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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
which has now to be faced. In the former country this is to be accounted for by the haphazard way in which the various colonies have sprung up, and in the United States by the comuartively small importance which (in theory at least) was in earlier years attached to foreign relations. To either nation | any such question as that which has now arisen would., fifty years ago, have appeared out of the range of practical politics; but the rapid development of our Colonies on the one hand and of America's international relations on the other, have completely altered its bearing; and the time has un- doubtedly arrived when both nations will have to find a solution of the problem.
As regards Great Britain, the chief difficulty is, of course, with respect to Aus- tralia and New Zealand. Both those Colonies are strongly opposed t› Asiatic immigration in any form; and they have imposed more and more restrictive laws to prevent what they hold to be an undesir able competition. Hitherto they have
been allowed a free hand in such mattera by the Imperial Govenrument, as it has been considered there are 80 mapy obvious reasons against the importation of Chinese into any given Colony that it has been recognised as reasonable to leave such a question to the Colonies to decide for then- selves. But the matter assumes a different aspect when a nation like the Japanese, against whom such objections cannot qr raised, are concerned. There ought to be some means by which the Imperial Govern
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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
[Ma roh 4, 1907. 865,201; in 1905 it was $71,836; this year, as I have said, it is £32,690. Financial Minute No. 7 for $153,8 ) is on nccount of the destruc- tion last September of the matshed in which Land Office records were kept at Taipo. This involved the occupation of a private
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative | house at Taipo, and the amount included Council was held on tug 28th kusant in the Council Chamber.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR SIR MATTHEW NATHAN, K.C.M.G.
in this financial minute is for the rent of that private house. Financial Minute No. 8 for $3,263 is for an increased contribution to the Imperial fustitute for the two years 1906-7 and 19/7-8. The subscription is now £200 per annum. Before agreeing to this increased subscription Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G., (Colonial I consulted the Executive Secretary).
Council who considered that the Colony would reap Hon. Mr. H. H. J. GOMPERTZ, (Attorney-advantage from it. Financial Minute No. 9 for General)
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Workaj.
Hon. Mr. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar-General)
ou. Mr. F. J. BADELEY (Captain-Superin tendent of Police).
Hoa, Dr. Ho KAL. M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. WEI YUK. 11on. Mr. E. OSBORNE, HOD. Mr. E. A HEWETT.
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$1,50 is for payment of compensation for land taken up for the military rifle range at Kowlonu. There was a vote of $20,000 for this purpose in the estimates for 1904, but against that vote $10,97.3 was expended and st the end of that year the account was closed. Owing to some dispute as to who were entitled to the compensation it has not ben possible to pass the farther amount of $1,050 until the present time. Financial Minute No. 10 for the
Mr A. G. M. FLETCHER, (Clerk of Councils) | small sum of $55 is to enable us to start a
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed.
PINANCIAL MINUTES.
were
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid on the table. Financial Minutes Nos. 1 to 13, and moved that they bo referred to the Finauce Committee.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL seconded.
His ExceLL INCY--Financi Minute No. 1 should b for $2,515 instead of $1,200 a3 printed. It is necitated by an outbreak of Hæmorrha ic Sepulun a which took place
צים
at the Daire Parin at the commencement of the year.
Under section 54 the Public Health ani Buildings Ordinanc the Government was called
u pon to compensation for twenty-one diseased and one healthy C F that bad fo slaughtered to stop the spread of the disease. Financial Minute No. 2 for 1,481 is required land adjoining the rolice Station, Land Offic, and Officers' quarters at
to resume som 9
ᏣᏗᎳᏚ be
over.
Taipo, to prevent its use for Chiasse shops and dwellings which it is considere i would ba insanitary to the surrounding buildings. Financial Minuta No. 3 for £9 is necessitated by the fact that in the years
through JU 1904, 1905 and 1996, sight, the amounts voted by the Colony in aid of the Cancer Research Fund were not paid to that fund. To obviate the need of such a revete in future, the Crown Agents hav bsen sept
the Colony's annual contributions to various funds, with ¦ instructions to pay them as they beco De due without further reference to the Colony. Financial Minute No. 4 for $2,00) is for repairs to !
ment could arrive at a decision in such a matter without the risk which at
present exists of going directly counter to the Colony on the one hand, or of running the risk of incurring the hostility of a friendly nation on the other; and such a means could no doubt be found by some understanding being come to as to the grounds upon which the Colonies would accept the decision of the Home Government upon such questions. Something more definite than the general position that a local measure should not interfere with imperial interest (which has been the accepted principle hitherto) is wanted. A satisfactory basis of action might be arrived at by the subject being fully discussed at the Colonial Conference at which it would be useful and desirable topic. In tim, no dopbi, when the Colonies become represente in the Imperial Councils, tie matter could be adjusted in some way that would be satisfactory both to the Colonies and t the nation as a whole; but pending this, some arrangement might be arrive at by which, when there is a conflict between the Home Government and a given Colony upou such a subject, the | question at issue could be settled in a more satisfactory manner than the absolute exer- cise of the veto, which of course can be resorted to, but which is likely at times to cause unnecessary and possibly even dangerous friction.
