March 10, 1900,}
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
On the motion for the second reading being put to the vote it was carried, though the Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, the Hou. Wei A Yuk, the lion. C. P. Chater, and the Hou. E. R. Belilios voted against.
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Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Publis Works.)
Hon. C. P. CHATER, C.M.Q. Hon. Dr. Ho KAI. Hon. T. H WHITEHEAD. Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G. Hon. WEI A YUK. Hou, A. W. BREWIN.
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Coun-
PAPERS,
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the report of the headmaster of Queen's College and of the examiners appointed by the Governing Body for 1899 and the report of the Captain Superintendent of Police for 1899.
FINANCIAL,
The ACTING ATTO×NEY laid on the table Financial Minute No. 9 and moved that it be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and the motion was carried.
the table the report of the Finance Committee The ACTING Colonial SECRETARY laid on (No. 2) aud moral its adoption.
and building. The more
so since a large The result is that at the beginning of every number of bye-laws have beeu made to lime-washing season the Board is careful to carry out the provisions of the Public Health give notice reminding landlords that it in Ordinance -iù itself a formidable Ordinance their duty within a given time to have their for anyone to nuderstand. There must be premises lims-washed. The the inspectors go a large number of people who do not comply round and report that such and such houses bare with the law, though quite unintentionally not been lime-washed. Then the Board have to They do not know they are doing wrong, and issue notices, under section 19, and if these hare the object of giving them notice 18 to remind no effect the prosecution follows. I can assure them that they have to do certain things to the Council that as the law stands it is utterly | cils). comply with the law. Of coure I am quite | impossible to carry the lime-washing regulations willing to admit the general principle that out. The Board do not recommend an alteration ignorance of the law is no excase, but law-givers of the law without good reason. in any country do not care to harrass the peo-
If they could, without amending the law, they would gladly ple unnecessarily, and ample warning is general do so; bat things have come to a deadlock, and ly given. Section 2 has been introduced because that is the reason why the Board asked the there was some delay in carrying out certain Government to institute this legislation. bye-laws made under section 13 of the Public Health Ordinance. Under that section the Sanitary Board have power to make, and, when made, to alter, amoud, or revoke bye-laws with regard to the proper coustruction. trapping, | ventilating, and maintenance of private house. The Bill was then considered at some length drains, etc., the provision and proper construc. in committee. tion of dust boxes in private premises, etc. Seccommended that the secretary of the Sanitary The Attorney General had re- tion 29 of the present Bill said:-"Notwithstand. Board, or such other officer as the Board may ing the provisions of section 19 of the Public depute, should institute summary Health Ordinance, 1887 (No. 24 of 1887), it ings before a Magistrate, but on His Excel- proceed. shall be lawful for the Sauitary Board, in its lency's suggestiou, it was decided to add discretion, to institute summary proceedings proviso to the affect that any persou before a Magistrate against any person cou. deputed should first obtain the sanction of the travening any bye-law duly made under sec- Medical Officer of Health or the Secretary tion 13 of each Ordinance, without previously before instituting such proceedings. issuing a notice to the offender stating what is The Eill passed through the committee and required to be done to carry out the provisions the council resumed. of such bye-law, and upon conviction for & con- travention of any such bye-law the Magistrate may impose a penalty not exceeding twenty. five dollars." I took part in the discussion when section 19 was before the Council, and we all un- animously agreed that we could and should get the Chinese and the general public to comply with the law with a little trouble, without auf prosecution. I think we should continue to give the notices, and then if the notices are without effect the maximum punishment should be inflicted. A reasonable notice, say of 48 hours as regards lime-washing, is all that is required. but as regards the construction of draius a longer notice is of course necessary,
The Hon. E. R. BELILIOS endorsed the sentiments of the Hon. Dr. Ho Kai,
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tiat
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY I think the honourable member opposite is under a misapprehension. The whole pith of his remarks would seem to show he thinks the tenants will have to lime-wash, whereas it is the landlords. He has told us thu there is no necessity for giving notice in connec- tion with the bye law 8 inade under sub-section 13 as to the proper construction, etc, of house drains. These are things, he tells us, that every body ought to know. I ask. is it a great deal to ask of the landlords of the colony to bear in mind the particolar months within which they have to have their premises white- washed ?
The Hon. Dr. Ho KAI said that the Acting Colonial Secretary had misquoted him. Ho said just the opposite.
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY-I must have misunderstood the hon. member. If it was a question of tenants there might be some- thing in what the honourable member had said, but where it is a question of landlords I fail to see the force of his remarks, and I would farther point out that the law as it stands is utterly absurd. This section 13 refers to varions matters, including such things as the prevention of the manufacture or sales of ansound, adulterated. or unwholesome food. If & Inspector finds some rotten mat in the market is he to give a mau seven days' notice to destroy it! Then again, it includes the manu- facture and sale of poisous and the sale of un- sound and adulterated drugs, also the notifying of infectious diseases. If a man fails to report a case of plague the Sanitary Board cannot under the law as it stands successfully prosecute until they have given seven days' notice. say seven days' notice because the Board have consulted the law officers of the Crown and have been advised that reasonable notice means at least seven days' notice. The honourable member seems to think that 24 hours' notice would be sufficient for white-washing, but the Board bas been advised to the contrary, aud in all cases the Board has been obliged to give seven days' notice.
