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482 however, no more than three officiated at any one time. The Governor amended, however, the standing orders and rules for the guidance of the Council (July 2, 1873), which had not been revised since 12th July, 1858. An important rule was also made, in connection with a protest which the Hon. Ph. Ryrie had made (August 26, 1873), complaining of the short time allowed to Members of Council to consider the Estimates before they were to be discussed in Council, when it was stated (April 16, 1874), that the Secretary of State had acknowledged that protest as reasonable.

One of the features of this administration was the attention bestowed on legislative measures. Among the many new Ordinances passed during this period, the following deserve special mention, as dealing with Relief for Trustees (7 of 1873), Dangerous Goods (8 of 1873), Emigration (5 of 1874 and 5 of 1876), Steam Launches (8 of 1875), Rates (12 of 1875), Magistrates (16 of 1875), Contagious Diseases (2 of 1876), Gambling (9 of 1876), Post Office (10 of 1876) and River-Steamers (11 of 1876). But whilst thus multiplying legislative enactments, Sir Arthur aimed also at reducing the chaos of local Ordinances by several efforts at consolidation and especially by the appointment of a Commission (September 11, 1876) for the purpose of preparing a new edition of the Ordinances of Hongkong.

In this quiet legislative activity the unofficial Members of Council, though generally in a minority, took an active share. In June 1873, the Chief Justice, Mr. (subsequently, since March 17, 1874, Sir) John Smale, having appointed the Judge of the Summary Court, who was in feeble health, to try some criminal cases, the unofficial Members of Council, together with other leading residents and lawyers, addressed to the Governor a request that the power of appointing persons to preside at the Supreme Court should be taken out of the hands of the Chief Justice and placed in the hands of the Governor. This was accordingly done in connection with the reconstitution of the Supreme Court, which was then under consideration. On 10th August, 1873,