to the Government of the Colony for assistance, offering to make 
over the whole of the property of the Society to Government, 
for the use of the public, on condition of Government paying oft* 
the debts incurred by the Society, that is to say, the sum of 
four thousand dollars due on the mortgage above set out, and a 
further sum of five hundred and eighty-six dollars and twenty 
cents due to the Honorary Secretary for advances made by him 
for current expenses, and on the further conditions that the 
Subscribers to the Gardens should continue to enjoy the 
privilege theretofore enjoyed by them of procuring plants and 
flowers from the Gardens when available, and that Government 
should carry on the works at the Gardens from the public funds, 
with such aid thereto as might be raised by voluntary 
subscriptions ; 
And "Whereas thereafter the debts of the said Society were 
paid off by the Government, and the Title Deeds of the property 
of the Society were made over to Government, and pending the 
passing of an Ordinance to legalize the transfer, the said Gardens 
have been managed by a Committee called “ The Raffles Library, 
Gardens and Museum Committee”; 
And Whereas certain individuals in or about the year 1844 
established a circulating Library under the name of the Singa- 
pore Library, for the use of themselves and of such persons as 
they admitted as subscribers, and in the year 1874, the proprie- 
tors of the said Library, being indebted for books furnished, 
and being unable any longer to support the Library in an efficient 
manner, offered to make over to Government the books and pro- 
perty of the Library, on condition of Government upholding a 
Public Library from the public funds, with such assistance as 
might be received from subscribers for the use of the books lent 
out, and on the further condition that the proprietors, on surren- 
dering their property, should be entitled to the rights of sub- 
scribers during the period of their natural lives ; and the said 
Library w r as thereafter taken over on the part of Government, and 
the debt w r as paid off by Government amoimting to five hundred 
and sixty dollars and seventy-one cents; 
And Whereas a Museum has L+ely been e r blished in the 
same building as the Library, at the fj ' eminent, aided 
by contributions from private mdividm ds; 
And Whereas the expenditure for said Wtivons now 
amounts to upwards of ten thousand dollars yearly, of which, all, 
except about five hundred dollars yearly is paid Lv Gov< wj; 
out of the public funds ; 
And Whereas the expenditure of the said L* 
now amounts to upwards of seven thousand dollars 
of which, except about seven hundred dollars yearly 
scriptions, is paid by Government out of the itlic fund* 
And Whereas it is expedient for the public service, mm, 
said Agri-liorticultural Gardens, and the said Library and 
Museum, should be supported at the public expense, aided by such 
voluntary contributions and subscriptions as may be received 
from the public; and that suitable arrangements should be made 
by law for confirming the transfer of the said Gardens, and Library, 
and Museum to the Government for the service of the Colony, 
and for providing a proper system of administering the funds to 
he expended by Government in future, and of managing the 
affairs of the said Gardens, and Library, and Museum ; 
It is hereby enacted by the Governor of the Straits Settlements, 
with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as 
follow's ; — 
