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the situation is the supposed Japanese d mands advanced since the second stage of the evacuation, which terminated on the 8th April last a year after the signature of the Manchurian Conven- tion at Peking last year. The nature of these demauds is unknown. It is sup- posed that they include a request for a Japanese supremacy in Corea similar to Russia's position in Manchuria. Chinese rumours anticipate immediate trouble, if not actual war, if Russia neglects Japan's demands or fails to remove her troops from Helungkiang. The latest reports from Japan, on the other hand, indicate increased calm in the Island Empire. But no one not in the inner circles of Japanese and Russian diplomacy is in a position to estimate the situation justly, while such politicians naturally have their lips sealed at present. This being the case, few would care to speculate what may happen in the immediate future. Both Japan and Russia officially proclaim the most peaceful inten- tions In both countries there is much variety of opinion in the Press, but the non-official journals are distinctly inclined to be bellicose in tone. Coufidence is felt, however, that the Tokyo and St. Petersburg Governments alike are loth to disturb the peace of the Far East, since there is no possibility of foreseeing the end of the struggle.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on Monday at noon in the Council Chambər. Pres nt:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.
Colonel L. F. BR.WN (Commanding the Troops).
Hon. F. H. MAY C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary) Hon. Sir HENRY 8. BERKELEY, Kt. (Attorney-General).
Hon. Á, M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). HOD. BASIL R. H. TAYLOR (Harbour Master.) Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. J. M. ATKIN ON (Principal Civil
Medical Officer).
Hon, Sir C. P. CHATER, C M.G.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, Q.M.G.
Hon. WEI A YUK.
Hon. C. W. DICKSON.
Hon. GERSHOм Stewart.
Hon. H. E. POLLOCK, K.('.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Chinese asked that, seeing that the construction of this prison on the site named is still under the consideration of the Public Works Committee, the Government would undertake, in the event of that Committee reporting against the si e, not to build a prison on Stonecutters. I was unable, sir, to give any such undertaking, but I assured the hon. member that any recommendation of the Public Works Com. mittee, especially in such an important matter as building a large convict prisou, would receive the very earnest consideration of the Government. All the items of the Appropriation Bill were adopted by the Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER secouded the motion.
HIS EXCELLENCY-With referencs to what has fallen from the Colonial Secretary in his observations before the Council, I may say at once that if the unofficial members are of opinion
[October 10, 1903,
DEFINING THE BOUNDARIES. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to define the boundaries of the City of Victoria. He said- This Eill is brought in in order that we may have one definition for future use for defining the boundaries of the City. Ordinances constantly come before this Council in which reference is made to the City of Victoria, and in each case it is necessary to define the meaning of the expression City of Victoria ;" indeed, it had not been always defined. Moreover, those de- finitions have not been exact enough. For instance, the western boundary is described as Mount Davis, which is el-stic or non-elastic as the case may be. Therefore the Government thought it wise to introduce a Bill which would define the boundaries, or at all events for a sufficiently long time to prevent the incon- venience that at present exists.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded the motion, and it was agreed to.
On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY, the
Council then resolved itself into Committee to consider the Bill.
"
Colonel BROWN drew attention to the expres- sinn used in the Bill, “the level of the sea," and anggested that a better expression would be
'mean sea level.”
It was ultimately agreed to strike out these words and substitute "Ordinancə d ıtum."
The Bill was left in Committee. MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT AMENDMENT ACT.
When the Council resunied,
that this Ecclesiastical Vote is too small, and if their opinion is placed before ma, shall most certainly send forward that opinion to the Secretary of State, and I shall support it, simply on the ground that the unofficial mem- bers are all in favour of it. With reference to the Sanitary Departmeut, the policy of the It was agreed on the motion of the ATTORNEY- Government-and no one realises more clearly GENERAL to add in the fourth line of the second than I do the enormous increase in the expenses clause, after the word "City of Victoria,” the words "or town of Victoria, as in some of of the Department has been that we have laid ourselves open for the last three or four years to
the Ordinances th word "town was used; try by every means in our power to eradicate this and in the same line to strike out the words plague from amongst us. The Sanitary Depart-"as the name of the said City in any Ordinance' ment have left nothing undone, I believe, that and insert "or in any rule, regulation or bye- has presented itself to them, and it has been the law made under any Ordinance." policy, as I said, of the Government to grant to the Sanitary Department every request that was put before this Government for the purpose of increasing in their opinion the efficiency of the Department and the means to combat this epidemic. At the same time we have looked as closely as we could; leaving them the responsi- bility and accepting from the Sanitary Depart- ment their assurance of what they considered to be best, we have still examined matters, and if it had appeared to the Government that there was any undue expenditure we certainly would have placed that before the Sanitary Board for their consideration. Now that mattera are getting more settled, as I think has been shown to you, gentlemen, there has been a decrease, and I hope that it may be possible in the fature to have a further decrease in the enormous ex- penditure of this Department. But we must always remember that, whatever money has to be spent in this matter, i we do not secure efficiency all the money is wasted (hear, hear), and if we can only sacare what we are aiming at, well I onclude that what seems to be the general consensus of opinion in the Colouy is that по amount of money within the means of the Colony would be too much. With reference to the matter of the prison on Stonecutters' Island, that has
am pretty sure myself that, after all the facts with reference to it have been fully considered, the Public Works Committee will be driven to the conclusion that we must go to Stonecutters Island after all. If we could have avoided it the tendency is rather in favour of having the prison elsewhere, but I have considered it very carefully myself and I do not think you will find any other position that would be so satisfactory in every way, when you look all round the question, as the prison on Stone cutters' Island.
