November 10, 1897.]
in Her Majesty's dominions, and so far the Im- perial Government has given no sufficient reason for refusing to extend to this colony the same fair treatment of this question as bas been conceded to the sister colony of Singapore. Had the unofficial members of Council adopted the same course as that pursued by the un- official members of the Singapore Council and caused the home Government to realise that we are in earnest in our protesta I feel sure that what has been conceded to Singapore would not be denied to Hongkong. Your Excellency's ondeavours on behalf of Hongkong in connec- tion with this tax were greatly appreciated, and I desire to refresh the memory of hon, members as to what you wrote to the Secretary of State on the subject in a despatch dated 28th August, .1895, and for which I feel certain the com- munity will continue to feel grateful. Para graphs 4 and 5 of that despatch read:-- As you are aware, no municipality exists in Hongkong, and for that reason no distinction has hitherto been made between the revenue col- lected for general and for municipal purposes. But, though no such distinction has been made, there are certain items of revenue which may legitimately be regarded as municipal, and which, if a municipality existed or were created, would be levied and expended by it. The en- closed list, drawn up by the Acting Treasurer (Mr. Thomson), shows what these items are.
If this colony is to be treated in the same man. ner as the Straits Settlements, where the local or municipal revenues, amounting in round figures to 13 million dollars, are exempted from contributing towards the military expenditure, it would seem to be only fair that the municipal revenue of Hongkong should be allowed to en- joy a similar exemption. In this connection it should be remembered, as the unofficial mem- bers point out, that loans have been raised by Government for the purpose of carrying out works of a purely municipal nature, such as water-works, markets, &c., and it appears eoni. table that the revenue derived from such works, instead of being subjected to a charge of 174 per cent., should be applied to their upkeep, to defraying the interest on the moneys raised by loan to construct them, and to forming a sink ing fund with a view to the ultimate liquidation of the debt incurred on their account.' And in paragraph 7 your Excellency said:"The ar. guments advanced by the unofficial members regarding the exemption of the municipal items from contributing towards the military expenditure appear to me to be reasonable and worthy of favourable consideration. In your address of two weeks ago Your ex- cellency said "I am informed that Victoria may now be regarded as one of the best drained cities east of Suez and that its domestic sanita- tion will compare favourably with that of any of the large cities in England. Though much has been done to improve the insanitary condi tion of the city, and notwithstanding the fact that the Sanitary Board has performed an im- mense amount of good and useful work during the last three years, a great deal has yet to be. accomplished. Three years ago Mr. Jackson, of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, speaking at a public meeting. said that the insanitary condition of Hongkong was a disgrace to our civilisation and to the Government." These words are as true to-day as when they were uttered in 1894. Being a member of the Tu- sanitary Dwellings Commission I speak from knowledge and from a recent personal inspec- tion of a number of Chinese dwellings in Hong. kong. There are scores of them which I am sorry to say are mere hotbeds of disease and quite unfit for human habitation. The inaction of the Government in respect of these insanitary buildings must, I fear, be due in some measure to the great infinence exercised by landlords in Hongkong, but I sincerely hope that Govern. ment will without further delay enact the necessary legislation whereby the Sanitary Board (or what remains of what was at one time a popularly constituted body) will obtain the requisite powers to compel house owners to put their properties into a sanitary condition. If Hongkong is to maintain its prosperity the city must be made thoroughly sanitary as far as human efforts can make it. That no portion of the resumed area of Taipingshan has yet been realised reflects unfa ourably on some one. If private individuals looked after their investments
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
in house property on similar lines to the man- agement of the Taipingshan resumption, which cost about one million dollars, they would soon find themselves involved in bankruptcy. The recent discovery through the instrumentality of a ratepayer that bribery and corruption has has been rampant in the Police Force and in other departments of the Government service is a dark blot on the system of Crown Colony | Government. There are increasing almost daily proofs of the necessity for a form of Government which will yield the residents some voice in respect of municipal matters. As long ago as 1817 a Parliamentary Committee was appointed to inquire into Hongkong mat- ters and the report of that Committee made the following amongst other recommendations :--
That a share in the administration of the or-
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Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-For what period and on what conditions ?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY—For three years at $425 a month with the option of renewal for another three years. Of course that will relieve the Government of the cost of rent for the offices at present occupied by the Attorney- General, the Crown Solicitor, the Education Department, and the Sanitary Department.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-It seems a great pity our valuable reclamation ground, worth $10 a square foot, should lie fallow.
The sill passed through Committee without amendment and was read a third time and passed.
CHINESE EXTRADITION BILL.
Council resumed Committee on the Bill en- titled An Ordinance to amend The Chinese
Extradition Ordinance 1889."
