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Hon. WEI YUK-Sir, I beg to say I quite agree with what my senior colleague has been saying, and I beg to support what he has said already in his speech.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
compromising anyone, but who are dead against | of them appear to do, recognise that the principle of this Bill, and on no account it is in the interests of this Colony as would support a Bill of this kind; but, as I say a whole that the European section of it as the majority have expressed their willingness should enjoy a healthy ares where they to fall in with the principle of the Bill and their wives and their families can should certain terms of the Bill be altered, reside. I need not dwell upon the point, but I I think my colleague and myself will may be allowed to remark that all of us here are be justified in offering no opposition to this workers. There are no idle drones in this Bill. In Committee I hope a fair hearing shall Colony, and a man will work better, for himself be afforded me, and if what I propose as an first no doubt, but after all in the interests of the amendment meet with the approval of the Colony in the long run, when he himself and, Council I hope that a change in the phraseology if married. his wife and family, are in good will be conceded. With these few remarks I health. It also enables Europeans do not offer any opposition.
to keep their families in the Colony instead of undergoing the expense and the anxiety of a separation which would be necessitated and was necessitated in the past before they found this area at the Peak where one enjoys a more or less temperate climate. The hon. senior mem- ber for the Chinese hus mentioned that there is a minority who still do not view this Bill with favour. Well. I would only remind that minority of the vari. ous Statutes on the Statute Book by which privileges are accorded to the Chinese com- munity that are not accorded to the European community. I would remind them of the con- stant endeavour of this Government. supported by the willing co-operation of the members of this Council. and the constant efforts made for the welfare of the Chinese community. One of the last Ordinances we passed was a Bill by which this Council amended the law relating to cubicles. Now the cubicle is a thing that touches the Chinese community very nearly, and we have been advised by our sanitary advisers not to have any cubicles at all in Chinese tenement-houses; but this hon. Council, recognising that to enforce such a law in its entirety would entail great hardship on the community, modified it by allowing a certain number of cubicles as a minimum in each house. I simply mention that as an indication of concessions made by the Government, supported by this Council. in the interests of the Chinese community as
Hon. Mr. POLLOCK-Your Excellency. I have very much pleasure now in supporting this Bill and perhaps as I was one of the gentlemen who were approached in connection with the draft- ing of the petition from owners of property at the Peak, the petition upon which the present Bill is founded. I may state, Sir. that there was no intention at all on the part of the movers in this of introducing anything in the way of class legislation against the Chinese. The grounds upon which we moved were simply and solely the question of the public health. We recognised, as the hon. and learned Attorney-General has pointed out, that it was imperative in this Colo- ny, under the tropical and somewhat unnatural conditions under which we live here. that there should be some reservation on the higher levels for Europeans and their wives and families. I think. Sir, that those members of this Council who have been here like myself during the past 16 or 17 years will realise how much the Peak has been developed since the tramway went up there. You, sir. will no doubt remember that before the Peak Tramway was opened-which was as long ago as May, 1888 there were only a very few houses up at the Peak, and spart from the few at Magazine Gap which were lived in all the year round. those few who lived on what we may call the Peak proper never lived there except in the summer, but came down in the winter. Since the tram has come all that has been altered. There has been what may ba termed regular rush of non-Chinese up to the Peak until at the present day, as it is well known, the sites which are available for fresh houses to be built at the Peak, especially in view of the land which has very properly been reserved, is very limited indeed. Therefore I think the hon. and learned Attorney-General night have spoken even more strongly than he did, for not merely is it undesirable that there should be any rush up to the Peak, but one may see that in the course of a few years' time it would be a very difficult thing indeed for Europeans at the Peak to obtain any fresh sites. As I have said, there has been a regular rush of Europeans up to the Peak. What is the case with regard to the Chinese? Although the tram was opened some 16 years ago we find now that not a single Chinaman except the class of domestic servants, etc., exempted under this Bill is living at the Peak. That is a very good proof indeed that the Chinese gentlemen have never felt during the last 16 years any desire to live up at the Peak. Therefore, Sir, I think it is quite clear that there will be no hardship at all in enacting such a measure as this, and I think it is absolutely imperative in the interests of those who suffer from the hot climate that they should have this sanatorium to go to, and therefore I have very much pleasure in supporting this Bill,
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[April 23, 1904.
these clauses be struck out and the following substituted as clause 3-It shall not be lawful (save in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance) for any owner, lessee, tenant or occupier of any land or building within the Hill District to let such land or building or any part thereof for the purpose of residence by any but non-Chinese or to permit any but non-Chinese to reside on or in such land building.
This was agreed to.
