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to omit aqua fortis (nitric acid) and vitriol (sulphuric acid) from that category,
The object of clause 3 of this Bill is to facilitate the working of steatoships and launches with petroleum fuel by lowering the test standard.
INVESTMENT IN GOVERNMENT SECURITIFS.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND |
. Ordinance-that is the Ordinance 1 of 1889—and a fow of its provisions are new. For instance in 4-1 of Schedula I, clause 13, the provision relating to the disinfection, if necessary, of the ships is now; also those concerning the penalty and the regulation regarding the necessity of having 126 feet of cubic space on the lower The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL I beg to 'tween decks for every adult on board. With more the second reading of the Bill entitled an regaril to the regulation forbidding the carry- or stores Ordinance to facilitate the investment of Trusting of any part of the cargo and other funds in the United Kingdom. in Hongkong Government securities. The object of this Bill is to bring the Government stocks of this Colony within the provisions of the English Acts of Parliament enabling trustees to invest in Colonial stocks,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The Council went into Committee on the Bill, and it was afterwards read a third time on the motion of the ACTING ATTORNEY- GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRE-
TARY.
A NEW TRAMWAY.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL-I bog to move the second reading of the Bill entitled na Ordinance to authorise The Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Company. Limited, to construct a Tramway within the Colony of Hongkong. I may mention that this Bill is drafted on the lines of the Kowloon Godowns Tramway Bill. The object of it is to enable the Hongkong Rope Manufacturing Company to have a short tramway line in connection with their business down on the Praya with the view of saving coolie-hire.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seronded, and the motion was agreed to
The Council then went into Committee on the Bill, and it was afterwards read a third time on the motion of the ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY.
age
CHINESE EMIGRATION.
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the upper deck or, on the passenger decks, unless in the opinion of the emigration officer the sumó is so placed as not to impede Or ventilation or to interfere with light the comfort of the passengers, or unless the same is stowed and secured to the satisfaction of the emigration officer and the space thereby occupied or rendered nuavailable for the accom. modation of the passengers to be de lucted in calculating the space by which the umber of passengers is regulated, that is borrowed from the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894. clause 291 Clauses 9 and 10 consist of clause 8 of the old schedule I. With regard to 17 it provides that before the arrival of any British Chinese passenger-ship at the port for which the passengers havo embarked the master shall cause the said passengers to be mustered for the purpos⚫ of ascertaining that there are none on board who are not in possession of an emigration contract ticket and included in the emigration officer's certificate and detailed list of passengers: if any such are found it shall be the duty of the master to hand them over to the proper authority to be dealt with acording to law. That is a new provision. the and I think it obviously right that masters of the ships should check as far as pos- sible these abuses in connection with emigration and see that they are not being practised in connection with the ships. With these altera- tions, I beg to move the second reading of this Bill.
The COLOSIAL SECRETARY seconded and the motion was adopted.
The Council then went into Committee on the Bill and it was considered clause by clause.
Hon. Dr. Ho Ka-I beg to move as an amendment that the age limit as regards youth- ful passengers be raised from 12 to 16 years. A boy of 12 is of a very teuler age and it might possibly be he would not know what he was about. This change which I propose would meet the case very much better and would afford | much more adequate prot-ction to the Chinese young people who have to emigrate from the Colony.
HE. THE GOVERNOR- -You want an ad- ditional protection of four years, and you would alter the age to 16?
Hon. Dr. Ho Kai-Yes.
[December 7, 1901,
H. E. THE GOVERNOR Assuming that under the principal Ordinance you have two boys under 12 down as being equal to one adult, it makes no difference that the two boys ander 16 have to go to the Registrar-General to have their contract explained to them. If does not mean that they are to be considered as equal to one adult. The point is simply the method in which they are to be examined as to their contract. It means nothing more so far as I see at present.
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Of The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL course the Harbour Master is well acquainted with the subject, but I think that all males and females went before the Emigration Office.
The HARBOUR MASTER-I do not know, where you will find in an Ordinance a distinc. tion between males under the age of 12. Cer- tain things have to be done for them and by them. I do not say you will clash, but I think it is just possible you may be clashing with other Ordinances,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Do. they get their passages cheaper?
The HARBOUR MASTER- They are sidered as one adult,
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H.E. the GOVERNOR-It cannot make any interference, except in the examination; it goes no farther than that.
The
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL Harbour Master is referring to passenger steamers.
The HARBOUR MASTER-I do not say this will affect anything, but it may clash.
The Bill was read a second time. On the Council resuming,
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL said-In view of the amendment that has been proposed, I do-not propose to move the third reading to-day.
