HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 37
OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
Meeting of 25th January, 1956.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (PRESIDENT)
SIR ALEXANDER WILLIAM GEORGE HERDER GRANTHAM, G.C.M.G. HIS EXCELLENCY THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL WILLIAM HENRY STRATTON, C.B., C.V.O., C.B.E., D.S.O. THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR. EDGEWORTH BERESFORD DAVID, C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR. ARTHUR HOOTON, Q.C. (Acting).
THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS
MR. BRIAN CHARLES KEITH HAWKINS, C.M.G., O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MR.ARTHUR GRENFELL CLARKE, C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE THEODORE LOUIS BOWRING, C.M.G., O.B.E.
(Director of Public Works).
THE HONOURABLE DOUGLAS JAMES SMYTH CROZIER
(Director of Education).
DR. THE HONOURABLE YEO KOK CHEANG, C.M.G.
(Director of Medical and Health Services).
THE HONOURABLE DAVID RONALD HOLMES, M.B.E., M.C.
(Director of Urban Services).
DR. THE HONOURABLE CHAU SIK NIN, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE LO MAN WAI, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE DHUN JEHANGIR RUTTONJEE.
THE HONOURABLE CEDRIC BLAKER, M.C., E.D.
THE HONOURABLE KWOK CHAN, O.B.E.
DR. THE HONOURABLE ALBERTO MARIA RODRIGUES, M.B.E., E.D. MR. ROBERT WILLIAM PRIMROSE (Deputy Clerk of Councils).
ABSENT:
THE HONOURABLE CHARLES EDWARD MICHAEL TERRY, O.B.E. THE HONOURABLE NGAN SHING-KWAN, O.B.E.
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MINUTES.
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 11th January, 1956, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers: —
Subject.
Sessional Papers, 1956: —
No. 3—Annual Report by the Commissioner of Labour for the year 1954/55.
No. 4—Annual Report by the Accountant General for the year 1954/55.
No. 5—Annual Report by the Director of Audit for the year 1954/55 (together with copy of the despatch No. 2102 of 24th December, 1955.)
Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1953.
Special Report in accordance with section 115(1).
TELEPHONE ORDINANCE, 1951.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution: —
Resolved in accordance with subsection (2) of section 29 of the Telephone Ordinance, 1951, that as from the 1st day of February, 1956, the Schedule to the said Ordinance be amended by the deletion of the whole of item 2 of Part V of the said Schedule and the substitution therefor of the following—
“2. For every junction call between areas served by Fanling, Yuen Long, Ting Kau and Castle Peak Exchanges and Hong Kong and Kowloon of three minutes or part thereof
40¢, and for each additional three minutes or part thereof, 40¢. ”.
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He said: Sir, the Telephone Company has recently established new telephone exchanges at Ting Kau and at Castle Peak. It is proposed to open them on 1st February and to apply to calls through these exchanges the same charges as are now made at the Fanting and Un Long exchanges. It will be noticed that instead of merely adding the names of the new exchanges to the existing item in the Schedule to the Ordinance the course has been adopted of replacing the whole of Item 2. The reason for this is merely to correct a printing error which is apparent on page 129 of the Ordinances for 1951.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
URBAN COUNCIL (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1956.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955.”
MR. D. R. HOLMES seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Second time.
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Clauses 1 to 4 were agreed to.
Clause 5.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY: —Sir, I beg to move the amendments to this clause which have been circulated to honourable Members.
Proposed Amendments.
(i) In subsection (2) of the new section 5 leave out the words and figures “subsection (5)” and substitute the following—
“subsections (5) and (6)”.
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(ii) In subsection (5) of the new section 5 leave out the words "two members" and substitute the following—
“one member”.
(iii) In subsection (6) of the new section 5 leave out the words "two" and substitute the following—
"three".
Clause 5, as amended, was agreed to.
Clauses 6 to 10 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY reported that the Urban Council (Amendment) Bill, 1956 had passed through Committee with amendments, and moved the Third reading.
MR. D. R. HOLMES seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed.
GAMBLING (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1956.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Gambling Ordinance, Chapter 148."
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Second time.
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Clauses 1 to 3 were agreed to.
Clause 4.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY: —Sir, I beg to move the amendments to this clause which have been circulated to honourable Members.
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Proposed Amendments.
(i) In subsection (1) of the new section 11A leave out the words "in respect of such place" and substitute the following—
“authorizing such use”.
(ii) In subsection (2) of the new section 11A insert after the word "purpose" the following—
"of providing facilities for playing therein of any game or games".
Clause 4, as amended, was agreed to.
Clauses 5 to 7 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY reported that the Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 1956 had passed through Committee with amendments, and moved the Third reading.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed.
WATERWORKS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1956.
MR. T. L. BOWRING moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Waterworks Ordinance, Chapter 102".
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Second time.
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Clauses 1 to 4 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
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MR. T. L. BOWRING reported that the Waterworks (Amendment) Bill, 1956 had passed through Committee without amendment, and moved the Third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time mid passed.
THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND
INCORPORATION BILL, 1956.
MR. LO MAN WAI moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to provide for the incorporation of the members of The Hong Kong Society for the Blind."
DR. A. M. RODRIGUES seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Second time.
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Clauses 1 to 11 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
MR. LO MAN WAI reported that The Hong Kong Society for the Blind Incorporation Bill, 1956 had passed through Committee without amendment, and moved the Third reading.
DR. A. M. RODRIGUES seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed.
ADJOURNMENT.
H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —That concludes the business, gentlemen. When is it your pleasure that we should meet again?
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL: —I suggest this day four weeks, sir.
H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —Council will adjourn to this day four weeks.