December 28, 1903.]
grant exemptions for buildings which do not comply as regarde external air with the definition in the Ordinance. Therefore the Governor in Council can really allow anything at all to be regarded as external air. The amendments to the definition must not be tak n to indicate that the Government is taking up B different position or going to adopt a differen, policy from that which it took up when it passed the principal Ordinance. Every application for exemption from the provisions of the Ordinance regarding external air will receive just, impartial consideration by the Governor in Council, and I can assure hon. members that the fact of the definition having been amended was merely to make clear the meaning that the Government had in its mind when the principal Ordinance was passed. It does not indicate any change of policy, and members of this Council may rest assured tnat no hardships will be imposed under the amend- ing Ordinance that would not have been im❘ posed under the principal Ordinance. The position practically remains precisely the same as it was under the principle Ordinance. I take it that the hon. member withdraws his
motion.
Hon. Mr. POLLOCK-No, sir. I think I must leave my motion formally on record. I would just like to mention oue point.
HIS EXCELLENCY-I am afraid you are not in order now. You have spoken twice.
Hoa, Mr. POLLOCK-I thought, sir, that it would obviate my writing to the papers to explain. There was no omission on my part,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-You have got the information you asked for.
QUESTIONS.
Hon. H. E. POLLOCK pat the following questions
1. Does the Government propose to take in and, if so, what steps to prevent the public latrine near the No. 3 Police Station from con- tinuing to be a nuisance to persons passing along the Queen's Road East P
2. What is the object of raising the roadway of the Praya Fast? Who is paying the cost of such work ?
3. Have any, and, if so, what steps been taken by your Department in connection with the in- troduction of the rider main system into the City of Victoria ? By what date do you antici- pate that the rider main system will be in proper working order throughout the City of Victoria? What grounds have you for that anticipation ?
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY replied: (1) The Government has already taken steps to remove the cause of the complaints made. The door at Queen's Road end has been per- manently closed and the side windows have also been permanently closed A ventilating shaft with an electric exhaust fan has been installed.
(2) Before the Praya East Reclamation can be taken in hand the existing Praya roadway must be raised so as to enable the drains and sewers to be brought up to such a level that they can be extended out to the new Praya front. If the electric tramway lines were laid along the existing Praya the public would be put to great inconvenience later on, as the tramway traffic would be seriously interfered with by the raising of the road, and the relaying of the lines. The cost of the work, which is being doné under contract, is debited to an advanos account and will be recovered in due course from the new Praya Reclamation Fand when that Fand is established, A vote was taken for the work on the 10th August last.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied (3) "The necessary materials for the work and staff to supervise it have been requisitioned from England. anticipate that the work will be completed in about two and a half years from now. This is merely an estimate, there are no grounds to go upon."
*
Hon. Mr. POLLOCK moved the adjournment of the debate in order to get a further answer to Question No. 1. He said-The hon. Colonial Secretary has stated that certain steps have been taken in putting a doorway in Queen's Road and of the latrine and also with reference to : some ventilating fan. I should like to know at what date these matters wère begun.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-Give notice of that, and you will be answered at next meeting.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
478
Hon. Mr. POLLOCK-1 am entitled to move [ large amount of tools and material, valued af` for an adjournment of the debate and to ask | $2,000, used in the construction of the line, were that the answer be particularised.
carried off. The whole thing ended as quickly as it had begun. Several of the ringleaders were arrested. Work has been partially 'sus- pended since the outbreak owing to the lack of tools, etc.
The DIRECTOR of PUBLIC WORKB-I am anable t give any possible date as to when this fan was installed, but I think within the last 10 days is about the period of its being brought into action.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S FBES.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the/Bill entitled an Ordinance to provide for Payment of Counsel's Fees by the losing party in certain cases in which the Attorney-General appears as Counsel. He said It is not necessary for me to say anything that is not app treat in the Bill itself, except to say that the Bill is intended to remove any doubt that may obtain as to the payment of the fees of the Attorney-General in certain cases where he appears as counsel; the fees to be taxed against the losing side. It is proposed to remove any doubt by asking the house to pass this Bill.
|
The ACTING Colonial SECRETARY seconded and the motion was agreed to.
The Bill was afterwards considered in Com- mittee and was read a third time and passed on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL seconded by the ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY
0
UNDESIRABLE PERSONS.
The Council went into committee on the Bill entitle an Ordinance to provide for the Recovery of Charges incurred by the Colony on account of certain undesirable persous in- troduced into the Colony.
An amendment was made, excluding lepers from the scope of the Bill, and a proviso add-d limiting the aggregate liability of persons bringing undesirable persons into the Colony, for their maintenance to $5,000.
