440
Possibly the buildings, together with the land. represented $21,000 of public money invested, although the value in the open market was only $8,600. Other Government buildings if offered for sale would probably yield equally disappointing results. Still, in this particular case, the bewildering and vexatious question remains, why was not the property sold by public auction; instead of by private treaty?
KE
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND stances, however, afforded the Government an opening to attack Mr. WHITEHEAD and Mr. FRANCIS in the flank, and the oppor- tunity was not neglected. Neither of the gentlemen suffered much, and Mr. WiITE- Bean will no doubt continue to pursue the abandoned career of a man who puts; bewildering and vexatious questions.
THE PRIVATE VEHICLES LICENS ING ORDINANCE,
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[December 11, 1895.
We do not for a moment suppose that there was any definite intention in the mind of the Government of putting the screw on obnoxious traders who might become to them, but as a matter of fact Government the Ordinance gives the the power of so using it and it would re- quire a very trustful disposition to say that there is no probability of its being so used. Old residents will remember that Governor | HENNESSY, being displeased with the direc
tors of the Dock Company in connection with a certain matter, tried to confiscate the Company's steam tug Fame, nominally for a technical error in connection with the non- renewal of her register. What has hap pened before may happen again. Governor HENNESSY's attempt to confiscate the Fame broke down because it was found the law could not be stretched sufficiently to cover it, but in the case of the Vehicles Ordinance there would be no need to stretch the law and any business having occasion to use trucks or carts might be brought to a stand- still by the withdrawal of its licence should the Government wish to injure the pro- prietors. That is what may happen, but of course the Government never contemplated the use of the Ordinance for any such pur- pose.
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What then were the ulterior and undis- closed objects which made the Government so desirous " to take every one in the net ?" Conceivably one of the objects might be to debar reckless drivers from the privilege of keeping carriages. But the law already provides punishment for furious driving and if any driver does actual damage either to person or property he is liable to be sued civilly for compensation. Elsewhere in the Empire this is deemed sufficient protection for the public, and it has not been shown or publicly alleged that in this colony reckless driving is so exceptionally common as to call for special legislation of the character of the Vehicles Ordinance. Moreover, who would be the examiner of the persons who keep carriages to say whether the driving is reckless or not? The office, with a suitable salary, would form a very nice appointment for à superannuated officer of the Horse. Marines. Another object the Government may have had in view is the regulation, on strictly moral grounds, of the per- sons who are to be permitted to keep carriagos. Objections have been raised, we believe, to females of a certain class driving along the public roads. This is an old standing question. Some twenty-five years ago, during Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY'S administration, when driving was still a fashionable form of recreation and the Shau- kiwan Road, was crowded with carriages every evening, the intrusion of females of the
The question that appeared to be must vexatious to the Government, however, was one having reference to the recognition of plague services. The question was general
The Licensing of Private Vehicles Ordin- in its terms, but was understood to have ance has not been disapproved by Her Majesty, particular reference to Mr. FRANCIS and the a fact which is not likely to enhance the inkstand incident, a very sore point with reputation in this colony of Mr. CHAMBER- the Government. Mr. WHITEHEAD, for LAIN, Her Majesty's adviser in the matter. reasons which did not trauspire, wished The Ordinance was passed seven months to withdraw the question, and had received ago, so that it has taken the Secretary of permission from the Governor to do so, State a long time to make up his mind, for but the withdrawal was not allowed with the notification of approval was only out a waspish attack on Mr. WHITEHEAD published in last Saturday's Gazette. It and Mr. FRANCIS. It is to be regretted, we would perhaps be considered embarrassing think, that the question was withdrawn, and vexations were the Hon. T. H. WHITE especially in view of the remarks made by HEAD, the only member of Council who can the Governor. "I do it," said His Ex-be looked upon in the light of a public cellency, referring to his allowance of the representative, to ask for the publication of withdrawal, not so much out of considera- all the correspondence, and if he did so the "tion for the hon. member as out of regard request would probably be refused, but it "for Mr. FRANCIS, who has been danger- would be useful to know on what grounds the ously ill, and has, I believe, expressed a decision has been arrived at. In the absence "desire that the