Clause 5 was allowed to stand as follows:-It shall be lawful for the Governor-in-Council to exempt any Chinese from the operation of this Ordinance On such terms AS the Governor-in-Council shall think fit.
Constructional Amendments proposed by the Attorney-General were made in various clauses.
When the Council resumed,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he desired to postpone the second reading of the Bill entitled An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 8 of 1882 entitled The Banishment and Conditional Pardons Ordinance, 1882." This was agreed
The Council adjourned till next Tuesday.
to.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was hold immediately after the Council--the Acting Colonial Secretary (Hon. A. M. Thomson) presiding.
The following votes were passed :-
TROPICAL DISEASES,
recommended the Council to vote a
The Officer Administering the Government sum of $1,200 (at =£100) in aid of the vote Miscel- laneous Services, being a contribution for the purpose of continuing the investigation of tropical diseases.
P.W.D. EMOLUMENTS.
PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS.
The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of whole, and there-84.198.90 in aid of the vote Public Works fore in the interests of this Colony as a
Department under Personal Emoluments and whole. The hon. senior Chinese member
Other Charges, for the following items:- has indicated that he has certain amend. ments to move in committee, and all I can say is I have no doubt they will receive the very earnest consideration of this Council; and if we can meet his wishes in any way it will afford us a great deal of pleasure to do so. (Applause.)
Council went into Committee on the Bill.
The second reading was carried, and the
Section 3 was as follows:-After the passing of this Ordinahce the Hill District shall be re- served as a place of residence for persons other than Chinese, and no Chinese shall. except as hereinafter provided, reside within the limits of the said District.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI proposed that this be deleted and that there be substituted for it a clause to the effect that after the passing of the Ordinance, and subject to all previous re- servations, it shall be lawful for Chinese to re- side in any locality below the 788 feet contour. and, with the consent of the Governor in Coun cil, but not otherwise, in any locality within the Paak district. There were many Chinese, he said, who objected to the wording of the clause. In this proposed amendment of his the principle of the Bill Was retained and there could be no reason- able offence in its wording. The old reservations were excepted and the consent of the Governor in Council was necessary. He did not think there could be any objection to the substitution.
HIS EXCELLENCY said he did not know that the Government would go so far as to allow Chinese to live anywhere beyond the other re- servations; still more reservations might become necessary as the Colony developed.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI argued that in that case the new laws would annul this one.
His EXCELLENCY,Gentlemen, I have lis- tened to the speech of the hon. senior member for the Chinese with a great deal of interest, and it affords me В great deal
of gratifica tion to find that both he and his colleague are able to support this Bill. When I received the petition asking for this legislation I recognised that it was a somewhat delicate subject, that legislation of this kind might perhaps bear the appearance of what has been called The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that what Dr.
class legislation. But knowing the Chinese community well, having had many years' experience of them, I relied upon their sound practical common-sense when I authorised the introduction of this legislation. I felt con- vinced that when the matter was thoroughly explained to them they would, as the majority
Ho Kai proposed was exactly what the Bill pro- vided: it was a distinction without a difference. If the purpose of the Bill could be served there was no necessity to insist upon any particular form of words. He proposed to strike out clause 3 and make some alteration in clause 4, which would have the same effect. He moved that
Executive Engineer at £40 per month, (42 days half pay from 2nd April, 1904. to 13th May. 1904). = (Full pay from 14th May, 1904, to 31st
December, 1904),
£27.14.5
303. 4.7
£330.19.0 at $3,971.40
OTHER CHARGES, CONVEYANCE ALLOWANCES.
Executive Engineer from 14th May, 1904, to 31st December, 1904, at $30 per month
Total..
PUBLIC WORKS.
227.50
.84,198.90
The Officer Administering the Government recommends the Council to vote a
sum of $13,700 in aid of the vote, Public Works Recurrent and Extraordinary, for the follow- ing items:-
PUBLIC WORKS RECURRENT
Maintenance of public cemetery $4,500 Maintenance of Praya wall and
Piers
7,200
$11,700
$2,000!
PUBLIC WORKS EXTRAORDINARY. New Territory survey
Total,... $13,700
This was all the business.
The members of the French Mission to follow the operations with the Russian General Staff have been selected. At its head will be General Sylvestre, commanding a brigade at Paris, and formerly orderly officer to the President of the Republic. The General will very probably be accompanied by two officers, a major of artillery and a captain of infantry, as well as Lieutenant de Caverville, Naval Attaché at 8. Petersburg. The head of the French Mission on the Japa- nese side will be Colonel Lombard, up to now commanding a regiment of the brigade of occu- pation of Tientsin. It will also include Major Corvisart and Naval Lieutenant Martinie, the French Attachés at Tokyo.
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