The Bill was left in Committee to permit of the consideration of several amendments pro- posel by the Hon. Mr. Pollock.
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS.
HIS EXCELLENCY—As this is the last meet- ing of Council we shall have this year i beg to wish your Excellency General Hatton] and the other members of this Council a very happy Christmas and a most prosperous New Year. (Applause). The Council stands adjourned
sine di',
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was
held immediately after the Council-the Acting Colonial Secretary (Hon. A. M. Thomson) presiding.
PUBLIC WORKS.
The Officer Administering the Governm ot recommended the Council to vote a sum of $26,500 in aid of the vote Public Works, Extra ordinary, under the following items :- 1. Resumption of Kowloon Inland Lots
1012 to 1015
2. Re umption of strip of Kowloon In-
land Lot 1087
Total
The vote was passed. This was all the business.
$24,000
2,500
$26,500
TROUBLE ON THE CANTON RAILWAY.
STORES LOOTED.
A CHINESE KUMOUR.
We mentioned yesterday that M. Dubail, endeavouring to interpose in the Manchurian French Minister at Peking, was reported to be question and to persuade China to make some concession to Russia. The story now comes from Shanghai that what M. Dubail is urging is that China is to consent to the continuance of Russian control over all parts of Manchuria the ports asked for by the other Powers closed through which the railway passes and to keep
for the
Russia will then withdraw from the rest of Manchuria in March next. In return for her advice France is to be permitted to put down the Kwaugsi rebellion! And nothing is said about when France is to retire, This, we must mention, is a Chinese story, and we cannot believe M. Dabail over proposed any such a country beside France and China concerned in reward for France. After all there is another
the ownership of Kwangai. As "rebe lion," its continued existence as a rebellion The Kweiliu correspondent of the N.-C. is problematical. We hear nothing of it now. Daily News, writing on the 7th ult., says :--- "As far as Kweilin is concerned one would not know that any rebellion was on, were it not that troops now and then arrive from the north and pro eed to the south." However, be adds that the rebels posted a placard in Kweilin some Shum's head, and says that the fact that the Go- time back offering Tis. 10,000 for H.E. Viceroy
vernment are sending such large bodies of troops looks as if they have a real fear of what it may grow to.
Definite news has now come to hand respect- ing the disturbance that took place on the Canton- Hankow railway in the early part of the week before last. Work was progressing at a village called Chaiping. A number of bad characters, said to be pirates, got in among the gangs of workmen and incited them to join in looting the stores. All the men with the exception of the carpenters knocked off work. This was used as a pretext for making an attack on the carpenters. The coolies all got excited and when the disturbance started the pirates began to loot the buildings used as storehouses by the railway people. Two houseboats used by foreigners were also looted. No violence was offered to the for- eigners themselves; indeed two of the whits foremen were protected from the violence of the rioters by their own gangs of workmen and were brought safely into headquarters by them. It appears that the whole crowd of Chinese to the number of some 8,000, then joined in the looting. One matshed was burned down and a'
A Japanese paper publishes a Peking tele- gram to the following effect: The French Minister to P-king has sent a note to the Government offering to act as arbitrator be. tween Russia and China. He points out that the grant of some of the proposals made by M. Lessar in regard to the evacuation of Manchuria is advisable if China really wishes to see the Russians withdrawn from the three provinces. The Chinese Government are, however, firmly determined to reject the Russian proposal, and they consider that the French Minister's pro- posal is made in the interest of Russia. Daily Pre 8, 23rd December,
THE JAPANESE DIET.
The following is the text of the answer of the Japanese House of Representatives to the Emperor's Message on the 10th inst.:-
"Your Majesty has just solemnly performed the opening ceremony of the nineteenth session of the Diet, for which the House cannot help but feel grateful. The present condition and prospects of the nation are of so bright a character as has rarely been the case in the his- tory of the country, but the provisions made by the Ministers of State are insufficient to uphold the prosperity of the country. In home admin-- istration the Ministers are content with tem- porising measures, and in foreign affairs the Ministers responsible have missed such oppor tanities that the House cannot but be apprehen- sive of the future. May your gracious Majesty judge the action the. Ministers of State are taking. The House desires to consider all mst- ters brought before it with judgment and circumspection, and will respond to the Imperial desire on the one hand and to the trust reposed in it on the other by the nation."
It is noted in Berlin that, according to statistics for the last 20 years issued by the Imperial Chinese Custom, the German share in the total traffic of foreign countries with China has risen from 5.08 per cent. in 1882 to 13 per cent. in 1902. This increase is to be attributed chiefly to the establishment of a service of steamers of high tonnage to the Far East and to the inst it ution of the greit cargo lines from Bremen and Hamburg to East Asia.
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