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-The Conncil will mittee stage on recollect that this Bill was left in the com- one point in order that any hon. member might move an amendment if he thought fit. There was some objection taken to the words six months immediately
prior to the date of his so being brought before the Magistrate," as determining the period of residence in the colony that would reader de- positions inadmissible in proceedings against a person whose extradition was applied tor, The hon. member on my left (Hou. Ho Kai) thought this would give too much power, and 1 thought be would communicate with me, but until I got into the room two or three minutes before the Council met I had not heard from him. Per-
state. I believe the working of the Bill will be most carefully watched and if there is any rea- son to suppose it leads to abuse it will be amended. I think it would be better to leave
dinary and local affairs of the island be given by some system of municipal government to the British residents." And the Secretary of State three years ago, in the concluding paragraph of his despatch of the 23rd August, 1894, said: -"Still it is possible that the Sanitary Board might be developed into a satisfactory Muni- cipal Council controlling all or some of the revenue which is now derived from rates. Whether any scheme of the kind is possible I would ask you carefully to consider at your leisure." Sir, I think that if something of this kind had been granted in by-gone years the irregularities in the Police Force and the Registrar-General's and other departments might have been less serious than they were recently discovered to be. I think also the defalcations in the Post Office and the Treasury might have been less heavy than sonally I would prefer the Bill in its present they were and that the legacy of insani- tation throughout the city which this genera- tion fell heir to might have been less oner- ous than it was. I should rejoice to be one of this Council who could join in an address to your Excellency such as was presented to you before leaving Trinidad and I hope the remarks I have made my have some effect and that before you leave us you may be able to do something more for us, We a e greatly in- debted to you for many things, including the extension and improvement of the Recreation Ground and several new rouds, amongst them the road from Victoria Gap to Mount Kellett, which is very much appreciated, and the road from Plantation Road to Magazine Gap, which will also be greatly appreciated. Let me read one paragraph. from the address presented to you before leaving Trinidad:-"If every measure initiated by Your Excellency has not met with the unanimons approval of this Council, there will remain after you leave these shores monu- ments of good work done during your adminis tration, the credit of which but few will dare to begrudge you.
The unofficial section of this Council will long have reason to remember the liberal extension of their privileges which has been allowed at your suggestion. We allude to the increase in their number, so that now that section of this Council is in the majority, and the establishment of the Standing Committee ou Finance, while the public are grateful for the steps taken in assigning districts to the several unofficial members of the Council, so that their wants are more easily brought to the notice of the Legislature."
❘
Il18 EXCELLENCY-Do you make any motior? Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-No, Sir. Council then went into Committee on the Bill.
Hon. T. H. WHITERE. on the vote for Public Works Extraordinary, said:-While on this subject might I ask for some information about the new Public Offices ? In Council last year, on the 8th July, I asked if the Govern- ment would inform the Council of the cause of pelay in taking steps to obtain by public com- petition plans and designs for the proposed new Government Offices, including the Post Office, the Supreme Court, etc.
HIS EXCELLENCY-I think the Secretary of State refused to allow public competition; is not that so?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Yes, and a
despatch has been received from the Secretary of State asking for further information as to the financial position of the colony.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Hare the Govern- meat leased Beaconsfield ?
The COLONIal Secretary—Yes.
the Bill in its present state, if my hon. friend on my left consents, because the principle of this six months has been approved by the Secre tary of State and I do not like to make an alteration at a moment's notice. If we omitted the words "immediately prior to and wade any six months do a person contemplating the commission of piratical attacks or other crimes in Chinese jurisdiction could live here six months, go away and commit his crimes, and then come back bere and say this Ordinance did not apply to him.
*+
"
Hon. Ho KAI-Sir; on the last occasion I prior to," and at my request the Bill was left raised an objection to the words immediately in Committee. I did promise the Attorney- General to communicate with him in the in- terval, but unfortunately, as he was aware. I had to go to Canton on business for a few days and I did not get back until Saturday. I made an effort to communicate with him to-day, but did not find him at his office. Now it seems to me that my objection, although I stated it as plainly as I could, has not been understood by the Attorney-Geueral. The six mouths, if the words "immediately prior to' were allowed to remain, would apply to the rase of every Chinaman who happened to leave might have resided in the colony, because a the colony temporarily, no matter how long he Chinese mandarin would not think of charging a man with baving committed a serious crime in China while he was residing in Hongkong, because it would be impossible for a
man to he was resident in Hongkong; they would commit a crime in the interior of China while
wait for an opportunity until the man they wanted went back to the country to take his children to get married, or on account of sickness, or on the occasion of the annual, visit to the ancestral home. It is that time that would be pitched upon for the commission of the alleged crime. Any merchant, no matter if he went to visit his ancestral home would be how long he might have resided in the colony, brought within the provisions of this Ordin-
ance.
We
It is proposed to alter the law to suit the Chinese Government, and no doubt should try to please the Viceroy of Cantou as as far as we can, but I do think that we should hesitate at placing all the Chinese merchants and residents of this colony, no matter how long
they may re resided here, under the thumb of the mandarins on-the mainland. If you retain these words every Chinese resident who goes away for any purpose whatsoever will be brought under the provisions of this
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