December 11, 1895.]
and in the report to the Colonial Secretary dated 1st February, 1892, on a petition from the Po Leung Kuk, the Registrar-General says :—--
"I understand that it is the intention of the Government to sell the five houses, the top floors of which were intended for a Home. Their value, together with that of the ground on which they stand, has been estimated by the Surveyor-General at
$21,000." Will the Government inform the Council whether these houses, erected at the public expense, were built upon inland lot No. 1,129; if so, have they been sold by private contract, the name of the buyer, and at what price. In connection with the sale, if there has been one, will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the correspondence which has passed between the Government and the Colonial Office on the subject ?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY~(I). No; the houses were built on inland lots 1,129 to 1.183. (2). Yes; to Mr. Moses for $8,600 on a 999 years' lease, the Crown rent payable being $100 a year. (3). The Governor is unable to see what useful public purpose would be served by laying the correspondence asked for on the table.
THE LICENSING OF PRIVATE VEHICLES.
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
services rendered during the suppression of the Plague last year, and a copy of all the cor- respondence which has passed between the Go- vernment and the home authorities in con- nection therewith? Having received permis- sion to withdraw-
cor-
The COLONIAL SECRETARY—Sir, I rise to a point of order. The Clerk of Councils has received no information with regard to the withdrawal of this question, and I consider that in not giving notice of his intention to with. draw he has treated this Council with great discourtesy. I have in my hand the respondence, which has been printed and is ready to be laid upon the table in accordance with the hon. member's request. If the hon. member has reasons for not wishing the corre- spondence to be laid on the table he should have notified the Clerk of Councils in the usual may. I consider he is entirely out of order.
His EXCELLENCY-I am not not at all sur- prised at the remarks which the hon. Colonial Secretary has made, looking to the treatment which the Government receives at the hands of the hon. member, in regard to the bewildering and somewhat useless questions which he some- times puts; but unfortunately (as the hon. Colonial Secretary will think) I have led Mr. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked the following Whitehead to believe that I would permit hir question:-Will the Government lay upon the to withdraw this question. When I did so, I table a statement of the number of convictions, was not aware that the correspondence convey- the amount of fines imposed and paid, in respecting the answer was actually in print, but I will of offences against Ordinance No. 13 of 1895, adhere to my promise I will keep my word and from the date it came into force until the end allow the question to to withdrawn, although it of last week, and a copy of the correspondence is not strictly in order to do so. I do it not so which has passed between the home authorities much out of consideration for the hon. member and the Colonial Government in connection as out of regard for Mr. Francis, who has been with the Bill, and also inform the Council dangorously ill. and has I believe expressed a whether it has yet received the sanction of the desire that the correspondence or at all events Imperial Government, and if not. state the some of it should not be made public. I cannot cause of delay ?
allow the question to be withdrawn without stating that I think it furnishes another example of the vexatious, not to say aimless. nature of the questions put by the hon. member. I do not see that the interests of the community or the Chamber of Commerce aro advanced by such questions or benefited by the expense which the Government is put to in furnishing and printing the replies to them.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-There have been seven convictions under the Ordinance referred to; the fines imposed and paid since the Ordinance came into force amount to $8 There appears to be no reason of a public nature for publishing the correspondence which has passed on this subject. The Ordinance has been confirmed.
'
NEW PEAK ROAD.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, I Was quite aware of the reasons which your Ex- cellency has given, and which I think the hon. member might have communicated in the usual way to the Clerk of Councils.
443
Ceylon, was requested to come to Hongkong by the Governor. The cost of his report is not yet known.
GOLF CLUB HOUSE AT WEST END OF WONG-
NEI-CHONG.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked-Will the Government inform the Council as to the condi- tions on which the Golf Club have been granted authority to build their club house at the west end of the Wong-nei-chong Valley, and the terms of the lease, if there is one?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The following are the conditions on which the Golf Club have been granted authority to build their club house at the west end of the Wong-noi-chong Valley
(a).-Term of lease 25 years (b)-Annual Crown rent $100
(c). The exact area and position to be ap- portioned by the Wong-nei-chong Com- mittee and the Director of Public Works. (d)-That the ground be used only for the purposes of a golf club house and should the Golf Club at any time cease to use it as such, the land, buildings, and all improve- ments thereon revert unconditionally to the Crown.)
ROAD FROM PLANTATION ROAD STATION TO MAGAZINE GAP.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked-Will the Government inform the Council whether it is proposed to proceed with the construction of the much needed and desirable new road between the probable cost; if the work is not to be pro- Plantation Road Station and Magazine Gap;
ceeded with at present, what causes the delay, and when will the work be taken in hand?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-It is not in- tended, at any rate for the present, to proceed with the road in question. The probable cost is estimated at about $13,000. The work is not
to be proceeded with at present because there are no funds available. It is not possible to state when the work will be taken in hand.