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CERTIFICATES FOR CHINESE.
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The ATTORNEY-GENERAL proposed and the AOTING COLONIAL SECRETARY BeCouded a motion to the affect that the Bill entitled an for the issue by the Government of Hongkong Ordinance to authorize the imposition of fers of certain certificates to certain Chinese be read a second time.
This was carried and the Bill was then taken though the committee stige.
THE EXTENSION TO TUNG WA HOSPITAL. second reading of the Bill entitled an Or- The ATTORNEY-GENERAL. in moving the dipunce for the establishment of a Hospi-
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The COLONIAL TREA URER secouded and the motion was carried.
NATURALISATION. A Bill entitled au Ordinauce for the Natura- lisation of Capitolino João Xavier and a Bill entitled an Ordin suce for the Naturalisation of Foo Sik, alias Foo Yik Pang, were read a third time and passed.
THIRD READINGS.
The foll wing Bills were read a third time and passed :-
The Bill entitled An Ordinance to further amend the Post Office Ordinance, 1887.
amend the Public Health Ordinance, 1897.
The entitled An Ordinance to further
The Bill entitled An Ordinance to authorise the imposition of fees for the issue by the Government of Hongkong of certain certificates to certain Chinese.
ro-
The Hoa. T. H. WHITEHEAD-With ferouce to these Bills. I would suggest that in be followed, and that is that, when important fature the course which was previously adopted alterations are made in a Bill at a previous meeting of the Council, copies of the Bill as amended should be sent to members of the council a day or two before the next meeting of the Council at which the Bill is to be finally passed, and at which it cothes up for the third
a very good custom.
tal for infections diseases in conn-etinu with the Tung Wa Hospital, explained that the Bill provided that the authorities of the Tung Wa Hospital shou d have similar powers with regard to the new brauch hospital for infectious diseases as they already possessed as regards the present Tune Wa Hospital, and should have also simi-reading. l'his used to be the custom, and it is lar responsibilities. The Bill also provided that the Government should be indemnified from any claim madeaga ust them in respect of the erection and maintenance of the infections diseases brauch of the Hospital. He did not anticipates that any such claim would be made, but it was well to confer the power of giving the indem- nity which the Hospital authorities were willing to gire if able to do so.
The Council adjourned until Thursday.
MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Finance Committee was held after the Council Meeting, the Acting Colonial Secretary presiding. when the follow- ing votes were agreed to:-
A sum of 83,660, being compensation to the Dairy Farm Company. Limited, for the loss of certain cattle at "Sassoon's Villa"
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A sum of $1,000 to meet the expenditure for extending the telephone line in the New Ter- ritory.
The CHAIRMAN explained as to the first rote that some cattle were accidentally burned to death while the shed was being disinfected by an officer of the Sanitary Board, and as to the second that the line was to ran to Starine Inlet
This was all the business.
HIS EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR-I asked the Attorney-General about this, because the usual course is that when amended the Bill is referred to the Attorney-General. who goes over it to see that the amendments are made. The custom referred to by the honourable mem. ser shall be observed in future.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-The only Bill in connection with which any alterations not then in print before the Council vere made was the Pablic Health Ordinance, and the amendmenta suggested in Council were incorporated in the Bill as read a third time. Possibly the reagon the Bill as amended was not sent out on this occasion was that it is such a very short time. since the last meeting of the Council, and it is some times very difficult to get them printed in time.
His EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR asked members of the Standing Law Committee to re- main after the meeting of the Finance Commit- tee, as the Attorney-General was very anxions to consult with them as to the Land Court Bill.
The Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD suggested that before the Bill was brought before the Council the members should have at least three days in which to go carefully through it.
His EXCELLECY THE GOVERNOR said he un-
On the 8th inst a meeting of the Hongkongderstod that the Bill was almost ready and Legislative Council was held in the Council Chamber at the Government Offices, there being present :-
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR (Sir Henry Blake, G.CM G.))
His EXCELLENor Major-General GASCOIGNE, C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).
The Hou. F. H. MA, C.M.G. (Acting Colonial Secretary)
Hon. W. MEIGH GOODMAN (Attorney-Gene-
ral).
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer).
would be sent out at once. So he thought the members would have ample time to go through it. The Council then adjourned until Thursday
next.
MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THE SALARIES' QUESTION.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was beld immediately after the Council meeting, the Acting Colonial Secretary prosiding.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.