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August 10, 1903.]
AUSTRALIA'S COLOUR LINE,
(Daily Press, 7th July.)
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Sir EDMUND BARTON's reply to depulation asking for a repeal of the legislation against coloured labour in Australia is not ons which is likely to raise hini in general estimation as a statesman, though it may, as it was no doubt intended to, increase his popularity in Australia. is a familiar fact that prohibition in the great Southern continent keeps out mainly two different classes of people, one British Indians and the other Japanese and Chinese. Now Sir EDMUND BARTON told the deputa. tion that it was useless to ask for a repeal of the prohibitory laws until prohibition has been tried and that he personally would prefer even foreign white labour to coloured labour. A stronger declaration of the "colour line policy could not well he made. The Australian Premier, in fact, pronounced against British subjects, citizens of the same empire as the Australians them selves, while admitting that he would rather see aliens, as long as they had white skins, in Australia. Such an attitude can only strike us as retrograde, in view of the tendency now exhibited toward solidi-, fication of the empire. But this attitude is not, of course, a new or unfamiliar one in Australia. In the most recent work og Australia, that of Mr. P. F. ROWLAND, we read: :-"The existence of the teming vice- "fed millions of India and China is the, gravest danger that threatens progressive "nations; and it is unavailing to shut out "the cheap labourer (as oven free-traders in "Australia are willing to do) if we admit the "commodities produced by his labour.") The remedy, in the eyes of such thinkers, is to shut out equally the labourer and his products, in fact to create an absolutely white Australia." But can Australia afford it? She has not the population yet, nor can have it for many years to come. And can she justly claim to be allowed to embarrass the policy of the whole empire by her discrimination not only against our allies, like the Japanese, but also against our fellow-subjects in India?
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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on the S1st ult. in the Council Chamber.
Present:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the 'ablo the report of the Director of Public Works for 1902 and correspondence respecting the proposal to remove the Naval Yard.
THE NEW POST OFFICE.
The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKs bid ou
the table the following minutes of the Pablie Works Committee :—-
Competitive Desigus for Post Office Treasury, &c. -The designs, thres in namber, were closely scrnt uised and, after some discn‹- sin as to the best method of procedure, it wis unanimously agreed that a comparative state. ment should first be drawn up, showing. in The conditions of competition and the extent to parallel columus, the requirements set forth in which these were fulfilled by the veral designs and that this statement should be forwarded to the Heads of Depa tm-uts to be housed in the new building with a request that they would criticis the designs and state which they considered best in point of arrangment as rogarded their various departments.
101
(exception of one assistant engines: for mainten- | ance work andone overseer for r ads inside the City. The increase of the staff recommended by the Commission was based on the assumption that a sumof narly $300,000 would be spent annnilly on pablic works extraordinary With the larg being carried out by a private firm, it is not expenditure on water-works, part of which are
contemplated that the Colony will be able to spзad so much as was contemplated for pablio| works exclusiva of water-works, Therefore a smaller staff than was redɔmmended appears to be sufficient
A
富多
FIRST READİNGJ.
Th⋅ following Bills were read a first time An Ordia ınce to set aput a hol.day to b known as Victoria Day" in loving ram m. branes of a Most Gracious Majesty the late Ques: Vie'oria; an Ordinance to praveat intration by other than servaut of the occnpier of promiss into the portion of such premises used as servals quirters; au Ordinance to provide for the Recovery of Custs and Charges incurred by the Colong by aud on behalf of imbecile persons introduced into the Colony; an Ordinincs to provide for the Regulation of the Export of Cattle an Iother Live Stock from the Colony.
WATERWORKS CONSOLIDAMON ORDINANCE,
to the request of the Committes for criticism
At a meeting held on 13th July the replies; of the designs submitted, which had been received from the varions Heads of Dopart ments concerned, were read. The designs were again closely ex minod, especially with regard The ATTORNEY-GENERÁL moved the first to the Post Office arrangements, the access to reading of a Bilt entitled aa Ordinance to repeal the offices gen rally, and some of the principal The Water-works Consolidation Ordinance, 192, and to provide for and regulate the matters of arrangement affecting the Depart- ments to be accommodated. Members hiring Supply of Wafer in the Colony of Hongkong expressed themselves in favour of the designant for th Minton sacs and Ropair of t'e numbered 2, the description of the prop sad! Works in conuetion therewith. building which areɔmpanied that design was The following objects aul ro 19018 were re id Sir C. P. Chater then moved that attached : the design numbered 2 be accepted.
