acting Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and passed.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council then adjourned sine die.

Read and confirmed, this 25th day of February, 1889.

ARATHOON SETH, Clerk of Councils.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX,

Governor.