Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 11

MOTION.-The Colonial Secretary moved as follows:-

That the Council having consulered the Statement of the Superintendent of the Botanical and Afforestation Department resolves that it is expedient to incur the liability proposed to be incurred in 1898.

Statement showing Disbursements for Forestry Works in the years 1897 and 1898, for which contracts have been already made, and those for which contracts now require to be made.

APPROVED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

(C.S.O. No. 1918.

Estimated total cost.

To be disbursed in 1897.

To be disbursed in 1898.

C.

C.

C.

1. Rearing Trees to be planted in 1897,.......................

900.00

900.00

2. Planting Trees being reared under No. 1,.

1,100.00

1,100.00

Contracts to be now made which require approval:-

3. Rearing and Planting Trees in 1898,...............................

2,000.00

4,000.00

2,000.00

2,000.00

2,000.00

The works under heading 3 now require the approval of the Legislative Council in order that the contracts for them may be made; those under headings 1 and 2 have already been sanctioned and are now in progress.

The Acting Colonial Treasurer seconded. Question-put and agreed to.

CHARLES FORD, Superintendent,

Botanical and Afforestation Department.

QUESTIONS. Mr. WHITEHEAD, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions:-

Will the Government lay upon the table a statement showing the total cost of_the_administration or the expenditure of the Government under the head of salaries, including allowances, pensions, exchange compensation, &c., for the year 1895?

Will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the papers or correspondence between the Colonial Government and the Home Authorities and all other documents, including the reports or written opinions of the unofficial members, in connection with and on the subject of the Sanitary Board and its reconstruction?

The Colonial Secretary replied.

MOTION. Mr. WHITEHEAD gave notice that at the next meeting of Council he would move the following resolution :-

That the Government lay upon the table copies of all letters or communications from the Governor or from any Officer of the Government addressed to the Senior Unofficial Member with a view to obtain from him and from his colleagues any expression of opinion on the subject of the Sanitary Board, copies of the correspondence between the Colonial Government and the Home Authorities, copies of the correspondence and reports in connection with the Sanitary Board in the time of Governor Sir William Des Vœux, and Administrator (now) Sir Francis Fleming, and all other documents bearing on the question.

NOTICE OF QUESTIONS.-Mr. WHITEHEAD gave notice that at the next meeting of Council he would ask the following questions:-

Has the attention of the Government been directed to the account in the "Daily Press" of 16th ultimo of the insanitary state of things during the recent fatal disease amongst the cattle at Pokfulam, and will the Government obtain from the Sanitary Board and the Government departments concerned and lay upon the table a complete and detailed statement of the actual position of matters from day to day, as well as a copy of the correspondence between the Government and the Dairy Farm Co., Limited, together with the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon's reports for 1888 and 1889, also the report by the Ifon. the Surveyor General, the Hon. O. Chadwick, and Mr. Ladds referred to in his (Mr. Ladds) report dated 12th January, 1891?

Will the Government inform the Council what steps have been taken or are proposed to be taken to secure the immediate services of a Veterinary Surgeon, and is it the intention of the Government to provide in future against the contingency of the Veterinary Surgeon going on leave? Will the Government inform the Council the cause of delay in taking steps to obtain by public competition plans and designs for the proposed new Government offices, including the Post Office, the Supreme Court, &c., us directed some time ago by the Governor?