Mr. Shewan
secouded. Carried nanimously. It was nuanimously agreed that the design numbered I be awarded the further premium of $1,50 provided under the conditions of competi- tion. The Chairman having asked whether there was any other matter relative to the proposed building which members desired to havi laid there before the Government, Mr. Shewan moved that, in view of the great value of the property; the fact that the building is designed to take a fourth storey; and the pro- bability that additional accommodation for some of the Departments to be housed will be required
at no very distant date; the building should, in the first place, ba constructed four storeys in hight. Mr. Dickson seconded. It was pointed out by Sir C. P. Chater and Mr. Shewan that the building would be more in harmony with those adjacent to it if it were made four storeys high. The motion was agreed to unui- mously.
CONVICT PRISON ON STONECUTTERS' ISLAND.
HIS EXCELLENCE Sir W. GASCOIGNE, K.C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops).
Hon. F. H. Mar, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary).practicabla Hon, Sir HENEY SPENCER BERKELEY, KT. (Attorney-General).
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer Hon. Commander': R M. RUMSEY, R.N., 1.8.0. (Harbour Master)!
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Dr. J. M. ATKINSON (Principal Civil Medical Officer).
Hon. Sir C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. C. W. DICKSON
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI C.M.G.
Hon. WEI A YUK.
Hou. R. SHEWAN.
Hon, GERSHOM STEWART.
The D.P.W. also submitted minutes showing that at a meeting of the Public Works Com- mitteo on 20th July the Chairman laid before the Committee plans which had be prepared for the establishment of a Convict Frison on Stone cutters' Island and explained that the scheme was capable of being expanded so as to provide ultimately for the removal of the entire Gaol to that places) far as such removal was deemed He also read the report of a Committee appointed in 1901 to ensider the question and certain recent correspondence between the Coloual Office and War Department on the subject. After some discussion, the Honourable Colonial Treasurer moved :--That the Government be requested to have the report of the committee appointed in 1901 to consider the question of transferring the Gaol to Stone- cutters' Island, together with any subsequent papers bearing upon the question, printed and furnished to this Committee. Hou. C. W. Dickson second d. For the motion there voted Hon. C. W. Dickson, Sir C. P. Chater, the Colonial Treasurer, and the Director of Public Works; and against it Hou. R.
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Shewan. The Committee then adjourned. Councils).
FINANCIAL,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minutes (Nos. 29 to 31) and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee. The COL NIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was adopted.
The COLONIAL ÉCRETARY laid-ou the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 6) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The Water-works. Consil dition. Ordianaco
¡No. 29 of 1912), which provided for the dis- cuusetion of all services to trement house except in special cis 9, and the supply of such premises with water from pablio fuunt in placed. in the streets and lanes did not meet with the. approval of the Secretary of State for the Colonies and instructions were recsivǝd to modify its provisions in such a way as to enable the services tó bà retained whilst facilities w ra to be afforded for controlling the supply of water in case of need.
THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION, Hon. R. SHEWAN asked-Has the recon- meudation of the Public Works Commissiou that the following additions be made to the Works Staff, viz:--2 Executive Engineers, I Assistant Engineer, 5 Overseers, and 1 Clerk, been carried out, and if not, why not?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-In answer, sir, to the hon. member's question, I have to say that the whole of the staff recommended by the Commission which enquired into the Pub'ic" Works Department has been appointed with the
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This has been done by providing in the present Bill for the supply of prastically the whole of the Chinese portion of the City through rider-mains." These are subsidiary mains, to which all the services to the houses near which thy are laid will be connectel, and, as they cin be shut off by means of valve from the principal mains, the supply of water to the hons can be res'ricted to any extent considered : acassary without shutting off the water from the City generally as has to be done at presaut The powers of restriction are vested in the Water Authority, subject to the general control of the Governor iu-Council.
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The areas within which the ridər-main system is to be applied are to be defined by the Governor-in-Council and, when an arsa bas been so defined, all services to team ints with n it will be disconnected from the principal mains and connected to the rider msins as they are lail, unless the Governo. -in-Council ex prossly allows any tenent to retain ite service connected with the former... This is nec esury to provide for premissa in which any trade may be carried on, for which a constan supply of water may be practically essential, or which for other reasons, it may be considered
·· rider-main desirable to exempt from the system.
The cost of constructing the "rider-mains and making the necessary alterations in the services wil, ba charged against the owners of the various tenements within the areas defined by the Governor-in-Council,
Outside the areas defined by the Governor-in- Council and in all cases of exemption within these areas, all services are to be provided with) meters.
This is merely an extensioa of the system which has been in for.e qu'sid the City of Victoria for a number of years past. In the Hil District and in Kowloon all supplies, though services to private premises, are present metered.
In the case of metered suppli-s an allowance of water in proportion to the rateable value of the premises will be given in respect of the water rats, which is included in the general rates, but all water used over and above atht
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