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portunity of coatid ring them. Tasy were delivered to us on Siturday afturation and the next day being Sunday there was very littl› time for consideration. My reason for asking for tha postponement of their consideration is that there are several clauses in them which I am satisfied on further consideration it would be necessary to alter. (Applause),
CARRIAGE OF DEADLY WEAPONS.
The ACTING AT ORNEY-GENERAL iu moving the first reading of a Bill entitled "An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the law relating to the carriage and possession of deadly weapons." said that the Bill was a consolidation Ordinance of the law at present in force with regard to the carriage of arms with certain new matter which was printed in italics. That matter sought to give effect to some of the recommendations of a Committee that had been appointed to consider what additional powers could be conferred on the Government for the suppression of riots, politi. cal combinations, and interruptions and dis- turbances of the public peace.
The ACTING Colonial SecretARY—I b›g to second.
Carried.
THE REPEAL OF ORDINANCES. The ACTING Attorney General moved the first reading of a bill entitled "An Ordinance to declare the effect of Ordinances repealing | others." The subject, he said, was a dry one, and the object was shortly to pass a general en motment as to the effect of the repeals which would render it unnecessary for the Government in drafting other Bills to take into consideration the effect of these repeals. Sometimes Nice questions arose when an Ordinance which was repealed other ordinances,
The ACTING Colonial SECRETARY seconded. Carried.
ADJOURNMENT.
HIS EXCELLENCY-The Council now resolvas itself into Finance Committee. After what has fallen from the Acting Colonial Secretary with regard to the by-laws, I propose that we adjourn until Wednesday week, the 20th inst.
FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee met immediately after the Council meeting, the Acting Colonial Secretary presiding.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
I have said, noofficial members will be giyen copies of the report. I hope you will consider that satisfactory.
[March 14, 1895.
I am to add that this letter will by laid on the table at the oxt meeting of the Lgislative Conncil.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
Lookhart:-
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS-Apparently we have funds to vote this sum. Will you kindly tell us
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, what purse it comes out of?
Aoting Colonial Secretary, The ACTING COL ›NIAL SECRETARY—It will] The Honourable the Harbour Master. come out of only one purse of course-the rate. payers' pocket. It is proposed to pay the money The following is the passage in the minutes out of the balances and later on, if it is found of evidenes to which the letter refers, the ques. necessary, to have an overdraft on the Crown tion being put by Mr. Justios Askroyd and the Agents, but the Treasurer will inform you more auswer given by the Hon. J. H. StowALS in detail perhaps than I am able to tell you.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-The present
Last year there was a com nission composed balance is about $450,000, aud the remaining of Dr. Ho Kai. Mr. Keswick, the Acting Rɔ. $350,000 it is proposed to pay off by au over-gistrar &neral, and myself appointed to report draft on the Crown Agents, which will be out on the emigration laws and it was then mentione standing at the most only two years. It is by Mr. Thomson, who was holding the offics of hoped to recoup it by the re-sale of land within Registrar General, that he had great reason for the resumed are, and it is expected there will be believing that there was a good deal of corrup- a surplus at the end of the current year of re- tion on the part of the men who were passing venue over expenditure. The revenue returns the emigrants, that they roosivad heavy bribis for January and February are very satisfactory.in order to pass man who were never going on (Applause).
board. Have you heard of that?
Hoa. Ho KAT-Is it proposed to pay the claims at once ?
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—It is. Hon. Ho KAI-Immediately? The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY- -Im- mediately.
Hoa. Ho KAI-And the balance we have in haud is $450,000 P
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—It is. Hon. E. R. BELILIOS-There will be no loan raised to pay this money?
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY-NO; the present intention is to raise no loan.
Hon. C. P. CHATER-Hear, hear. The vote was then passed.
be opened ?
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—I hope it will be ready next month.
THE NEW CENTRAL MARKET. The ACTING Colonial SECELTARY—The next minute 1, have to being before you is one in which the Governor recommends the Council to vote a sum of $270, being salary of an over- seer at the New Ceutral Market, from 1st April next, at $30 per month. I may mention that this is a new appointment, and it is one recom- mended by the Sanitary Board. They considered it was absolutely necessary that there should be an overseer at the new Central Market in order to keep an outlook on what was going on, in ad- The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY-Thedition to the inspectors, who will not be allowed first minute I have to bring bɔfora. the to spend the whole of their time in the markets. Committee is one in which the Governor Hon. J. J. KESWICK-When will the market recommends the Council to vote a sum of $800,000, being compensation to the owners and other persons having any right or interest in the lots of land within the resumed area of Taipingshan, interest on the above from 1st June, 1894, to date of payment at 7 per cent.. and costs awarded against the Crown by the Board of Arbitrators under The Taipingshan Resumption Ordinance; 1894. This matter is so well known to members of the Council that I do not think it is necessary for me to give any explanation with regard to it. The Ordinance under which this money was to be paid was duly considered in the Legislative Council and was passed by the Council. The Arbitration under the Ordinance has taken place and it has been
■ matter which has been noticed publicly in the papers, and the awards have also been published; So, as I have already said, I do not think it is necessary to enter into details, If there are auy questions which members of the Committee wish to ask I shall be very pleased to answer them.
