HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 75 18TH SEPTEMBER, 1924.
PRESENT:―
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR REGINALD EDWARD STUBBS, K.C.M.G.
THE OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS (COLONEL CLAUDE RUSSELL-BROWN, D.S.O.)
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY (HON. SIR CLAUD SEVERN, K.B.E., C.M.G.)
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (HON. MR. J. H. KEMP, K.C., C.B.E.)
THE COLONIAL TREASURER (HON. MR. D. W. TRATMAN).
HON. MR. H. T. CREASY (Director of Public Works).
HON. MR. A. E. WOOD (Secretary for Chinese Affairs).
HON. MR. E. D. C. WOLFE (Captain Superintendent of Police).
HON. MR. P. H. HOLYOAK.
HON. MR. H. W. BIRD.
HON. MR. R. H. KOTEWALL.
HON. MR. C. MONTAGUE EDE.
HON. MR. C. G. ALABASTER, K.C., O.B.E. MR. S. B. B. MCELDERRY (Clerk of Councils).
ABSENT:―
HON. MR. CHOW SHOU-SON.
Presentation of I.S.O. to Mr. J. A. E. Bullock, M.B.E.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR on taking the Chair said― Before we proceed to business I desire to present to Mr. Bullock, on behalf of His Majesty the King, the Badge of the Imperial Service Order which has been conferred on him by His Majesty in recognition of eighteen years of excellent service in this Colony. Mr. Bullock's services are probably well-known to every member of this Council, and I should like to express on behalf of this Government my thanks to him for the admirable way in which since my arrival in this Colony, and I understand for many years before, he has carried out the duties of Chief Clerk in the Colonial Secretary's Office. I have much pleasure in presenting him with this Badge of the Imperial
Service Order. (Applause.)
HIS EXCELLENCY then pinned the decoration to the lapel of Mr. Bullock's coat, and Mr. Bullock bowed his acknowledgment.
Minutes
The minutes of the last meeting of the Council were approved and signed.
Papers
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid on the table the following papers:―
Regulation made by the Governor in Council under Section 2 of the Passports Ordinance 1923, dated August 28th, 1924.
Order made by the Governor in Council under Section 24 of the Rents Ordinance 1922, dated August 28th, 1924.
Regulation made by the Governor in Council under Section 3 of the Vehicles and Traffic Regulation Ordinance 1912, as amended by the Ordinance of 1921, dated September 4th, 1924.
Regulations made by the Governor in Council under Section 25(4), 33(2) and 42 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1899, dated September 11th, 1924.
Annual General Report on the Colony for 1923. Report of the Director of Education for 1923.
Report of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs for 1923.
Medical Report for the year 1923.
Report of the Committee appointed to consider the Colony's position with regard to the obligations incurred under the International Opium Convention, 1912.
76 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The Senior Chinese Unofficial Member
H.E. THE GOVERNOR―I regret that the Senior Chinese Unofficial member has been unable to be present at this meeting this afternoon as I wished to express the pleasure of the Council at seeing him on his return, and at the same time to express my gratitude to Mr. Chau Siu-ki for his kindness in coming forward to take Mr. Chow Shou-son's place in this Council during his absence. As I said last year, Mr. Chau Siu-ki was offered the permanent appointment of member of this Council, but for reasons of health, age and business he begged to be excused and I was compelled to accept his views. I think the Council will agree that Mr. Chau Siu-ki showed a high sense of public duty in coming forward to act during the absence of Mr. Chow Shou son, and I should like to express our appreciation of his action. (Applause.)
Letter of Thanks from Tung Wah Hospital
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY―I should like to read to the Council a letter from the Tung Wah Hospital, addressed to the Hon. Colonial Secretary:
(Translation.)
SIR,―We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, enclosing us a cheque for a sum of $50,000 for flood relief in Kwangtung.
The recent floods in Kwangtung are of an unusually terrible nature. The rate of death and damage caused by them is estimated to be the highest that has yet been witnessed. Fortunately the British Government has now aided with a liberal contribution, treating the disaster with the same sympathy as if it affected her own people. Indeed the flood-stricken folks―myriads in number―are grateful to her for this kindness. We write you this special letter respectfully in reply, and beg that you will convey our thanks to the British Government. Herewith we send you a receipt, which please inspect and keep in your custody.―With regards,
MA CHI LUNG, Chairman,
and the Directors, Tung Wa Hospital.
