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March 1, 1909.]
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held on Feb. 25th in the Council Chamber.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE FREDERICK
GOVERNOR, SIR JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD K.C.M.G., C.B,, D.S O.
H. E. MAJOR-GENERAL R. G. BROADWOOD, C.B., A.C.D., (General Officer Commanding),
Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G., (Colonial Secretary).
Hon. Mr. W. REES DAVIES, K.Č., (Attorney- General).
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Trea- surer).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G., (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr. E. A. IRVING (Registrar-General). Hon. Mr. F. J. BADELEY, (Capt. Superinten dent of Police).
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M.G.
Hon. Mr. WEI YUK, C.M,G,
Hon. Mr H. E. POLLOCK, K.C.
Hon. Mr. E. A. HEWETT.
Hon. Mr. H. A. W. SLADE. Hon. Mr. W. J. GRESSON.
Mr. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
THE MONGKOKTSUI SHELTER
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table a report on the proposed boat shelter at Mongkoktsui by Mr. J. F. Boulton. In doing so, he said I may say that in connection with the paper certain plans have been handed to each member which will help to elucidate the report. The report says that the boat shelter at Mongkoktsui, as designed in the colony, has been practically approved with some slight modifications which entail additional expense, and in order to keep the expenditure within the estimate which Your Excellency stipulated should not exceed, $1,540.000. the boat shelter has been slightly reduced in area.
FINANCIAL MINUTES.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY. by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the tablo Financial minutes Nos. 1 to 9, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
FINANCIAL.
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The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee (No. 21) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS PENSIONS FUND.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
the Widows and Orphans' Pension Ordinance, 1908, shall be made at the rate of 1a, 10d. to the dollar.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the resolution was carried.
QUESTION.
165
with the individual, and I hope that these methods of education and co-operation to which I have indicated we are devoting ourselves will have the effect desired without having recourse to the last resort.
On the vote being taken, His EXCELLENCY The Hon. Mr. POLLOCK asked the following declared that the ayes had it, bút Hon. Dr. Ho question :-
KAI called for a división. Will the Government state what would be approximately the cost of putting up a fixed light to indicate the South-eastern entrance to the Capsuimun Pass? The COLONIAL
to the question I will state that the cost of SECRETARY-In answer
A light similar to that at Mawan Island would course depends upon the nature of the light.
cost $700.
CHINA'S NATIONAL BEREAVEMENT.
recollection of the Council that some time HIS EXCELLENCY-It will be within the
the Chinese Government on the deaths of the ago we passed a resolution of condolence with Dowager Empress and the Emperor of China. The Government received from our Minister at Peking the very cordial thanks of the Chinese Government for the sympathy of this Council in the loss which China suffered by the deaths of its rulers. Unfortunately I cannot read the words of the reply as the paper has been mislaid. stated. The general purport of it is, however, as I have
MERCHANT SHIPPING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first to amend the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance further 1889.
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The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
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RAILWAY RECLAMATION ORDINANCE. reading of a Bill entitled
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first authorise for public purposes the Reclamation of An Ordinance to certain portions of the Crown foreshore and sea bed situate in Hunghom Bay in the Colony of Hongkong and to validate such reclamation as has heretofore taken place.
the motion was agreed to.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and
MAGISTRATES ORDINANCE AMENDMENT. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL Mored the third reading of the Bill entitled A Ordinance to amend The Magistrate Ordinance 1890 and to effect certain other amendments in the Criminal Law,
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. THE HON. DR. HO KAI-On account of section in- ouncil to make certain regulations for the 8 of this Ordinance empowering the Governor prohibition of spitting in public places, I con- ceive it to be my duty to record my dissent against the third reading of this Bill. ask that a division may be taken..