correspondence or at all of such information the only conclusion to "events some of it should not be made he arrived at is that Mr. CHAMBERLAIN has save the face" public.' Had His Excellency had any thought it more politic to " real consideration for Mr. FRANCIS he would of the local Government than to disallow an hardly have made those remarks, which are absurd Ordinance, for a more absurd law has suggestive of evil, for it is to be presumed never been enacted in the history of the Mr. FRANCIS would not have objected to the colony. publication of the correspondence unless it The ostensible reason for bringing in the had been unfavourable to himself; and Bill was to regulate Chinese trucks and that is the point His Excellency appeared trolleys, which, being run down the steep desirous of making. Hongkong knows streets of the colony, sometimes get beyond Mr. FRANCIS very well, kuows that to the control of the men in charge and be his keen intellect and extraordinary energy come a public danger and nuisance. It is he unites a hotheaded and impulsive right that means should exist to enable the disposition which not unfrequently leads police to deal with that matter, but these him into indiscretions of speech. In this could easily have been provided by requiring particular cast he was placed on the horns every truck and trolley to beara plate with the of a dilemma; either he must accept an
owner's manu, so that he could be summoned ¦ insult in the form of a silver inkstand and fined should his vehicle be allowed or he must commit the breach of manners of to get beyond control and rush down
the streets at suggesting that he was entitled to some
a dangerous speed. The however, determined to higher reward for services rendered volun- | Government, tarily and as a matter of public spirit. He bring every one into the not, as the then chose the latter alternative, and expressed | Acting Attorney-General explained in his opinion in very plain language.
moving the second reading of the Bill, and reply the Secretary of State made has so it was made applicable to the people who Hence not transpired; it must necessarily have keep carriages for their own use. been of an unfavourable character to Mr. forth no one is to be allowed to keep a FRANCIS, for any man who wishes to argue carriage without the permission of an as to his claim to a distinction at the hands officer charged with the duty of issuing of his sovereign courts an inevitable rebuff'; | licences and is liable at any time to have his but the publication of the despatch would licence withdrawn or suspended at the
class referred to became so have made no difference to the popular whim or caprice of the Government. If it appraisement of Mr. FRANCIS's merits were simply a case of putting a tax on objectionable that it was put a stop to. The and might possibly have thrown some vehicles no objection could be taken as a law at that time afforded means of bringing light on the question of why his Batter of principle; it would simply be a pressure to bear upon them to induce com- services were passed over. In any case, question of expediency, whether it was pliance with the wishes of the Government, however, the correspondence could hardly necessary or lesirable to raise revenue from or at all events, whether there was any legal
For our own part, we look | warrant have placed him in such an unfavourable this source.
not for the action taken, it light as the Governor's remarks would make ́ upon carriages as a fair subject før taxation, proved effective for a time. Since then con- it appear, and if Mr. FRANCIS is in posses and should the Governor or Colonial Secre-litions have changed. Driving has ceased be the favourite recreation of society, sion of a copy we think it is due to himself, tary desire to keep one we see no reason
has migrated to that he should publish it. Reverting why they should not be required to pay partly because society to the proelings in Council, we think twenty-five or fifty dollars a year for the the Peak and partly because tennis When the Bill privilege.
was in the and other forms of recreation have taken that the Governor, having given per-
A number of traps are still mission for the withdrawal of the question, Legislative Council, however, it was stated the field. should have allowed it to be withdrawn with- it was not to be used for the purpose of kept, however, mostly by sporting gentlemen out discussion. · When the Colonial Secre- raising revenue and that the fees would be for the purpose of driving down to the must therefore be Racecourse; and the prohibition against tary rose to a point of order and said notice purely final. It had not been given it would have been presumed that there was some ulterior and public women driving having long ago graceful conduct on the part of His Excel- undisclosed motive in making the regulation become a dead letter a few persons of this lency to have replied that he had personally of the trick traffic an excuse for making class may also be seen out driving in the given the permission for withdrawal and to the keeping of vehicles whether for trade evening. The same thing prevails in all Bave let the matter end there. The circum- or pleasure dependent upon official goodwill. other large cities and towns, and although
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