Dated 6th September, 1924.
An Explanation by the Hon. Mr. Holyoak
HON. MR. HOLYOAK ― Sir, ― With your permission I desire to make a brief explanation in connection with my speech on the first resolution moved by me at the last Meeting of the Council. The President of the Sanitary Board has called my attention to the fact that I did him an injustice in speaking of him as "lightly flouting public opinion" in voting against Dr. Koch's resolution moved at the Sanitary Board Meeting of August 10th. I regret that I was misled by the Press report of that meeting which stated that "the motion was then put to the meeting, three voting in favour and three against it. A number of Members did not vote at all. The Chairman said he would give his casting vote against the Motion," which meant that the motion was lost. I notice that in referring to this at the last Sanitary Board meeting the President stated that "there are five Unofficial Members of this Board; of these the Proposer voted for the motion, one Unofficial Member voted against, and two Unofficial Members abstained from voting."
I regret that the original report led me to both consider and say that the President had "lightly used" his casting vote on so important a matter, and inasmuch as I have mis-judged and misrepresented him, I desire to withdraw that remark, though I cannot help feeling that he was perhaps unduly sensitive of what was never intended as personal criticism. My remarks were directed against the policy and not the individual; indeed in the same speech I paid willing tribute to the conspicuous ability of our Cadet Officials here.
Finance
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 73 to 82 and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid upon the table the report of the Finance Committee (No. 8) and moved that it be adopted.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 77
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
Water Works
HON. MR. HOLYOAK, pursuant to notice given, asked the following questions:
"Will the Government make a statement of the measures that are being taken
(a) to increase the water supply in the Island of Hongkong, so as to ensure that a full supply will be available for all parts of the City of Victoria throughout the year.
(b) to improve the distribution of the water so that no part of the City of Victoria will be put on to the rider mains while there is an ample supply of water in the impounding reservoirs.
(c) to construct improved methods of filtering, where necessary, so as to prevent discolouration of the water into the mains, and to maintain the high standard of purity which has existed for many years."
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied as follows:
(a) The following works to augment the Island Water Supply are under construction:―
Stanley Mound (East) Catchwater diverting the drainage of 420 acres. Estimated cost $180,000.
Stanley Mound (West) Catchwater diverting the drainage of 160 acres. Estimated cost $60,000.
Jardine's Lookout Catchwater diverting the drainage of 80 acres. Estimated cost $30,000.
Other Catchwaters on the Island to divert the drainage of a total of approximately 1,000 acres are under survey.
Besides these works it is proposed to bring water to Victoria from the Shing Mun Valley, but this supply will not be available for some years. The works include the following:―
Two miles of 16 feet wide Access Road. Estimated cost $100,000.
Tenders have been received for driving two
tunnels through Golden Hill and Smugglers Ridge aggregating 1.3 miles in length with a conerete connecting conduit 2,000 feet in length and it is hoped to let this contract by the end of the current month. Estimated cost $1,000,000.
A 5,000,000 gallon capacity fast gravity or mechanical filtering plant is now under tender in England. Estimated cost $250,000.
Tenders for the Raw Water Reception Reservoir on the South Side of Golden Hill will be advertised within a month and work on this Contract should commence in November. Estimated cost $130,000.
Tenders for the North Conduit, 3,000 feet long, situated in the Shing Mun Valley will be advertised before the end of the year along with the necessary temporary conduit and Intake Dam to divert the Shing Mun Stream through the tunnels. Estimated cost $120,000.
(b) The following Works affecting the distribution of water in the City of Victoria are now under construction:―
The Eastern District Filter Beds and Reinforced Concrete Service Reservoir which will allow of water being drawn from the Tytam Tunnel without entering the Bowen Road Conduit. Estimated cost $600,000.
Extension to existing Tytam Tuk Pumping Station and installation of a new 3 million-gallon Pumping Unit. Estimated cost $350,000.
About 6,000 lineal feet of 15 inch cast iron pipes have now arrived in the Colony, while a further 1,200 lineal feet will arrive before the end of the year. These pipes are for enlarging the principal mains both in the Eastern and Western Districts and laying has already commenced in the former district.
