June 29, 1903.]
1903, relating to the Marriages of British Subjects in Foreign Countries; a Bill entitled au Ordinance to authorise and regulate the establishment and use of installations for the purpose of Wireless Telegraphy; a Eill entitled an Ordinance to men The Malay States (Fugitive Criminals) urren 'er Ordinance,
1903
ST WAWAYS ORDINANCE.
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The ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill entitled an Or dinance to provide for the more effectual prevention of frauds on owners aud charterers of ship by stowaways, their &iders and abettors, He said-Hon, members of the Council are aware of the events that have led to the intro- ducation of this Bill. The subject of the Bill and the reasons for its being introduced are as set forth in the memo dum which I have attached to the Bill itself. The Bill has been in the hands of hun. members for a considerable time now and I have no doubt they have made themselves acquainted with what the Govern ment considered to justify the passage of this Bill. As I have stated in the objects and reasons the Ordinance is drastic in its provisions, but to be effective I think you will agree with me it is necessary that the Ordinauce should be drustic. It is reduced Er to this shape in the hope that it will pat neni to the unistuce that has been for a big time inflicted upon shipowners by personswing-away on their ships. The nuisance has been felt particularly by those rading between Hongkong and the hilippine Islands; an in one case, which is mentioned in the objects reasons, a very heavy security, $70,000 gold, as required from to owners of one of the steamers taking stowaways from here to the Philippines, because of the excess number of passengers carried. The owners protested that the excess uumber was not carried with their sanction or knowledge, but were stowaways. Under the law as it stands a fiue of $50 or in default of payment six months' imprisonment can be imposed on each stowaway, his aider and bettor; but it appears that that penalty, which at the first blush is severe has not been severe enough to stop the practice of stowing-away. It is believed indeed that the profits arising from the successful running of a cargo of stowaways make it worth while to run the chance of a fine of this am unt. This Ordinance therefore proposes to invest the Magistrate with the p wer to impose a form of imprisonment in addition to a five, and it is believed and hoped that the threat of im- prisonment will deter those who at present are engaged in this what may be called nefarious practice.
The COLONIAL SELETARY Seconded, aud the motion was agreed to.
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The Council afterwards resolve itself into Committee and considered the Bill clause by clause. On resuming,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL mored the third reading of the Bill.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. The Bill was read a third time and passed.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
rate of £850 rising to £480 by 610 trefnially as from the 1st May, 1903.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the Colonial Secretary (Hon. F. H. Hay, C.M.G.) presiding.
CIVIL HOSPITAL EXPENSES.
The Committee passed the role.
WATER ACCOUNTS CLERK.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1 780.65 in aid of the vote for
Personal Emoluments, Public Works Depart ment-Salary of the Water Accounts Clerk ut $1,200 per aunum from 5th January to 31st Dec.mbar, $1,780.65, ·
The Governor recommended the Council to voto a sum of $1,200|'iu aid of the im Washing" under ther Charges," Civil Hospital Vole.
The vote was agreed
The CHAIRMAN-Members will recollect the complaints that were made about delay in the rendering of water
accounts-henco additional assistaut.
this
The rote was agreed to.
STAMP OFFICE EMOLUMENTS.
The Gover..or recommended the Conueil to rote a sum of $11806 in aid of the vote for Per onal Emoinments, Stamp Offic, sub-depart | ment to Treasury: -Salary of an assistant to, the shroffs at $180 per annum from 5th May to 31st December, 19 3, $118.06.
TRAINING OF NO LAHS, The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $11,50 (Public Works Extra- ordinary) to meet the post of training certain nullahs in the Western District.
The recommendation was approved.
VICTORIA HOSPITAL,
The vote was approved.
COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES BY DISINFECTION.
The Governor rec mmended the Council to vote a sum of $3,000 in aid of the Vote Sanitary Department, ther Charges (1 lagu ), to meet the cost of compensation for damage done in disinfecting premises.
Hon. GERSHOM STEWART-By whom these damages ass, ssel?
The CHAIRMAN-By the Standing wittee of the Sanitary Board.
are
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CHINESE LABOUR FOR
THE RAND...
A MISSION GF. ENQUIRY. whether or no Asia'ic labour is to be permitted While the Tran-vaal authorities are discussing
into the Rand mines and while the whole of the British Empire is looking on with interest to see what the outcome is to be, the mine-owners themselves han taken time by the forelock and have alrea ́ly set about a mission of enquiry as to the suitability or otherwise of the Chinese for the working and development of the immense gold-fiel s of South Africa. The Transvaal Government have not yet mad the admission of Asiatic workmeu possible. They may orth y may not. suffi ient to meet requirements there will pro- Should the avail ble Kaffir labour prove bably be no call for the introduction of Orientals. But merely in case more labour is wanted than cau be got locally, the mine- owners have taken teutative steps with a vi¿w to ascertain if the importation of Cuineso labour wou'd suit their purposes and to cover the contingency should it arise.