1
Detective Sergeant Terrell placed a native before Mr. C. D. Melbourre at the Police Court on Feb. 23rd on a charge of attempting to obtain $69 by false pretences The defendant, it appear, came to Hongkong for the races, where be lost all his money on the third day. He was anxious, however, to try his lack again on the off-day, so to raise the necessary money visited the Ke Shing pawnshop in Queen's Road Central where he wished to put in pawn whit appeared to be a massive gold bangle. Examination of the article, however, showed that it was brass, and the pawnbroker gave the defendant in obarge. After hearing the evidence his Worship decided that he could not record a conviction, as the defendant did not attempt to palm off the bangle on an ignorant person. The Chinaman was therefore discharged,”
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list of
the new fairway buoys that wer- lait last year. These repairs were necessita'od by the heavy typhoons at the end of Septem- I ber and tue advice of the Elder Brethren of Trinity House wax taken with regard to them. Financial Minute No. 5 for $1,000 is for repairs to existing rifles aud for the provision of some additional rifles for the use of the Voluntes Reserve Association. The considerable use of the rifles made in the past has necessitated repvirs, and theopening of the new teak range, which will bused at the same time as the Kowloou range, requires the prori. sion of additional rif-s for the fature.
Finau. cial Minute No. 6 consists of two main items; one of $53,109 for new work, and the other of $32,64 for revotes of amounts unexpended last year. The first item includes $41,000 ou account of typhoon and rain storm damger. I foresha dowed the necessity for this vote when I last addressed the Council on the subject of the great typhoon. It was no use taking it last year, as the repairs could not then b· carried out. 'T'he remainder of the $53 000 is an item of $12,0 0 for insanitary property resumption. This is in addition to the revole of part of the money voted last year. The total of $32,699 for revoles is on account of public works provided for in 1905 not having been completed that year. It compares favourably with the smount of revotes in the last two years. In 1906 it was
new
cottage hospital of six beds at Taipo, This waI recommended by the Principal Civil Medical Officer after his last iuspection in the New Territories. Financial Minute No. 11 for $4.334 is for raising the fire flost which was“ sunk in the typhoon of September 18th, and for providing a hall and fittings for it, Financial Minute No. 12 for $5,000 is mainly a rerote of a sum already provided for the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance Cɔmmission. I have been assured by the Chairman of that Commission that very little farther expenditure will be involved, and in my tura I have assured him that this Council will be much disappointed if the labours of the Commission do not result a considerib - reinotion of the anga il expenditure of the Sanitary Department. Financis Minute No. 13 for $6,209 is on account of expenditure incurred in connection with the visit of Their Royal HighnessOS the Dace and Duchess of Connaught, With regard to that visit the Council will be in-
in
terested to learn that I have received from His Royal Highness at Singapore, a telegram to that they were not able to spend a longer time the effect that the whole party much regretted
than they did with us.
The motion was agreed to.
JURY LIST.
The Council afterwards sat in privato for revision of the jury fist.
Council then adjourned.
FINANCE COMMITTEE,
A meeting of the Finance Committes was then held –the COLONIAL SECRETARY presid- iug. The following votes wera pissed :-
COMPEN ATION FOR CATTLE SLAUGHTERED.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Tw› thousand five hundred and fifteen Dollars (82,515) io oid of the vote, Department-otter charges, com- Sanitary ponsation for infected cattle slaughtered,
RESUMPTION OF TAXLORD LOTS. The Governor recommended the Council to rote a sim of Ong thousand four hundred and eighty-four D›llar‹ ($1,484) in aid of the vote, miscellaneous Servions, rejsumption of taglord lo's in the Now Territories.
CANCER RESEARCH. The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Ninety Pounds (£90) in aid of the rote, Miscellaneous Services, cancer research fund.
HARBOUR EXPENDITURE.
The Governor recommended the Chanoil to revote a sum of Tw› thousand Dollars ($2,000) in aid of the vote, Harbour Master's Dipart ment. Harbour Office - special expenditure, purchase of 3 fairway lights and buuya,
VOLUNTEER EXPENDITURE. The Gwernor recommended the Council to ro'e a sum of One thousand Dollars ($1,000) in aid of the rate, Military Expenditure. B. Volunteers—^ther charges, purchase of 24 barrels and 13 rid ««.
PUBLIC WORKS.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of Fifty-three thousand Dollars ($53,000) and to rarote a sum of Thirty two
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