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The COLONIAL SECRETARY-In reply to the bon. member I beg to lay upon the table the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY-PRESS AND
July 16, 1896
in a pure state; aŭ Ordinance. Admiralty procedure at the Supr an Ordinance to amend the 1875; an Ordinance to alter prison cfficers employed in this colon
statement for which he has asked. The state- of the community confirmed on 15th and 16t2 provide for the issue of search warrants in
ment is as follows:-Cost of construction, &c., of Gap Rock Lighthouse-1889, $72,632.89; 1890, $39,177.31; 1891, 49,302.66; 1892, $30,885.52;-total, 8182,008.88; improvements, $2,978.78; grand total, 8184.987.16. Cost of laying down the cable, £87.253.83.
Maintenance of Gap Rock Lighthouse 1892, $4,598.62; 1893, 28.051.E6; 1894, $7,889.47; 1895, 88,647.58; 1896 (6 months), 24.507.41; total, $33,694.94.
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BILLS PASSED. The Bill entitled an Ordinance for the naturalization of Lee Shew was rend 1) tinie, committed, and passed. The Ordinance
the case of suspected coinsge offences was a second time committed, and purred, Ordinance to supplement the provisions of Licensing Consolidation Ordinance. 1867- also went through all the stages and was passed. THE REGISTRATION OF BIRIES AND DEATHS.
Council went into Committee on the Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend and consolidate the law relating to the registration of births and deaths.
cable connecting Gap Rock with Hongkong; did not sanction a majority of unofficial mem». (2) the total cost of maintenance of the light bers on the Board without having first made and the cable to the 30th ulto.; and (3) the the very fullest enquiries and conclusively sat- total proceeds of the special Gap Rock Lightified themselves of the wisdom of their deli- house rate, imposed for the specific purpose berate action. Unless we have before us very of reimbursing the Government the cost of substantial grounds and strong reasons, we the Gap Rock light and the connecting cable; cannot, I think, justify our beginning to undo from the date it was levied to 30th alto.
the work of a former Secretary of State and a former Governor who was so highly esteemed and respected here. I think the British members May last most emphatically the experience throughout the vast British Empire and British India. viz., that for the general improvement in sanitation the co-operation of the public through their legally elected represon, tatives, is essential. I respectfully submit, sir, it is not only necessary but it is indispens- able that the Government should publish all the correspondence and papers. They are the zole and only material which can enable the un-
Amendments were made in accordance with cfficial members and the public to form an in- the report of the Law Committee appointed 10 dependent and accurate opinion on the merits consider the Bill, and the Ordinance was passed. of the very important change now proposed.
HIS EXCELLENCY THANKED, HIS EXCELLENCY-Does anyone second that?
Hon. C. P. CHATER-Sir, I am aware I em HOD. HO KAI-I beg to second, sir.
ont of order in rising now, but with your Ex The COLONIAL SECRETARY—In reply to the cellency's permission I should like to make a fe ́motion. I can only repeat what I stated a short remarks. The information which your Excel- time ago, that the question of the construe-lency gave us at the opening of Council and tion of the Sanitary Board has been referred more especially the latter part of it, namely, the to the Secretary of State for his final decision, appointment of two new members to the Ex- and that the Government does not propese ecutive Council, took me armewhat by surprise, to lay upon the table any papers in connection for it was somewhat different from what we therewith until that decision has been received. had expected to hear, and indeed I may say was w HIS EXCELLENCY (to Hon. T. H. White, wholly unexpected. Though perhaps it is head)Do you wish to take a vote upon that, rather late in the day, I beg now to thank your Excellency for the honour you have done me in nominating me to fill one of these seats, and in accepting it I need hardly say that I' will do the utmost in my power to promote the interests and the welfare of the colony, where I have resided for so long a pericd.(Applause:)
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Proceeds of the special Gap Rock rate of 11 cents up to 30th June, 1856 1850, $38,256; 1891, $53,376'; 1892, $54.941; 1893, 857,205; 1894 855,390; 1895, $63,902; - 1896 (6 months), $35,551.
or not ?
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-In reply, sir to the hon. the Colonial Secretary think it would be advisable to have the papers now in order that. uncficial members may have the opportunity of expressing their news before the final decision of the Secretary of State has been arrived at.
H18 EXCELLENCY-Do you understand that the Secretary of State has all the papers and all the correspondence and result of the ballet- that everything is before him
Hou, T. H. WHITEHEAD Your Excellency, on the 14th December last you promised to lay all the papers on the table as soon as the Secretary of State's decision had been arrived at. The draft Bill was submitted to the Council in March last and from the objects and reasons attached to the draft Bill the Secretary of State would appear to have come to a decision.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY—The decision of the Secretary of State was then supposed to to be final, bat owing to circumstances which have arisen since the decision is not regarded as final. The Government does not therefore propose to lay any papers in this subject until a final decision has been received.
