Sessional_Paper_1898 — Page 7

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Mr. WEI A YUK addressed the Council as follows:-

Your Excellency, my honourable friend and honourable colleague has so weil and fully expressed my own views and sentiments with regard to your Excellency that he has left ine nothing more to add than to express my entire concurrence with his remarks. I join with him in wishing your Excellency health, happiness, and prosperity.

Mr. BELL-IRVING addressed the Council as follows:-

I have listened with interest and with great pleasure to the remaks made by the senior unofficial member and by the two unofficial members representing the Chinese community, and with all of them I fully concur.

The Honourable Dr. Ho Kai has referred to the

great consideration which you have shown to all questions affecting the welfare of the Chinese community, and I would like also to mention the support you have always taken in all matters in connection with the commercial progress and prosperity of this Colony during the past six years. During that period you have warmly supported the many new industrial undertakings started in this Colony and in many other ways helped the mercantile commu- nity, who, I consider, have good cause to be most grateful to you. I also desire to wish you long life and every happiness in the future.

Mr. BELILIOS addressed the Council as follows:

Your Excellency, the honourable members who have just spoken have actually taken the wind out of my sails and I have very little to add to the remarks which have been made. As the oldest member of the Jewish community in Hongkong I can endorse every word of praise that has been spoken. To be brief, I can only say that by your departure we shall lose a kind friend, a good associate, and an able colleague, and I can only trust that those who succeed you will follow the example you have set in your career, which I am certain will result in the happiness of the inhabitants generally of this Island. With these words, Sir, I wish you farewell and happy meetings with friends in the old country.

His Excellency the Governor again addressed the Council as follows:-

Gentlemen, it only remains for me to reiterate my hearty thanks to you for the kindness you have shown ine and for the handsome tribute you have just paid to my administration. It is certainly gratifying to me t know that I leave the Colony in a very good position and that I have given satisfaction not only to the public generally but to the Chinese, who form an important part of the community. I can only claim to have done my duty honestly and without fear, favour, affection, or ill-will, and I am quite sure that ny successor will follow in my steps.

ADJOURNMENT.—The Council adjourned sine die.

Read and confirmed, this 23rd day of February, 1898.

J. G. T. BUCKLE,

Clerk of Councils.

WILSONE BLACK, Officer Administering the Government,