The Kennedy Town District has been re-mained during the past year, while 1,000 lineal feet of 18-inch cast iron pipes and 1,800 lineal feet of temporary 12- inch cast iron pipes have been laid in the Eastern District.
Approximately 6,000 lineal feet of six-inch cast iron main have arrived, 3,000 feet of which will be laid in the Happy Valley District and the remainder in the City, while approximately 1,000 lineal feet of 8- inch pipes have just been laid in Leighton Hill Road.
78 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Approximately 15,000 lineal feet of cast iron mains of from six to eighteen inch diameter are under order in England and will be used to improve the distribution of the city of Victoria. It is necessary for several reasons to continue the rider-main system.
(c) The only water showing discolouration is that drawn from Pokfulam Reservoir and this supply only affects a comparatively small percentage of the population at the Western end of the Island.
The cause of this discolouration is of a temporary nature and with the turfing of the banks and slopes of the new Motor Road should disappear.
The only existing Slow Sand Filter Beds which lend themselves to easy and economical conversion to fast filtration are the Bowen Road Beds, and a three-million-gallon plant is now under tender in England.
Tenders for a 5-million-gallon fast filtering plant (to be part of a 20-million-gallon plant) for the Shing Mun Works were received from England early this year, but were not considered satisfactory. New tenders have now been called for in England.
Four additional filter beds are now under construction at the Kowloon Filter Beds.
HON. MR. P. H. HOLYOAK―Sir,―Arising out of the statement, whilst I congratulate the Government on the statement it has laid before the Council, might I say that much adverse criticism might have been avoided if this information had been laid before this Council and the general public some months ago?
H.E. THE GOVERNOR―May I say that if the hon. member had asked his questions some months ago, the information would have been equally available?
New Edition of the Ordinances
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the following resolution ― "Resolved that the five volumes containing the Ordinances of the Colony which have been prepared under the authority of the Ordinances of Hongkong, 1844-1923, Ordinance, 1923, and which have this day been laid before this Council for approval, be approved."
He said―This, Sir, is one of the formal steps necessary in order to bring into force the new edition of the Ordinances which has been in course of
preparation for some time. The approval of this Council, which I assume, will be notified by a proclamation issued by you, Sir, after this meeting. The effect of that proclamation will be that the new edition of the Ordinances will, beginning from to morrow, become the sole and only proper statute book of the Colony up to the date of the latest of the Ordinances contained therein. The same proclamation will also bring into force to-morrow the Law Revision Ordinance 1924, which contains a great mass of formal amendments which have already been worked into the new edition. In addition to that proclamation the Gazette to-morrow will contain two notifications relating to the new edition. One will be a list of points in the legislation of the current year which will have to be entered up in the volumes of the new edition in order to bring them up to date. The other notification will relate to additional marginal notes and footnotes which should be entered up in the volumes of the new edition and which will increase their utility. Copies of these two notifications will be supplied by the Government Printers with all the sets of the new edition. The price of the new edition will be $90. This is, of course, a large increase on the price of the present edition―Mr. Alabaster's excellent edition which we are using for the last time to-day―but since that edition was published the cost of everything has gone up, and, besides, the new edition contains a number of additional ordinances. I should like to explain that the $90 will be payable now when the sets of the ordinances are supplied. As a matter of fact, the volumes laid on the table to-day contain only the ordinances and their schedules. Another volume will contain the index, and the seventh volume will contain various Orders in Council, Proclamations, Imperial Acts and similar documents. These two additional volumes will be eventually supplied by the Government Printers to the purchasers of the new edition of the ordinances, and the $90 payable now will include these two volumes.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
HIS EXCELLENCY―I should like to add an expression of the appreciation of the care and skill which have been employed
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 79
by Mr. Dyer Ball in undertaking the publication of this new edition. A great amount of work has been involved and I am sure that those who study the volumes with care will agree that Mr. Dyer Ball has done extremely well. There is one member of this Council who is well aware of the immense amount of work involved in preparing such an edition of the Ordinances. I would ask that the Council authorise me to convey to Mr. Dyer Ball an expression of our appreciation of his work. (Applause.)
The motion was then put to the meeting and carried.