COST OF THE ADMINISTRATION. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked-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 if any, pensions, exchange compensation, &c., for the years 1892, 1893, 1894, and 1895, separately. question I beg to lay upon the table a statement
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked the following question:-With reference to the numerously
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-In reply to that signed petition to your Excellency, from I'eak residents, house owners, and other ratepayers,
showing the total cost for the years 1892-1894; praying for the construction, with all reasona- Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Sir, I apologise the exact cost for 1895 has not yet been ascer- ble speed, of a new road in lieu of the present for having quitted to inform the Clerk of tained as the accounts have not yet been closed. steep and unsuitable one-really the original Councils. This has been a very busy day; we Now, having replied to all the hon. member's mountain path, widened and improved to meet had a meeting of the Unofficial Members at questions. I trust to be permitted to remind the requirements of a traffic ever on the increase, twelve, and another important meeting at Go-him that there is a certain established practice and which has outgrown the road's capacities-vernment House at 12.30; and, as your Ex-guiding questions. I again refer to May's leading from Victoria Gap, passing on the south celleney is well aware, it has been an excep. Parliamentary Practice, which lays down the of "Treverbyn" and "Stolzenfels," on a conii tionally busy day therefore overlooked it, practice on this subject and the rules observed paratively easy gradient, and terminating wil and for my unintentional omission to com-
in Parliament. Some of the hon. member's the Peak Club or Mount Kellet-will the tias municate with the Clerk of Councils I humbly questious infringe these rules, but in order not ernment inform the Council whether it is pro-apol: gise to the Crungil. I am extremely sorry
to appear in any way to burke the questions, I posed to proceed with this very necessary public
thought it would be better to allow him to put work, good road communication being very
them and then draw attention to this after they necessary and earnestly desired by the large
had been answered. I am sure it will be quite resident community; state the probable cost of
sufficient to draw the hon. member's attention the road, and if the work is not to be undertaken
to this in order to secure that he will not in at present, what are the reasons which delay its
future introduce into his questions matter in- being carried out?
Folving opinion, debate, irony," etc., which he can express later on if he wishes to bring for- ward any subject in the form of a motion.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The question of the construction of a
new road at the Peak from Victoria Gap is receiving attention and plans and sections have been prepared by the Director of Public Works. When the Govern- ment has received his report and estimate, they will be duly considered and an answer will be sent to the petition on this subject.
A POINT OF ORDER,
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Having received your Excellency's permission to do so, I beg to withdraw the next question of which I gave notice at the last meeting.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, I rise to order. No notice of withdrawal has been given.
that your Excellency inks that some of my questions are of a useless nature. I may mention that a great many of the questious which I have put to-day and asked on previous occasions have been put at the instance of a very large ambre ff members of the com munity, and on their behalf, and not at my own instance, and on any occasions I have been requested by a large number of leading members of the community to put certain questions. I now beg to ask-Will the Go- vernment lay upon the table--
His EXCELLENCY-Is this a fresh series?
IIon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-No, it is ques tion of which I gave notice before. Will the Government lay upon the table a copy of the despatch from the Secretary of State to the Colonies sancti ning the pension to be paid to the Honourable Mr. Justice Ackroyd on his re- tiring from the service?
The Colonial Secretary laid the despatch upon the table.
PROFESSIONAL REPORT ON GAF ROCK LIGHT- HOUSE.
His EXCELLENCY-Read the question first. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Will the Govern- Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD asked-Will the ment lay upon the table a copy of the reports Gove.ument inform the Council on whose recom- or letters to the Government from. the sub-mendation Mr. Matthews was requested to visit Committee appointed by the General Com- mittee elected at the public meeting held at the City Hall on 27th September, 1894, to consider and report upon the question of recognition of
Hongkong, inspect professionally the Gap Rock lighthouse, and state the cost of his report ?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Mr. Mathews, who happened to be on a professional, visit to
MR. JUSTICE ACKROYD'S RETIREMENT. - Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD gave notice that at the neet meeting of the Council he would more the following resolution-That His Honour Mr. Justice E. J. Ackroyd (recently retired after forty-one years of true and faith- ful work in the Colonial Service, of which he served in Hongkong for fourteen years as Re- gistrar of the Supreme Court, Puisne Judge, and Acting Chief Justice) rendered very many and most valuable services to the colony, out- side and in addition to the duties of the various offices held by him. That from 1882 to 1890 he was a member of the commission for the re- vision of the laws of the colony; he was on the Crown Lands commission; on the Squat- fers commission; on the Board for adjusting the claims of the squatters; on the commission of enquiry into the defalcations in the Post Office, and in the Treasury; on the enquiry into the working of the emigration laws; and on the enquiry into the difficulties in 1891 which arose
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