12 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
10th March, 1937.
PRESENT:―
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR ANDREW CALDECOTT, K.C.M.G., C.B.E.).
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS (MAJOR GENERAL A. W. BARTHOLOMEW, C.B., C.M.G., C.B.E., D.S.O.).
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, (HON. MR. N. L. SMITH).
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (HON. MR. C. G. ALABASTER, O.B.E., K.C.). THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS (HON. MR. R. A. C. NORTH). THE COLONIAL TREASURER (HON. MR. E. TAYLOR, C.M.G.).
HON. DR. A. R. WELLINGTON, C.M.G., (Director of Medical Services). HON. MR. R. M. HENDERSON, (Director of Public Works).
HON. COMMANDER G. F. HOLE, R.N., (Retired) (Harbour Master).
HON. MR. T. H. KING, (Inspector General of Police).
HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK, KT., K.C., LL.D.
HON. MR. J. J. PATERSON.
HON. MR. T. N. CHAU.
HON. MR. M. K. LO.
HON. MR. S. H. DODWELL.
HON. MR. A. W. HUGHES.
HON. MR. LEO D'ALMADA E CASTRO, JNR.
HON. DR. LI SHU-FAN.
MR. A. G. CLARKE, (Deputy Clerk of Councils).
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 13
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.
PAPERS.
The Colonial Secretary, by command of H.E. the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers:―
Amendment made by the Governor in Council under section 42 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1899, Ordinance No. 10 of 1899, to Table M in the Schedule to that Ordinance, dated 3rd February, 1937.
Notification and declaration made by the Governor in Council under section 2 of the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance, 1936, Ordinance No. 7 of 1936, as amended by the Quanantine and Prevention of Disease Amendment Ordinance, 1936, Ordinance No. 54 of 1936, dated 5th February, 1937.
Amendments made by the Urban Council under section 2 of the Hawkers Ordinance, 1935, Ordinance No. 22 of 1935, to the by-laws under the heading "C. Licensed (stallholders) hawkers" set forth in the Schedule to that Ordinance, dated 5th January, 1937.
Notice to Aircraft Radio Operators―No. 1 of the year 1937, dated 1st February, 1937.
Rule made by the Inspector General of Police under Regulation 177 of the Regulations made by the Governor in Council under the provisions of the Vehicles and Traffic Regulation Ordinance, 1912, Ordinance No. 40 of 1912, controlling the length of cars parking in Pedder Street, dated 5th February, 1937.
Amendment to the Post Office Regulations made by the Governor in Council under section 3 of the Post Office Ordinance, 1926, Ordinance No. 7 of 1926, relating to rates of postage for the trans-Pacific Air Service, dated 10th February, 1937.
Brewery Regulations made by the Governor in Council under sections 34 and 88 of the Liquors Ordinance, 1931, Ordinance No. 36 of 1931, dated 10th February, 1937.
Amendment to the Post Office Regulations made by the Governor in Council under section 3 of the Post Office Ordinance, 1926, Ordinance No. 7 of 1926, relating to rates of postage via Pan American Airways, dated 18th February, 1937.
Rescission of the Order made by the Governor in council on the 21st December, 1936, under section 18 of the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance, 1936, Ordinance No. 7 of 1936, dated 18th February, 1937.
14 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
Amendment issued by the Governor with the approval of the Secretary of State for the Colonies pursuant to Royal Warrants dated the 23rd March, 1934, and the 1st November, 1935, respectively, to the Regulations as to the grant, forfeiture, restoration and other matters concerning the Colonial Police and Fire Brigades Long Service Medal, dated 19th February, 1937.
Notice to Aircraft Owners and Ground Engineers―No. 5 of the year 1937, dated 8th February, 1937.
Approval of the setting apart as an urn cemetery to be known as the Tsing Yi Urn Cemetery by the Governor in Council under section 6A (2) (a) of the New Territories Regulation Ordinance, 1910, Ordinance No. 34 of 1910, dated 23rd February, 1937.
Tsun Wan and its vicinity declared to be an urban area by the Governor in Council under section 49 (2) of the Rating Ordinance, 1901, Ordinance No. 6 of 1901, as enacted by the Rating Amendment Ordinance, 1935, Ordinance No. 10 of 1935, dated 26th February, 1937.
Direction made by the Governor in Council under section 7 of the Rating Ordinance, 1901, Ordinance No. 6 of 1901, to the District Officer, South, to make a valuation of the tenements in the urban area of Tsun Wan, dated 26th February, 1937.
The 1st day of June, 1937, fixed by the Governor in Council under section 49 (4) of the Rating Ordinance, 1901, Ordinance No. 6 of 1901, as enacted by the Rating Amendment Ordinance, 1935, Ordinance No. 10 of 1935, as the day from which rates shall be payable in respect of rateable tenements in the urban area of Tsun Wan, dated 26th February, 1937.
Rules made by the Governor in Council under section 4 (8) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1899, Ordinance No. 10 of 1899, relating to the conduct of examinations for certificates of competency as engineers in the Mercantile Marine, dated 27th February, 1937.
Temporary Regulations made by the Governor in Council under section 2 of the Lighting Control Ordinance, 1936, Ordinance No. 55 of 1936, dated 3rd March, 1937.
Proclamation No. 2.―Apportionment of Crown Rent in respect of Kowloon Inland Lots 404, 405 and 2081 from 5th February, 1937.
Sessional Papers, 1937:―
No. 1.―Report on an outbreak of shiga dysentery in Hong Kong by the Director of Medical Services.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 15
Administration Reports, 1936:―
Part II.―Law and Order:―
Report of the Official Receiver and Registrar of Trade Marks and Patents. QUESTIONS.