Was
The voting then resulted-For the third reading:-Hon. Mr. Hewett, Registrar-General, Director of Public Works, Colonial Tresurer, Attorney General, Colonial Secretary, and Against:-Hon. Mr. Slade, Hon. Mr. Gresson, H. E. the General Officer Commanding,
Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, Hon. Mr. Pollock, Hon. Mr. Wei Yuk and
HON. MR. WEI YUK-I second that. HIS EXCELLENCY- ince this Bill passed its second reading and was discussed in committee I have received a petition from a number of for the most part a repetition of those arguments Chinese gentlemen and largely signed. It is adduced in this Council by those members who were opposed to the Bill on account of the section to which the senior unofficial member has "Itreferred. The petition puts forward no new already been debated here. I therefore see no argument but reiterates those which have
Council reason to change the opinion to which this reading and in committee. The
committed on the second say that I wish to promote hearty and petitioners
willing co-operation with the Chinese instead of resorting to compulsion by law. They urged that a process of education should be instituted. a process of persuasion. That process, gentle- towards which we have already taken steps, and men, is one which we propose to adopt and
required. But I consider that in educating the I hope that no other process need ever be Chinese upon this important question by issuing and taking other means of education it is more circulars, instructing lecturers, posting notices, likely that these efforts will be effective, if it is the known by the people that it has as a last resort
The COLONIAL SECRETARY—It will be within the recollection of hou. members that, when the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund Bill. was under consideration of this Council at the end of last year certain correspondence was laid on the table, including a despatch from the Secretary of State, dated 28th December, 1907. The last paragraph of that despatch says is desirable that a valuation should be made in order that the surplus, if any, disclosed by it may be distributed among the beneficiaries of the fund in the shape of increases to the pen. sions. For this purpose an arbitrary rate of exchange must be assumed for the purposes of the valuation. The exchange value of the dollar has recently fallen from about 2/3 to below 1/10. As the value of the sterling liabilities must be greater than the value of the future sterling contributions, the higher the sterling value assumed for the dollar the more favourable to the fund will be the results of the valuation, and I should be prepared to allow the valuation to be carried out at a rate, not exceeding 2/3, which you and the Legislative Council may consider fair and reasonable." It has been found, Sir, that the average rate of exchange for the eleven years 1897 to 1907 inclusive, is just a fraction over. 1/10. It is therefore considered that 1/10 would be a fair and reasonable rate to take. According ly, Sir, I beg to move the following resolution.- Resolved that the valuation of the assets and liabilities of the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund contemplated under Section 18 of
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JURY LIST.
The Council then considered the Jury
List in camera.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding. The following votes were passed :-
wer of enforcing them. I have assured the petitioners that, if regulations need to be framed moderation and that every effort shall be taken in the future, they will be framed with care and to avoid those contingencies which they fear, such as arbitrary arrest or undue interference
HARBOUR MASTER'S DEPARTMENT. The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of four hundred and fifty Dollars (S450) in aid of the vote, Harbour Master's Department, B.-Mercantile Marine Office, Personal Emoluments, Over-time Allowance.
POLICE AND PRISON DEPARTMENTS. The Governor recommended the Council to rote a sum of one hundred and eighty Dollars Department, 4.--Police, Other Charges, Lan- ($180) in aid of the vote, Police and Prison
guage Study Allowance (Punjabi) to Pro- bationer.
PUBLIC WORKS EXTRAORDINARY.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of one thousand five hundred and
in aid of the vote, Public Works Extraordinary, forty-eight dollars and forty cents ($1,518.40)
resuming and filling in. Fish Pond at Tai Po.
MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of two thousand four hundred Dollars ($2,400) in aid of the vote, Miscellan- eous Services, Grants in aid of Scientific Institutions, London School of Tropical Medi. cine, (£200).
HARBOUR BUOYS.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of six hundred and fifty-four Dollars (654) in aid of the vote, Harbour Master's Department, Harbour Office, Special Expenditure, Buoys.
AUDIT DEPARTMENT.
The Governor recommended the Council to rote a sum of one thousand and ninety-two Dollars ($1092) in aid of vote, Audit Department, Other Charges, Share of Home Expenditure (£91).
SIGNALLING CONTRIBUTION,
The Governor recommended the Council to
($10.47) in aid of the vote, Miscellaneous vote a sum of ten dollars and forty-seven cents
connection with signalling messages etc., to Services, Telegraph Services, Contribution in Observatory, (£75).
BUILDINGS.
The Governor recommended the Council to rote a sum of one hundred and eighty Dollars (180) in aid of the vote Public Works, Extraordinary, Buildings, Staff Quarters, Tai Po, Water Service.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S DEPARTMENT. The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of forty-seven dollars (47) in aid of Legislature, Other Charges, Hansard Reports. the vote, Colonial Secretary's Department and
Mr. and Mrs. E. Salzmann are so well-known last week of their younger daughter, Miss Nellie and popular in Singapore that the Larriage
Salzmann, with Mr. John Griffiths, of Seremban, of things, created much more than the usual F.M.S., in accordance with the general fitness local interest in such happy events.
Vice-President Fairbanks intends to visit Manila when his term of office expires next month. Another well-known merican publicist now on his way to Manila is Mr. V. Hamilton Lewis, a former Congressman who advocates outside America's sphere and likely to involve the abandonment of the Philippines as being
the country in trouble with the Orient.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.