MOTION FOR SANITARY EOARD PAPERS. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD- Sir, I rise to move the revolution, of which I have given due notice. calling for the correspondence and papers con- nected with the necessity for the proposed reconstitution of the Sanitary Ecard. Ordin- ance No. 24 of 1887 is entitled The Public Health Ordinance," and was not sanctioned by the Home Government without the fullest enquiry. The enactment passed this Conncil after protracted debate and discussion on the 23rd September, 1887, but was not assepted to by the Governor until the 30th day of May, 1888. The Secretary of State's despatch authorising it stipulated that this legislation should only be carried out slowly and by degrees, and with every due consideration for the interests to be affected thereby. It was this Ordinance which created the present Eani- tary Board in 1888, and section 4 states that the Board shall consist of four official and not more than six unofficial members. During the first years of the Board's existence. I believe letters and memoranda from its individual members called the attention of the Govern ment to certain defects in the working of the Board, and suggested improvements and altera- tions. In 1890, during Sir William Des Vœux's absence on leave, but at his request (now) Sir Francia Fleming, then Administrator, framed definite proposals, after very full enquiry, for extending the Board's powers and improving its organisation. Sir William Des Vœux returned to the colony, but only for a few months, as ill- health compelled his retirement from the Ser- vice-in 1891; hence nothing was then done, and nothing has been done since. It is very desir. able that we should, if possible, have the opper. tunity of considering Sir Francis Fleming's proposals, and the relative papers, so that we may become acquainted with what were the defects in the working of the Board found to exist in practice. In 1895 Government appointed the Medical Officer of Health a member of the Sanitary Board, and not under the Board's orders. To this act the unofficial members of the Board then in the colony took exception, and resigned their seats. It is necessary that Government should give the unofficial members of Council the opportunity of studying the correspondence and despatches which passed between the Colonial authorities and the Home officials in connection with :-- (1.) The resignation of the unofficial members of the Board. (2.) The appointment of the Medical Officer of Health, his position, and Hon. E. R. BELILIOS gave notice of the relation to the Sanitary Board. (3) The re-following question-Referring to the fire that commendations of the unofficial members of Council. (4.) The Colonial Government's reasons and argumenta in support of the neces- aity for now proposing to so alter and change the constitution of the Board. The sole and only remedy proposed in the draft Bill entitled "The Sanitary Board Ordinance of 1896" is the reduction of the number of official members from 4 to 9, and the reduction of the unofficial members from “not more than 6" to 2, and of this it appears, in the cbjects and reasons at tached to the draft Bill, that the Secretary of State approved. I feel quite certaifi Sir William wwx and the Secretary of State în 1888
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Hon. C. P. CHATEB.-Seeing that there has lately been a considerable amount of comment and discussion regarding the production of these papers, it was my original intention to have supported the motion of the member of the Chamber of Commerce, which has been seconded by my hon. friend on my right (Hon Ho Kai.) After the remarks of the Hon. the Colonial Secretary I shall content myself by waiting till the final decision of the Secre- tary of State arrives. Perhaps the proposer and seconder will concur with me in this course. Hon. T. H.-WHITEHEAD- Sir, under these circumstances I will withdraw the motion, with your Excellency's sarction.
The motion was therefore allowed to be withdrawn.
FIRE SIGNALS.
took place recently on board the British barque Glen Caladh, is there, as if I mistake not was the case on the old Police hulk, a look-out for signals for aid afloat maintained at Tsim- satshai Police Station? If not, why has the system been abandoned ?
FIRST KFADINGS OF BILLS. The following Bills were read the first time— An Ordinance to further amend the law relat- ing to Widows' and Orphans' Pensions; an Ordinance to authorise the appropriation of a supplementary sum of $1,002,275.7 to defray the charges of the year 1895; an Ordinance to make better provision for fhe sale of food and drug
to
Hor JJ. BELL-IRVING Sir, I also desire Bay that it affords me very great pleasure to accept a seat on the Executive Council, and shall also, like the hon. the senior uneffi cial member do my utmost to further,the, interests of the colony (Applause).
ZADJOURNMENT
The Council then adjourned for a fortnight THE CONSTITUTION OF THE, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
A.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE 8-DECISION,
The papers with reference to the colony's petition to the Hence of Commons praying for an amendment of the Constitution of this co- lony were laid on the table of the Legislative - Council on the 8th July We give below the despatches of the Governor, of Lord Ripon, and bf Mr. Chamberlain ;-
FROM THE GOVERNOR TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
Government House, Hongkong, 5th June, 1894 My Lord Marquess,I have the honour fo transmit to you a petition which has been for warded to me by the Honourable T. H. Whitehead and which is addressed to the House of Commons and prays for an amendment of the constitution of the Crown colony of Hongkong.
I have recently granted Mr. Whitehead six months' leave of absence from the Legislative Council, and he not only the prime mover in this petition but the bearer of it to England. I think I am justified in saying that it owes its origin principally to the imposition upon the taxpayers, some three years ago, of the addi-, tional Military Contribution of £20,000 a year report on this document by Mr. J. H. Stewart I enclose for your lordship's consideration a
Lockhart, the Acting Colonial Secretary and also communications from the Honourable J. J. Keswick, M.L.C., Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Honcurable E. R. Beli M.L.C., CM.G.," in which theɛe – !
gen express their decided opinion that the prayer. the petition should not be granted.
These papers will be of material assistance in enabling your Lordship to arrive at upon the subject.
The second clause of the petition seen me to supply an answer, to
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