There is at present staying in Hong. kong Mr. H. Ros Skinner, who has charge of several mines in South Africs and at present of the Witwatersrand Native Labour As ociatiou, associated with the Transvaal Chamber of Mines, y ho bas been Com-uthorised to undertake this mission of enquiry iu California aud Übian, Mr. Skinner has just come from California, where he has m.de a study of the conditions andor which the Chinese are engaged in mining there. California
In us elsewhere, the Chinese gire every satisfaction as workmen Now Mr. Skinner has come to China to pursue his o.quiries as to the possib's procurement of yellow labour. After completing his mission by visiting the coast poris he will return to the Transvaal to report to his principals.
Hon. GERSHOM STEWART - Is this a vote on ace un!, or is it the exact sum required?
The CHAIRMAN-Compensation to the extent of 12000 has already bu awarded, and it is calculated that this sum will probably suffice for the epidemic now happily drawing to a close.
The recommendation was adopted.
The Governor recommended the Council to rate a sum of $300 in aid of the vote Me lical Departments, Other Charges, to meet cost of fixtures for the Victoria Hospital for Women and Children.
This vote was also approved.
P.T.D. EMOLUMENTS.
P.W.D. EXECUTIVE ENGINELR.
The Governor recommended the ouncil to vote the sum of $3,4 935 being equivalent to £29.12.3 at 1.8 in aid of the vote for Personal molumeuts, Public Works Department:- Sala y of additional Executive Engineer Mr. A. G. Fsher promoted) at £180 per annum from 23rd May to 31st December, 1903. $3,499.35.
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The Governor recommended the Council to rote a sum of $1,392,21 in aid of the vots Per ronal Emoluments, Public Work Department: -Mr. Xavier is to draw sterling salary at the
The vote was agreed to.
X-KAY APPARATUS,
The Governor recomended the Conncil to re-rote the sum of $1,050 unexp nded in 1902, aud to vote an additional sum of 815 61, making a total of $1,201.64, for payment for the X-ray Apparatus and Microscope under Uther Charges, Civil Hospital, Medical Departments
The vote was approved of.
POST OFFICE AT SHANGHAI, The Governor recommen ed the Council to vote a sum of $375 in aid of the item "Repairs to Post Office at Shanghai" uuder Other Charges, General Post Office.
This vote als was agreed 10.
COMPENSATION TO LANDLORDS.
The Governor recommended the ounil to vote a sum of $2,288 for the payment of com- per sition to the owners of certain land in the New Territorios, resumed by the Governmout for a public purpose.
The CHAIRMAN-I his land is situated in the immediate vicinity of Shataukok Police Station, aud its resumption was recommended by the medical authorities to improve the health of the occupants of the Police Station.
The vote was agreed to. This was all the business.
The Kobe Chronicle announces the death of a gentleman who was probably the oldest foreign résident in Japan-Mr. J.F. Mitchell- the sad event taking place at his residence at Kobe, early on the 11th ult.. Mr. Mitchell, who was seventy-five years of ago, and a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, went to Japan as early 28 December, 1858, as a shipbuilder.
Au extraordinary general meeting of the Uraga Dock Co. was held in Tokyo on the 5th inst. when Mr. G. Hayazaki, a retired Rear Admiral of the Japanese Imperial Navy, was appointed President of the Company vice Mr. Tsukabara, who recently resigned in connection with the damaging disclosures regarding the construction of revenue cruisers for the Philippines.
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It may be said, broadly speaking, that nowhee has Chinese labour been introdne d into a country withont hostility on the part of its iubabi auts. The attitude of ho tiity s not hard to understand. John Chinaman, the miner, was able to compete with the people of auy
nation 13 a workmen.; and his capability of living literally
fer handfuls of rice a day mide his labour so cheap as to leave his white competitor hopelessly behind in the race. Iu Australia an in America he is now surrounded by restrictive laws, and there is little likelihood that a y other country will allow the Yellow Rac to enter iuto unrestricted competit on with its own people where labour is plentiful. But that is just where the case of the Transvaal fits in. There they have not a plentiful supply of unskilled labour. The supply is totally inadequate at present. In the review prepared for Mr. Chamberlain un k Lord Milner by the Witwatersrand Chamber of Mines it was stated that "The great p oblein is the obtaiumout of an abundant colouroft labour supply. In the solution of this problem the Chamber asks for support and encourge- ment from the Government, feeling that on its proper solution depends not ouly the dividends of the mines, but the welfare of the whole country." The immensity of the present mines and their still more immense potentialities are but little realised xcept by those on the spot. It is essential for their development that unskilled labour should be secured. Kaffir labour to a certain extent is obtainable, it is true; but will it be suffisent ? There seem to be no two opinious as to the superiority of the Chinese over the darker. skinned aboriginals; and setting aside raco prejudices there can be no objection to the importation of the better material if it is done in such a manner as to conserve the privileges of the former. One need only point to the Federated Malay States to bear out the proposition. That country owes its flourishing position to-day to its exploitation by Chinesa. The more virile race has made where the decadent Malays marred.
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Kept within certain lines of restriction, it is the opinion of the Rand mine-owners that the Chinese would do for the Transvaal all that, and more than, they have done for the Federated States. When the Pacific coast of America was in a panic about the possible repeal of the U. S. Chiness Exclusion Act,
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