Sessional_Paper_1890 — Page 33

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(4.)

C.S.0. 986 of 1890.

F. FLEMING.

The Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote the sum of Eight hundred and Seventy-five Dollars, ($875), for a compassionate allowance to Mrs. MAC- BEAN, widow of the late Bailiff and Hindustani Interpreter in the Supreme Court, being the equivalent of 7 months' salary of her late husband, who was in the service of the Colony for Twenty-three years, and gave great satisfaction in the discharge of his duties.

Government House, Hongkong, 27th May, 1890.

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

His Excellency addressed the Council on the Minutes in connection with the works in the Wong- neichung Valley, the Nursing Staff for the Civil Hospital, and the cultivation of vaccine lymph.

Question-put and agreed to.

VOTES PASSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-The Acting Colonial Secretary, by direction of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee, dated the 16th instant, (No. 9), and moved that the following Vote referred to therein be passed, viz. :-

C.S.O. 589 of 1890.

Additional sum to the vote of $12,000 passed by the Council on the 12th March, last, to meet expenses connected with the visit to the Colony of Their Royal Highnesses THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CONNaught, ....

The Treasurer seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

.$ 2,334.01

The Council then went into Committee to consider the Report of the Special Committee to frame New Standing Rules and Orders.

The Attorney General moved and the Acting Colonial Secretary seconded that the word "Wednesday" be struck out of Clause I and "Monday" be inserted in lieu thereof.

Question--put and agreed to.

Honourable P. RYRIE moved and the Honourable C. P. CHATER seconded that the following words be added to Rule 28: Provided that if a Bill has been considered and reported on by a Special Committee it shall suffice if instead of reading the whole of each clause the marginal notes alone be read by the Clerk in Committee of the whole Council."

After some discussion the Honourable P. RYRIE withdrew his amendment.

The Attorney General moved that at the end of Section 28 the following be added "Provided that if a Bill has been considered and reported on by a Standing Committee it shall, with the assent of the President, suffice if instead of reading the whole of each clause, the marginal notes alone be read by the Clerk in Committee of the whole Council."

After discussion it was agreed to postpone the matter to allow the Attorney General to frame a clause on this principle. After further discussion it was agreed that Section 53 be amended by insert- ing after word" Colony" in the 4th line the words "and in one Chinese Newspaper."

The Council then resumed.

Honourable P. RYRIE, pursuant to notice, asked the following question:

If the Executive will furnish the Council with any information in regard to the reported defalca-

tion in the Money Order Department of the Colony.

In

His Excellency replied-Honourable Members are aware, as indeed we are all aware, that an official connected with the Post Office Department named BARRADAS disappeared from the Colony some time since. Shortly after he left I considered it my duty to cause an enquiry to be made into the alleged defalcations. Such enquiry has been made, and from the report that I received up to the present time, I regret to say that these defalcations do amount approximately to the sum that has been mentioned in the local newspapers, about $46,000. Steps were taken to arrest Mr. BARRADAS and he has actually been arrested, and I trust that before long he will be brought back to this Colony. these circumstances, I feel sure that Honourable Members will not expect me now to enter into details connected with this matter. It would not be fair towards one who, if he comes back here, will in all probability be proceeded against for a criminal offence. I may say this, however, that those whom I appointed to enquire into this matter have made certain suggestions in regard to the Post Office which will have my most careful consideration. So soon as I am able to arrive at a conclusion as to what should be done in connection with this matter, and I am at liberty to make further statements, I shall be happy to answer any further questions that may be put,