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engineers and as much time as possible be allowed to the public to go over the Bill. It is headed a
Consolidation Bill"; but I believe, sir, from what I know, that there are a great many clauses in it which are entirely new.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-It is not headed
Consolidat.ou Bill
but a • Bill to con solidate and amend "; so is the Public Health Act.
a
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-I think, sir, it is somewhat an unusual course for the Govern- ment to take to supply those people interested in a Bill with a copy of the Bil, and I think it would bo rather а serious responsibility for this Government to under- take. I feel perfectly certain that those who are interesed in a measure will have enough enterprise to take such steps as are necessary to supply themselves with copies; but I may stato on behalf of the Government that copies of the Bill may be obtained on application to the Colonial Secretary's office by any member of the community who may have a desire to have. a copy of the Bill in his posession. I think, sir, that will be a course môre in accordance with the usual mode of procedure in uch matters
Hon C. P. CHATER-The reason I sug. gested this was simply to facilitate the matter. If you do not accept some such method the consequence will be that I shall have to move postponement; therefore I think this should be done.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-I c.nnot see for a moment how maiters would be any more facilitated by the course suggested by the Senior Unofficial Member. If the people interested caunot take the trouble to apply for a copy it is difficult to see what is their interest in the matter. I think it is sufficient to let these persons know that if they want the Hill they can have it forwarded. If the Senior Unofficial Member cold furnish us with a list of those members of the community whom he thinks it ought to be sent to we would know who are the people who ought to get copies; but otherwise it is impossible for us to know. think the Council will agree with me when I say, that the means we have suggested to supply the community with the necessary information are all that can be expected from the Govern- ment.
I
Hon. C. P. CHATER-It is not a very difficult matter to send out copies to the engineers and architects; there are only about half-a-dozen.
The COLONIAL S:CRETARY-I know there are a great many more than the hon. member suggests, and if we selected halfa- ⚫dozen to whom copies should be sent, it might give rise to difficulty, if we left out any who desired copies or selected a few who should be furnished with them.
HIS EXCELLENCY--I would suggest that we put an advertisement in the paper, along. ide the Gazette, say.ng that any person who might desire a copy can obtain them at the Colonial Secretary's office. There is a good deal in the contention that if we select a certain number to whom to forward copies and happen to leave out accidentally any who might be entitled to receive them, we might get ourselves into a difficulty.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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attached, which no doubt hon, members have read, explain the reason for that. It seems there has been some difficulty owing to a decis son which rendered it doubtful whether chair coolies and ricksha coolies in private em. ploy could be considered technically to be domestic servants within the meaning of the law providing for domestic servants. I do not think this difficulty would have occurred to me, There is no reason why such coolies, residing on the premises, should be exempted from the penalty for misconduct to which house boys, house coolies, and cooks have been liable for considerably more than fifty yours in this Colony. This Ordinance places them according ly on an equality with ordinary Chinese domestic servants in that respect. On these grounds I beg to move the second reading of this Bill.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.
[March 15, 1902.
discharge, as well as for the issue by the Land Officer of a Certificate of entry of such discharge (Ordinance No. 2 of 1896). Moreover, the Code of Civil Procedure, Ordinance No. 5 of 1901, requires a Writ of Foreign Attachment to bo registered in the Land Office, and makes provision for the filing in such office of a Certificate that the Writ has been dissolved, or that the judgment in the action has been satisfied (see section 462). Fees to be paid for these matters were fixed by the said Code. It became, therefore, in any case desirable to amend the original List of Fees specified in Ordinance No. 3 of 1844, and to bring it into line with the present practice of the Office. Some few fees seem also to have been received and paid over to the Colonial Treasurer, without express Statutory anthority, the Land Officer acting on instrac- tions received from time to time by the Govern- ment, as for instance in the case of the reasonable charges for parchment plans and for affixing the Public Seal to Crown Leases. Ordinance No. 5 of 1883 authorises the charge of $5 for the official Signature of the Gover nor, and it has been the practice of the Land Office to charge this fee for affixing the Publi; Seal to a Crown Lease which is also signed by the Govenor, such practice having The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second been authorised for more than fifty years. It reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance o is provided by this Ordinance that one fee shall define the meaning of the word writers," as cover both the Seal and the Signature. It used in Ordinance No. 3 of 1871. He said- seemed better that all such fees should receive This has become desirable, because the local Act proper Statutory authority and their receipt for the admission of solicitors nses the word heretofore be validated aud legalised. The writers." Now, as regards those who are fees, in many instance, might, not unfairly, practising in Scotland, the question arose whe-have been raised in view of the greatly dimin ther, if n Scotch law agent came here and shed value of the dollar now, as compared with showed his diplomas, he would be allowed to A.D. 1844; but this has only been done in practise here, bocinse the Ach only mentions one instance, namely, where deeds, etc., are Scotch writers. The opinion of the Crown registered relating to more than one lot or Agent for Scotland was taken by the Colonial section of a lot. In some instance several lot Office, and he thought it would certainly do aro included in one instrument and additional no harm to amend the law so as to include law work is thereby thrown on the Land Officer. agents.