The AOTING COLONIAL TREASU ER-I se sond that.
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Hon. A. MCU NACHIE-Will he be a native ? The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY—The Sanitary Board has recommended the appoint ment of a Portuguess for the post,
It is pro posed that Mr. Souzi, who has been interpreter to the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon for two years, should be promoted. Of course, if he is promoted it will be necessary to fill up the va- cancy caused by the promotion.
The vote was recommended.
AN UNFOUNDED CHARGE AGAINST THE HARBOUR DEPARTMENT.
A.-Though I have not been told the names of the officers, I have haird that excruɔtion exists. I think it is desirable that the matter should be under the direct supervision of an oficer acquainted with Chin98. I do not wish for a moment to throw any refiction on the supervision of the Harbour alaster, but I regard it as impossible for an officer un joquainted with Chinese to properly supervise the matter. In the Straits Sattlements, I may mention, the passing of emigrants is under the Protector of Chinese and the Harbour Master, or Master At- tendant as he is called there, has nothing what- aver to do with it,
THE COLONY'S FINANCES.
The statement of revenus and expenditure for 1894 was laid before the Legislative Council on Tuesday. The total revenue was $2,237,203 and the expenditure $ 299,093. exclusive of $236,810 for public work extraordinary charge- able against the 1993 loan. The following financial statement is also given
LOAN ACCOUNT. Dr.
To inscribed stock loan at 3 per cent. interest, to be paid off on the 15th April, 1913
Sinking fund.-Nil.
Cr
313,199,151
Assets and Liabilities, ON THE 31ST DECEMBER 189L. ASSETS.
Subsidiary coins Deposit in Bank.. Balance in Bank at current account Deposit in England at call.. Balance in hands of Crown Agents Subsidiary coins in transit. Arrears of taxes.... Arrears of Crown rent........ Advances to be recovered
LIABILITIES, Drafts drawn by the Crown Agents, in
transit Praya Reclamation deposit account Deposits not available.... Refund of taxes...
Officers' remittances, not yet paid Mouey orders, not yet paid
Amount due to Post Office,—London,
Italy, France, &o....... Pensions due to Civil officers Pensions due to ex-Police constables
Total liabilities Balance *
5,000.00
150,000.00
368,836.99
1,157,350.09
26,808.73
200,000.00
15,138.22
66,460.04
30,207.81
$2,009,912,78
400,000.00
5,977.13
100,000.00
4,000.00
2,480.25
5,941.72
40,500.00
16,000.00
6,400,00
$591,299.40
1,423,613.33
$2,009,912.78
The following letter from the Acting Colonial Seoretary to the Harbour Master relative to the alleged existence of corruption in the Harbour department was laid before th Legislative Council on Tuesday :-
Colonial Secretary's Office. Hongkong, 27th February, 1895, Hon. C. P. CHATER-I have no objection to Sir,With reference to paragraph 12, of page the vote at all, bat I should like to know if the 56, of the Erideng appeaded to the Report of Government has made up its mind as to what the Retrenchment Committee, I am directed to is going to be done with the resumed property.inform you that Mr. Thomson denies the accuracy We are going to vote $810,000 anl I should like of the words therein attributed to him by the to be informed if you are in a position to give me Chairman but admits having made a confidential the information as to what is the intention of statement before the Emigration Committe to * Of which $979,074.33 represents unexpended bal- the Government in this matter--how they in the effect that from current reports amongstance of 1893 loan of £200,000. tend to deal with the property resumed.
the Chinese, of which he, as Acting Registrar
N. G. MITCHELL-INNES, The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY+Al- General, was informed onfidentially, there was
Colonial Treasurer. though the question asked does not bear exactly a certain amount of reason to believe that cor-
Treasury, Hongkong, 28th February, 1895. upon this point it is the desire of the Govern-ruption existed in the passing of emigrants. ment to give all the information it poss þsses, As, however, up proof appears to be forthcom- and I may Bay with regard to thating in support of the accuracy of such rumours, I matter that the Director of Public Works am to state that the Government cannot place any has almost completed a scheme which be proposes in regard to the resumed area; and that report when it is in the hands of Government will bɔ communicated to the un- offcial members. The report is not yet com- plated, but it is approaching completion, and, as
credenc therein, and I am to express regret that by inadvertence publicity was given to what ap- peared to be a charge of orruption, but which, on investigation, is fʊund to be the repetition of mere ramours ansupported by a vestige of evidence.
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The Chinese steamer Cass on her arrival at Foochow from the Pescadores on the 20th ult. reported th t on the 18th, whilst the Telegraph steamer Feecheu was repairing the Formosa- Pescadores cable, she sighted a Japanese man- of-war, which gave chase to her, but retreated on her entering the fortified port of Makong, at the Pessadores.
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