HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
香港立法局
28 June 1989
一九八九年六月二十八日
78
MR. BARROW: Sir, I move the Second Reading of the Sailors Home and Missions to Seamen Incorporation (Amendment) Bill 1989 which I commend to this Council.
The Sailors Home and Missions to Seamen is a corporation incorporated under Ordinance Cap. 1042 of the Laws of Hong Kong on 8 August 1930. The corporation however finds its origins in the Missions to Seamen in Hong Kong Incorporation Ordinance of 1919 and the Sailors Home Ordinance of 1925. The Missions to Seamen had at that time already existed for some time as an unincorporated body established to grapple with a great problem of the time the separation of seamen, by the nature of their calling, from the usual centres of Christian fellowship.
As Members may be aware, the corporation now carries on the work and objects of the former Sailors Home being the care of officers and men of the Mercantile Marine irrespective of their religion including the provision of the Mariners Club as a home for the seafaring classes and of the former Missions to Seamen being the provision of an institute for the spiritual welfare of the
seafaring classes.
Sir, the main purpose of this Bill is firstly to clarify the objectives of the corporation and secondly to extend the powers of the corporation. The corporation wishes to have objectives as similar as possible to the objectives of the Mission to Seamen in London which is regarded as the parent body. Clause 2 confirms the existing objectives of the corporation and incorporates as additional objects the principal objects of the Mission to Seamen in London. The corporation also wishes to have powers to make gifts or donations in pursuance of the objectives of the corporation.
This is also an opportunity to amend two minor points in the principal Ordinance. Firstly, "the Colony" will be replaced by "Hong Kong". Secondly, "Colonial Secretary" is substituted by "Chief Secretary".
Sir, I move that the debate on this motion be adjourned.
Question on the adjournment proposed, put and agreed to.