Summary of some of the matters] considered and decisions reached at the meeting of the Council held on Wednesday, May 17, 1922.
1. Phe Minutes of the Council meeting of May 10. Confirmed.
2. The Minutes of the Watch Committee meeting of May 8. Confirmed.
(A) Private Detective Agencies.—Correspondence in reference to the registration of such agencies considered, and recommendation made that no further action should be taken for the present. The correspondence will be published.
(B) Prison Accommodation for Foreign Female Convicts and Accommodation of Reformatory Boys.—Recommendation made that accommodation should be provided:
For Foreign Female Convicts, temporarily at least in the Female Gaol in the French Settlement, if suitable arrangements can be made to this end with the French Settlement Authorities, or failing this at the Mixed Court as at present but subject to improvement of existing conditions.
For Reformatory Boys, (a) temporarily in the Gaol in the event of a renewal of the lease of the Reformatory in Tongshan Road being unobtainable (the agents for this property have given the, Council notice that the property is for sale) and (b) permanently in a new building to be erected on the Gaol extension site.
(C) Point Hotel Licence.—Trans-for of this licence, held by Mr. Richmond, now bankrupt, to Mr. E. H. Baker of Messrs. Seth, Mancell & McClure, Official Mixed Court Accountants, approved, on the basis that a temporary licence for the season will be issued, on the understanding that full responsibility for the conduct of the premises is accepted by this firm (D) Overcrowding of Trams.—After reviewing the consideration given to this question on several previous occasions, the difficulties involved and the decisions reached, members recommend, (1) That the drivers platform on all cars be so arranged as_ to separate the drivers entirely from passengers and that the Tramway Company be called upon to take the necessary steps to this end.
(2) That should experience show that. the safety doors or similar devices, which are to be provided in the case of new rolling stock, are really effective, the Tramway Company should be called upon to fit same on all rolling stock.
(3) That a Notification be issued (a) directing attention to Trafic Regulation No. 32 that "No person shall stand or sit on or otherwise occupy the footboard of a vehicle in motion on a highway," and (5)
giving warning of the Council's intention to prosecute all those disregarding this Regulation, (EZ) Charges for Attendance of Fire Brigade at fires Outside Limits, members recommend (1) Approval of proposed sche-due of charges.
(2) Approval of principle of payment of a percentage of such charges into a Brigade Recreation Fund.
(3) That no charge be made for services of Brigade in respect of premises on which the Outside Limits rate (Special Rate)
is paid.
(4) Approval of principle that Brigade should not attend fires Outside Limits unless Special Rate is paid, except when owners of property concerned have previously signed undertaking that in event of fire they would like attendance of Brigade and make payment of scale charges in force. The procedure to be adopted in this connexion is settled.
(5) Approval of the same principle and procedure as in No. 4 above in case of shipping fires.
(6) That in absence of undertaking above referred to Brigade should nevertheless attend fires when in discretion of Chief Officer, attendance is desirable with view to protection of Settlement interests:
(FP) Chief Offcer's Leave anit Leave Itinerar Approved.
(G) Smoking in Theatres.—It decided to exercise the licensing powers and prohibit smoking in places of public entertainment.
Lyceum Theatre.—Vide correspondence published elsewhere in this Gazette.
3.—The Minutes of the Watch Committee meeting of May 12. Confirmed.
Tavern Licences.—Recommenda-dations that applications by, (uy P. J. Doylend for 2nd class licence for No. 5 Boundary Road and (b) E. H. Scott for 3rd class licence for Nos. 491/3 Thibet Road be approved, subject to fire and structural reports as usual, but that the application by Mr. C. E. Eddie for a 2nd class licence for No. 153 Broadway be disapproved in view of fact that the premises are within the "prohibited area."
4.—Polunteer Corps.—Appointments published elsewhere in this Gazette approved.
Sir Edward Pearce—Decoration by Chinese _Government.—The Secretary and Commissioner, General reports that on behalf of General Ho Feng-ling, Military Governor, Mr. S. K. Chen of the!
Bureau of Foreign Affairs, has handed to him the Chia Ho decoration of the 4th Grade, conferred by the Chinese Government on Si Edward on General Ho's recommendation, in recognition of Sir Edward's ce-operation with the local Chinese authorities during his tenure of office as Chairman of Council. Members record appreciation of the honour conferred on Sir Edward ° and direct that their congratulations be conveyed to him.
Water Supply.—File is submitted containing letter from the Waterworks Company in continuation: of the correspondence published on Pages 233A to 250A of the Annual Report for 1921, reports by the Chief Officer of the Fire Brigade, the Acting Commissioner of Public Works and the Treasurer and Com-troller and. comments by the Secretary and Commissioner General. Members note that there are still points of very considerable importance outstanding upon which no agreement has yet been reached, and they record the view that it would be desirable again to give consideration to the desir ability of the Council purchasing. the Company's water supply undertaking in accordance with the provision made to this end in the Waterworks agreement of 1905. This question was referred to the Special Waterworks Committee appointed in 1918, but owing to the then financial conditions, the Committee recommended that the matter should be deferred until such time as the purchase, if recommended, would be possible. Members decide to refer the matter' back to this Special Committee for report in accordance with the terms of Resolution VII passed at the Annual Meeting of Ratepayers on
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.