The Death of Mr. A. G. Stephen
H.E. THE GOVERNOR raising before the adjournment said: During the five years that I have had the honour of presiding over this Council I have had on too many occasions to call the attention of members to the deaths of members or ex-members of the Council, but I have never done so with such regret as I do in asking this Council to take notice of the death of my very dear friend Alexander Gordon Stephen. Mr. Stephen was only for a short while a member of this Council. He accepted appointment to the Council rather as a personal favour to myself, but after a short time he found it impossible to reconcile the work of the Council with his arduous work outside, and he asked my permission to resign the appointment. But for more than two years he was a very valuable member of my Executive Council. Mr. Stephen was a good councillor and a valuable citizen of this Colony; prominent in every part of its life. We shall miss him greatly, both as a member of the Council and as a member of our society. The loss is not confined to this Colony. Mr. Stephen, as Chief Manager of that great institution the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, has for years past employed his extensive powers in Hongkong and China in the best interests of British trade and of the British Empire and China, and I feel that the British Empire has suffered a very severe loss in his untimely death. He filled a prominent position in this Colony both in official and in social life. He was a prominent figure in every sport and every activity of this Colony and his place will, indeed, be hard to fill. From a more personal point of view I cannot trust myself to speak. He was one of my dearest friends and my constant companion, and those of us who had the privilege of enjoying his friendship knew how valuable a possession that was. He was a man of great breadth of mind, great erudition, generous and charitable, and in very way a fine character; a man with a big heart and a big brain. I feel that we have lost a man whom it
will be many years before we shall see replaced. I propose that the Clerk to the Councils be authorised to express to Mrs. Stephen and Mr. Stephen's family our deep sympathy in their loss and our appreciation of the services he rendered to this Colony and to British interests in the East.
HON. MR. HOLYOAK―Sir,―In all that has fallen from your Excellency's lips in connection with the terribly sudden and untimely death of our late colleague, Mr. A. G. Stephen, on behalf of the Unofficial Members of this Council, I desire most sincerely to associate myself. This Colony has lost a wise Councillor a distinguished Banker whose great reputation was deservedly International and World wide and whose wise counsel and mature judgment during the present political crisis and upheaval in China, will be sorely missed, and we, a colleague and friend, whom we loved and honoured.
HON. MR. R. H. KOTEWALL―Sir, In the name of the Chinese community, I respectfully and sincerely associate myself with the sentiments so feelingly expressed by your Excellency and the hon. member representing the General Chamber of Commerce.
Adjournment
H.E. THE GOVERNOR ― The Council will adjourn sine die.
——
FINANCE COMMITTEE
——
A meeting of the Finance Committee was afterwards held, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding.
Embossing Press
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $170 on account of the Imports and Exports Department, special expenditure, Embossing presses.
80 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN―The amount appearing in the Estimates for the purchase of an embossing press for stamping import and export declarations is $300. The cost of the press with the numbering attachment was £54, and it was considered desirable that this numbering attachment should be obtained. The sum of $170 is required to supplement the vote.
Approved.
Temporary Accommodation for Police
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $4,250 in aid of the vote Police Department, other charges, rent of stations.
THE CHAIRMAN―Owing to the reconstruction of No. 8 Police Station it is necessary to find temporary accommodation for the Indian and Chinese police stationed there, and this has been found in a new building in Hospital Road at a cost of $850 a month. The sum asked for is in respect of the period from August 1st to December 31st this year.
Approved.
No. 361, the Peak
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $36,000 on account of Miscellaneous Services, purchase of "The Bracket," No. 361, The Peak.
THE CHAIRMAN―The purchase of this house has already been approved by the Committee.
Approved.
A Police Vote
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $3,880 in aid of the vote Police Department, personal emoluments.
THE CHAIRMAN ―This sum of $3,880 is required in order to give some extra allowance to the Wei Hai Wei Police. The Captain Superintendent of Police has gone into the subject very carefully and recommended the extra allowance.
The Chairman furnished the Committee with detailed explanations and the vote was approved.
Construction of a Dump
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $5,000 on account of Public Works, Extraordinary, Hongkong, miscellaneous, construction of a dump for surplus material at Wanchai Gap.
THE CHAIRMAN ― This has already been approved by the Finance Committee.
G.P.O. Motor Van
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,650 on account of Post Office, special expenditure, motor mail van.
THE CHAIRMAN―The total cost of this-van was $7,637.26 of which $5,987.46 was paid last year. The balance of $1,649.80 was made up of freight to Hongkong $598.35; Kowloon-Canton Railway for building the body, $1,039.45; Holt's wharf charges, $12.