In such cases the registration fee is raise to ten dollars instead of five.
The Council then wont into committɔe ou the Bill and considered it clauss by clause.
On the Council resuming, there being no alterations, the Bill, on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETAY, was read a third time and passed.
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WRITERS AND LAW AGENTS.
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The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and The' Council then went into committee on the the Bill was read a second time. Bill, and considered it clause by clause.
On the Conncil resuming, there being no alterations, the Bill, on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the Culon- IAL SECRETARY, was read a third time and passed.
NEW TERRITORIES LAND COURT ORDINANCE.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend The New Territories Land Court Ordia- ance, 1900 (No. 18 of 1900), and The New Territories Land Court Amendment Ordinance, 1901 (No. 27 of 1901). He said-This Ordin- ance was sent home and obtained the approval of the Secretary of State, who, however, desired two slight amei dments to be made. These are specifically mentioned in the objects and seasons appended to the Bill, and Ist-The omission of the words "the acquisition of" in the second line; 2ml-The substitution of the words "ought to be resumed for public purpose within the meaning of Section of the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance, 1900," for the words, is required in the public in- These amendments were made, but I thought it better to re-enact the section with
Hon. C. P. CHATER--I defer to your Excel-terests." lency's opinion.
FIRST READING.
The following Bill was submitted and read a first time :—An Ordinance for the nationalisa- tion of Chu Ship Chun, alias Chu Le, alias Chü Man Tin, alias, Chü K'au Meï.
PRIVATE CHAIR AND BICKSHA COOLIES. The A1TORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance to provide for the more effectual control of chair and jioricksha coolies in private employ. He said- As your Excellency is aware, some time ago a commission was appointed, and they made a report on the subject of registering all chair and ricksha coolies in private employ. The Government were not in a position to carry out the whole of the recommenda- tions of the Commission, but at all events a part of them received the favourable at tention of the Government, and I was accordingly directed to draw up a Bill on the lines of the one before us, which, save for some slight alterations, is practially the Bill sug- gested by the Commission. We have taken from this Bill the whole of the clause relating to registration, and th› objects and reasons
these alterations included.
are:-
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.
The Council then went into committee on the Bill, and considered it clause by clause.
On the Conucil resuming, there being no alterations. the Bill, on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, Seconded by the Colon- IAL SECRETARY, was read a third time and passed.
REGISTRATION OF DEEDS, ETC.
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The Council then went into committee and onsidered it clause by clause.
U on the Council resuming, the Bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY.
BANKRUPTCY ORDINANCE,
The ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance to further amend The Bankruptcy Ordinance, 181. He said-Last year an rdinance was passed which dealt with Chinese firms and the question of their being made bankrupt. It was subjected to a good deal of consideration and was looked into a great deal by Sir John Car- rington. It was sent home and referred to the Board of Trade, and the opinion of Mr. Muir Mackenzie, who, I take it, counsel to the Board, was taken. He points out what he deems to be a singular defect in the Bankruptcy Amendment Ordinance, 1901, viz., that it does not deal with the case of a foreigner 'trading in his own name by an agent in the Colony. Cases of that kind occur seldom, if ever, among the Chinese in Hongkong, and the Ordinance in question was passed to meet the hardship disclosed by the local case of Re Kung Hing eż parte Ab Wee (July 9th, 1909). It was ap- proved of both by the Chief Justice who tried the case in question and by the Cham er of Commerce. The object of the present Or- dinance is to make the further amendment pointed out by Mr. Muir Mackenzie as desirable. There can be little doubt that Ordinance No. 2 of 1901, as supplemented by this Ordinance, effects a considerable improvement in our local law, having regard to the special circumstances of Hongkong. I do not want it to be taken in substitution of the other Bill ́but as supple-
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
the Bill.
The Attorney General moved the second reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend the Ordinance to provide for the Regis-mentary to it. tration of Deed, Will, Judgments and Con- veyances affecting real or immoveable property in Hongkong (No. 3 of 1844). He sail-I The Council then went into committes on think you will agree that the objects and reasons appended to the Bill are sufficient explanation. They are as follows:-Since the Ordinance for the Registration of Deeds, etc., in the Land Office (Ordinance No. 3 of 1844) came into forca, statutory provision has been made for the registration of a Lis Pendens (Ordinance No. 10 of 1856), and for the registration of its
Upon the Council resuming the Bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the -COLONIAL SECRETARY,
SUPREME COURT SUMMARY JURIDICTION ORDINANCE,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second
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