HON. H. E. POLLOCK'S NEW APPOINTMENT,
When the business had been concluded,
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR said—Gen- tlemen, as this is the last occasion on which the The Ac'ing ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the
Acting Attorney-General will appear at this second reading of the Bill entitled au Ordinance
Council. I think it would not be out of place to further amend the Chinese Emigration
for me and other members of the Council to Consolidation Ordinance, 1889, tor which the
offer him our congratulations on his recent following objects and 1ersons were appended : This Ordinance deals with four inatters
appointment as Attorney-General of Fiji. Our congratulations are not unmixed with regret at of some importance with regard to Chines?
the loss of his services to this Colony, for every In order to further check emigration.
one here knows the conspicuous ability and care abuses-(a.) It provides for the examina.
with which the Acting-Attorney has performed tion of intending male emigrants under the of twelve, and of intending female
his duties in the Colony. But nobody could clearly than the Governor of the emigrants before the Registrar-General. (b.)
know more It provides for the licensing of boarding-houses
Colony what an immense amount of public duty devolves upon the Attorney-General. He for Chinese emigrants, and requires all such
is responsible for the legal aspect of everything intending emigrants (except those who travel
that passes through the Colonial Secretary's first or second class) to embark from such
office and for the settlement of all those various licensed boarding-honses, and it requires proper
legal questions that even in simple matters present returns to be furnished by the keepers. (c.) It
themselves for the Governor's con- The · HARBOUR MASTER--I do not know requires that the Registrar-General should be furnished with photographs of intending Chithat there is any particular objection I could sideration. Upon his advice the Government are dependent to save the executive from-- offer to that, except that 12 is the age nuder nese emigrants, namely, feurales and boys not over twelve years of age, and makes provisions' which two passengers are considered to be equal sometimes very unwittingly-finding themselves Af home all the emigration laws in a pretty awkward position that might be for the appointment of respectable photogra- ¦ to one adult.
an inconvenience to the public or possibly phers for the purpose. (.) It makes frandulent recognise it.
[I.E. THE GOVERNOR--Of course the prin-involve undesirable conditions with reference personation of intending emigrants a misdemea nor, and provides a panishment for this offenes. ciple is different. While you might consider These provisions will, it is trusted, materially two passengers under 12 equal to one. adult, still the passsenger of 13 often certainly has not increase the protection it is desired to afford to
the sense to enable him to make a valid contract Chinese émigrants against uns rupulous persons
without some special information, who may be tempted to take advantage of their ignorance. Section 10 is intended to prevent the waste of time at present occasioned by requiring the matters mentioned in sections 10, 11, 13 and 24 of Ordinance No. 1 of 1889, to be brought before the Executive Council. Sections 12 and 14 correct errors in the references to Sections of the principal Ordinances contained in Soectilin 90a nd SceiluleN of such Ordinance." The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL said
for all the I have explained the reasons clauses of the Bill except Clauses 11 and 13. With regard to 1, that substitutes' section 33 of the principal Ordinance and the reason for the substitution of the new now Section is that this Bill introduces a principle in the case of male passengers under the age of 12 years and female passengers and provides for their attendance at the office or place appointed by the Registrar-General, their contract tickets being explained to them in his presence. In the case of the other passengers the contract ticket will be explained to them in the presence of the emigration official. With regard to Clause 17 of this Bill it; substitutes a new Schedule I of the principal
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The HARBOUR MASTER-12 is fixed here as the age, according to our emigration laws.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR-It is only a matter of whom before this is to be arranged. They could not come to much harm in going before the Registrar-General.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-My proposal is really for the protection of the children.
The HARBOUR MASTER-I would draw the Acting Attorney-General's attention to the fact that the age remains 12 in a good many Ordinances. If you alter the age here you will have to alter it right through.
The ACTING-ATTORNEY-GENERAL-Hither- to it has been the practice for emigrants to go before the Emigration Office; and therefore I should say that the principal Ordinance will not be affected, as this is practically new legis lation which makes these people go before the Registrar-General.
The HARBOUR MASTER-Under this Ordin- ance you will have boys under 12 doing one thing" and boys from 12 to 16 doing another, and women and men doing an entirely different thing.
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to the Government in its relation to the public; and I wish myself to express my personal obligation to the Acting-Attorney- General for the immense and ready assistance I always received from him in every matter that came before us. I think you will agree with me, gentlemen, in offering to best wishes for his future, in gratulating the public service on having so practical and excellent an official, and in hoping that the Attorney-General-for he is now practically the Attorney-General of Fiji- will find his new appointment the first step in a successful and brilliant career in the judicial service. branch of His Majesty's colonial (Applause.)
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL was re- ceived with applause when he rose to reply. He said-Sir, I hardly know how to reply in fitting terms to the extremely kind appreciation which you have been good enough to express of my services in this Colony. I am only too conscious, Sir, of my imperfections; and what I should have desired them to have my performances hare often fallen short of been. Your Excellency has spoken only too The duties of the kindly of what I have done for the public service of this Colony. Attorney-General, as your Excellency has stated, are sometimes very arduous indeed, and
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