Approved.
Public Works Vote
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,489,700 in aid of the following votes:―
Public Works, Recurrent:
HONGKONG
Buildings, 1, maintenance of
buildings ........................................ $ 55,000 Buildings, 2, improvements to
buildings ........................................ 12,500 Communications, 6, maintenance
of roads and bridges outside city . 20,000 Miscellaneous, 18, typhoon and
rainstorm damages ....................... 250,000 KOWLOON
Buildings, 26, mintenance of
buildings ........................................ 15,000 Buildings, 27, improvements to
buildings ........................................ 10,000 Communications, 30 maintenance
of telephones ................................. 1,000 Miscellaneous, 38, typhoon and
rainstorm damages ....................... 15,000
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 81
NEW TERRITORIES
Buildings, 42, improvements to
buildings ....................................... 5,000 Communications, 43, maintenance
of roads and bridges .................... 20,000 Miscellaneous, 49, typhoon and
rainstorm damages ...................... 20,000 Waterworks, 52, maintenance of
Taipo Waterworks ....................... 200 Public Works, Extraordinary:
HONGKONG
Communication, 31 (c) Roads:
Extending 20-foot road from
Magazine Gap to Victoria Gap .... 15,000 Miscellaneous, 49, Miscellaneous
works .............................................. 30,000 Public Health and Buildings
Ordinance, 1903, 50,
compensation and resumptions ... 960,000 Waterworks, 58, New workshops
.......................................................... 4,000 Waterworks, 68, miscellaneous
waterworks .................................... 19,000 KOWLOON
Miscellaneous, 103, miscellaneous
works ............................................ 8,000 NEW TERRITORIES
Public Health and Buildings
Ordinance, 1903, 135,
compensation and resumptions 30,000 ————
Total ................................ $1,489,700
————
THE CHAIRMAN―These large extra sums have already been before the Finance Committee and have been approved. I think I need only refer to the very large sum required for compensation for resumption and state that most of these resumptions are of lots required in connection with the new lay out of the Morrison Hill area.
Approval.
Public Works Vote
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $139,890 on account of the following votes: ―
Public Works, New Works:―
Erection of sheds for 60 Chinese
and 60 Indian Police on Berlin
Mission Compound, Hospital
Road .............................................. $ 10,000 Alterations to Tramways between
Ice House Street and Causeway
Bay ................................................ 7,890
Improvements to the junction of
Gascoigne and Nathan Roads,
Kowloon, cutting away the hill .. 122,000 ————
Total ................................ $139,890
THE CHAIRMAN ― This has already been approved by the Finance Committee. The erection of sheds at a cost of $40,000 has been before the Committee. It is not only to house Chinese and Indian police who were displaced while No. 8 Police Station is being reconstructed, but for a number of other police for whom there is no accommodation in the City. They will eventually be housed permanently when the buildings in the Berlin Mission Compound are reconstructed. These sheds which are being put up now will be quite good for some years. The other items have approved by the Committee.
Approved.
A Cattle Shipment Experiment
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $1,660 in aid of the vote Miscellaneous Services, Other Miscellaneous Services.
THE CHAIRMAN―This is in respect of a shipment of cattle from Australia which was in the nature of an experiment. Unfortunately from various causes this first shipment resulted in considerable loss to the promoters. The cattle came from Northern Territory of Australia and the ship by which they came was not only delayed by very bad weather but also instead of coming to Hongkong direct, went to various other ports to collect cargo and the result was that when the cattle arrived at Aberdeen Docks they were in very poor condition and being absolutely wild had to be put into a stockade, and the ship herself had to go into dock which was not expected. The Government, in view of the importance of this experiment, and in the hope that
82 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
future shipments of cattle will be made with a view to reducing the price of beef locally, propose to pay the docking charges $806 and also the cost of erecting a stockade and some other expenses, amounting to $850, making a total of $1,660.
Approved.
A Rescue Tug
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of $110,000 on account of
Harbour Master's Department, Special Expenditure, Building of a Rescue Tug.
THE CHAIRMAN―A tender for this tug has been accepted by the Government and the amount estimated to be required this year is $110,000. Delivery of the tug is guaranteed by the successful tenderers in ten months' time from receipt of the order.
Approved.
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