HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 165
22nd December, 1927.
PRESENT:―
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR CECIL CLEMENTI, K.C.M.G.).
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS (MAJOR-GENERAL C. C. LUARD, C.B., C.M.G.).
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY (HON. MR. E. R. HALLIFAX, C.M.G., C.B.E.).
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (HON. SIR JOSEPH HORSFORD KEMP, KT., K.C., C.B.E.). THE COLONIAL TREASURER (HON. MR. C. MCI. MESSER, O.B.E.).
HON. MR. E. D. C. WOLFE (Captain Superintendent of Police).
HON. MR. R. A. C. NORTH (Secretary for Chinese Affairs).
HON. SIR SHOU-SON CHOW, KT.
HON. MR. R. H. KOTEWALL, C.M.G., LL.D.
HON. MR. D. G. M. BERNARD.
HON. MR. A. C. HYNES.
HON. MR. J. OWEN HUGHES.
HON. MR. W. E. L. SHENTON.
MR. D. W. TRATMAN (Clerk of Councils).
ABSENT:―
HON. MR. H. T. JACKMAN (Director of Public Works).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Council were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. The Governor, laid upon the table the following papers:―
Order under section 4 of the Societies Ordinance, 1920, on 15th December, 1927. Aberdeen Valley Catchment Area Development (Sessional Paper No. 10 of 1927).
HON. MR. W. E. L. SHENTON―May I ask if the paper on the Aberdeen Valley Catchment area is the Sessional paper for which we have been waiting, or will there be a further Sessional paper on the subject of the water supply?
H.E. THE GOVERNOR―There will be a further sessional paper later on.
166 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. The Governor, laid upon the table the report of the Finance Committee No. 16 dated December 15th and moved that it be adopted.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.
NEWSPAPER ORDINANCE.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to regulate the printing of newspapers and the keeping and use of printing presses."
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.
Council went into committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. No amendment was made in Committee and upon Council resuming,
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
PRISONS ORDINANCE.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend the Prisons Ordinance, 1899."
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.
Council went into committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. No amendment was made in committee, and upon Council resuming,
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
VOLUNTEER ORDINANCE.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend further the Volunteer Ordinance, 1920."
H.E. THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.
Council went into committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. No amendment was made in committee and upon Council resuming,
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading.
H.E. THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 167
RAILWAYS ORDINANCE.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend the Railways Ordinance, 1909."
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.
Council went into committee to consider the Bill clause by clause, No amendment was made in committee and upon Council resuming,
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
ADJOURNMENT.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR―We are now approaching the end of the year, and I think it will be convenient to have one more meeting of Council before the year closes. As the business will be mainly financial, it would be best to have a meeting of the Finance Committee before the Council. I propose, therefore, that the Council be adjourned until Friday, the 30th inst., at 2.30 p.m.
This was agreed to.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee followed, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding.
The votes for supplementary expenditure, totalling $96,509 detailed in H.E. The Governor's message No. 17 to the Finance Committee, were considered.
Item No. 143: Miscellaneous Services: Transport of Government Servants―$50,000.
HON. MR. J. OWEN HUGHES―How is it that the expenditure under this heading is so far from the original estimate. The margin of error is twenty-five per cent. Who is responsible?
THE COLONIAL TREASURER―I think the fault lies with the number of children for whom we very often have to provide passages.
THE CHAIRMAN―It is extraordinarily difficult to make an exact estimate in a matter of this kind.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER―Extra passages have no doubt been due to the alteration in leave regulations which entitles a Government servant to take leave after four years' service instead of after four and a half years.
168 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
Item 144. Miscellaneous Services: Stationery―$12,000.
HON. MR. W. E. L. SHENTON―I should like to draw attention to the increased cost of stationery. In 1926 it was a little over $50,000. This year it will be $72,000, an addition of $22,000 or more than thirty per cent. No explanation is given of why there has been such a very considerable rise in the cost.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER―A great deal more printing is now being done in the gaol than formerly. The gaol now does practically all Government printing. The cost of paper, which appears under stationery account, goes up, and the charges for printing go down. Also the requirements of the Colonial Secretariat, which supplies all departments with stationery, were greater this year.
HON. MR. W. E. L. SHENTON―Printing is not included in stationery.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER―No.
HON. MR. W. E. L. SHENTON―The printing is done in gaol and therefore larger purchases of paper are required. There should be a considerable saving then on the printing vote.
THE CHAIRMAN―Every effort is made in the Government service to economise in stationery. A good deal of the money is really in suspense account. The stationery has to be purchased so that we may have it in stock when printing is required.