HON. MR. M. K. LO asked:―
Will Government be good enough to make a statement to this Council on the water question generally, dealing particularly with the reasons for having to resort to water restriction so soon after the completion of the Jubilee Reservoir? And if such reasons are related to either―
(a) the carrying capacity of the existing harbour pipes, or,
(b) the capacity of the filtering plant on the Island;
will Government state what is intended to be done in regard to either or both, as the case may be?
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied:―
The answer to this question is that a full Report on the Water Supply of Hong Kong was recently compiled by Mr. W. Woodward, B.SC., A.M.I.C.E., acting Executive Engineer of the Waterworks Maintenance Sub-Department. That report, together with covering minutes by the Executive Engineer in Charge of Waterworks and the Director of Public Works, has been circulated to Members of Executive Council and is now in course of being printed as a Sessional Paper to be laid on the table of this Council.
The reason for the recently imposed water restriction on the Island is twofold; in the first place the island reservoirs have been depleted by a prolonged drought and by exceptionally heavy consumption since the removal of restrictions in August last: in the second place the Shing Mun water can at present be brought only to the level of the Public Gardens Service Reservoir and can therefore only be used in a strip of the city below the hundred foot level between Kennedy Town on the West and Bowrington Canal on the East.
The capacity of the trans-harbour mains and of the filtration plant on the Island is not the cause of any present difficulty, but both these subjects afford problems for the future and will be found fully dealt with in the Sessional Paper now under preparation.
16 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. The Governor, laid upon the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 1) dated 3rd February, 1937, and moved that it be adopted.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.
MOTIONS.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.―I rise to move "That the amendment made by the Urban Council under section 5 of the Public Health (Food) Ordinance, 1935, to the by-laws under the heading 'Food Shops,' on the 16th day of February, 1937, be approved." He said: There are three new by-laws which replace two that were in the schedule in the Ordinance. The effect of these by-laws is that licences are required for the sale of food outside the marks, on the island of Hong Kong, the harbour, Kowloon and New Kowloon. Under the repealed By-Laws there were certain parts of the island, namely Stanley, Tytam and Sheko where no such licences were required. The charges in Article 2 are not raised but some of the places mentioned in the proviso have been deleted and the three places I have just mentioned― Stanley, Tytam and Sheko―had been added. The places which have been deleted are Chung Lung, Ma Shan Ha, Tsin Shui Ma Tau, and Fu Tau Fat, are all on the waterfront on this side.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and this was agreed to.
PENSIONS AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1937.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Pensions Ordinance, 1932."
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time. Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Upon Council resuming,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Bill had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
WATCHMEN AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1937.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Watchmen Ordinance, 1928."
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 17
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time. Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Upon Council resuming,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Bill had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the bill was read a third time and passed. ADJOURNMENT.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR.―Council stands adjourned sine die.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Following the Council, a meeting of the Finance Committee was held, the Colonial Secretary presiding.
Votes totalling $85,179, under Estimates 1936, and $24,152, under Estimates 1937, contained in Message No. 2 from H.E. The Governor were considered.
Item 113.―33, Public Works Recurrent:―Hong Kong, Sub-Head 6, Water Works, Item 3, Water Meters, Upkeep and Repairs, $10,000.
HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK.―I hope the Government or the Public Works Department will pay due attention to the stoppage of the waste at its source, that is the prevention of leaking taps.
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.―That is done at all times.
HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK.―I am certain through leaking taps we lose a lot of water.
HON. MR. PATERSON.―The fault is with the meter system. It is impossible to pin the waste on the individual.
THE CHAIRMAN.―The meters being by the house and not by the flat? I think it may be said, Mr. Henderson, that the question of an Anti-Waste Sub-Department was raised within the last fortnight by His Excellency the Governor and is being considered.
HON. MR. PATERSON.―I think all landlords do their best. They are in a rather difficult position.
HON. MR. CHAU.―They have no control over the tenants.
18 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
HON. MR. PATERSON.―True, there is a shortage of tenants these days and, if they make themselves obnoxious, they will not get any.
THE CHAIRMAN.―The Anti-Waste Department will be concerned with wastage at the meters and possible wastage in the mains.
HON. MR. LO.―I have never been able to understand why with all the resources and ingenuity, the P.W.D. do not import from England a type of tap which I have seen at the Y.M.C.A. It is really fool-proof and you have to exercise a lot of pressure to put the tap on.
HON. MR. PATERSON.―I do not think that would help. I have seen taps like that tied with string!
HON. MR. LO.―That is vicious waste.
HON. MR. PATERSON.―It is not entirely vicious. It is a difficult matter to fill a lot of buckets and keep one hand free for the tap.
HON. MR. HUGHES.―When you have a string of people filling buckets, everyone waits for the last man to turn the tap off, and there never seems to be a last man.
THE CHAIRMAN.―Mr. Lo was not referring to street fountains. You have statutory powers, Mr. Henderson, to control the type of taps in houses?
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.―I do not wish to start a discussion, but I do not think it would be satisfactory and it would be opposed by the Public.
THE CHAIRMAN.―Is this vote approved?
The vote was approved.
Item 5.―27, B,―Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force:―16, Up-Keep and Renewal of Mess Gear, $570.
HON. MR. PATERSON.―Sir, can you tell me what a "mess trap" is. My Honourable Friend on the left suggests it is a misprint for "mouse trap."
THE CHAIRMAN.―I have verified that myself. A mess-trap is a list of articles ranging from knives and forks to bowls, finger, which is part of the equipment of the officers concerned.
HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK.―Traps being short for trappings, apparently. All the votes were approved.