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of been a long time under consideration, and I Councils).
THE ESTIMĄT: 8.
+
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the Report of the Enance Committee (No. 10) and moved its adoption. He said--Your Excellener, in bringing up this report I have to state that in the Finance Committee, when the Ecclesiastical Vote came before the Committee, vertain unofficial members expressed the opinion that in view of the large addition to the services rendered in the gaol and hospital by chaplains, this vote, might well be increased. I asked the hon. member who supported this recommendation to furnish me with facts which I cou'd lay before your Excellency in support of the recommenda tion, and I said I was sure the recom nendation would receive consideration at your Excellency's hauds. On the vote for the Sanitary Depart- meut coming before the Committee oзrtain of the unofficial members asked for an assurance from the Government that as much supervision is exercised as would render it impossible for such a large sum to be otherwise spent than in a proper and efficient manner. Such an assurance was forthcoming from the President of the Banitary Board, and I also promised on behalf of the Government to lay on the table in due course a report showing how the permanent ff for plague purposes is employed in non- epidemic times. Finally I think it right to men- tion that under the vote Public Works Extra erdinary on the vote for a prison on Stonecutters, Island, the senior unofficial member for the
The motion was agreed to.
CURRENCY IN HONGKONG,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table correspondence relating to the currency question in Hongkong.
THE ESTIMATES,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY then moved the He third reading of the Appropriation Bill. said-I produce my certificate under Section 40 of the Standing Orders, that the Appropriation Bill was considered clause by clause by the Finance Committee of the Council in the pre. sence of all the members of that Committee. In view of that certificate and in view of th faot that all the items were recommended by the Finance Committee it is not nece sary under the Standing Orders for the Council to consider this Bill in Committee of the whole Council. I beg leave therefore to move the third reading of the Bill.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to. «
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Ordinance to exempt certain Ships from the requirements of Section 4 of the Merchant Shipping Consolidation Ordi- nance, No. 36 of 1899. He said-The object of this Bill is to exempt small ships trading be- tween Hongkong and places such as Macao andTM ports on the Canton River and on the rivers of the interior of the two Kwang provinces from the obligation of carrying the fall complement
of certificated officers which the section in the original Ordinance requires. It has been said, and we believe it to be true, that the necessity of complying with these regalations rendered it extremely difficult for the small ships that the present Bill contemplated to compete on the terms of equality that they ought to with others who are exempt from the necessity of complying with the Ordinance. It has been considered very carefully at one time, whether ships should beexempted altogether from carrying certificated officers, but it did not som wise or expedient to go the full length So that has been met by requiring that one certificated officer shall be carried instead of the full complement required by the Ordinance.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded the
motion, and it was agreed to.
On the Bill being considered in Committee the only amendment made was the insertion of the word "Kwangsi," so as to bring vessels trading to both provinces within the scope of the Ordinance.
On the Council resuming,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, seconded by the COLONIAL SECRETARY, moved the suspension of the Standing Orders and that the Bill be read a third time and passed.
The motion was agreed to.
ENTICING AWAY MARRIED WOMEN; The ATTORNEY-GENERAL Moved the second “ reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to further amend the Magistrates Ordinance, 1890. He said-The title of the Bill does not altogether give any indication of what it is Intended to effect, but the most direct and simplest way of dealing with the mischief that it was desired to remedy is, I am of opinion, to give powers to the Magistrate ander te Magistrates' Ordinance of 1890. The object of this Bill is to check the growth or habit which it is complained has sprung up and is Lecoming, prevalent, of women leaving their husbands in the New Territory on undue and improper inducement by other men.
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