HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 349
OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting of 10th October, 1956.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (PRESIDENT) MR. EDGEWORTH BERESFORD DAVID, C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR. CLAUDE BRAMALL BURGESS, O.B.E. (Acting).
THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR. ARTHUR RIDEHALGH, Q.C.
THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS
MR. BRIAN CHARLES KEITH HAWKINS, C.M.G., O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THEODORE LOUIS BOWRING, C.M.G., O.B.E.
(Director of Public Works).
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., E.D.
(Director of Urban Services).
THE HONOURABLE PATRICK CARDINALL MASON SEDGWICK
(Commissioner of Labour).
DR. THE HONOURABLE CHAU SIK NIN, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE CHARLES EDWARD MICHAEL TERRY, O.B.E. THE HONOURABLE LO MAN WAI, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE NGAN SHING-KWAN, O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE DHUN JEHANGIR RUTTONJEE.
THE HONOURABLE CEDRIC BLAKER, M.G., E.D.
THE HONOURABLE KWOK CHAN, O.B.E.
DR. THE HONOURABLE ALBERTO MARIA RODRIGUES, M.B.E., E.D. MR. RONALD THOMPSON (Deputy Clerk of Councils).
ABSENT:
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 FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MR. ARTHUR GRENFELL CLARKE, C.M.G.
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MINUTES.
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 26th September, 1956 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid upon the table the following papers: — Subject. G.N. No.
Sessional Paper, 1956: —
No. 23—Annual Report by the Director, Royal Observatory
for the year 1955/56.
Public Services Commission Ordinance.
Public Services Commission (Amendment) Regulations,
1956 ....................................... ....................................... A. 91.
Tramway Ordinance.
Prevention of Nuisances and Regulation of Travelling
(Amendment) Rules, 1956 ....................................... ..... A. 93.
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
(SUMMARY OFFENCES) ORDINANCE, 1955.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the following resolution: —
Resolved, pursuant to section 11 of the Administration of Justice (Summary Offences) Ordinance, 1955, that the duration of the said Ordinance be extended for the term of one year with effect from the 28th October, 1956.
He said: Sir, I rise to move the resolution standing in my name, which is designed to extend the life of the Administration of Justice (Summary Offences) Ordinance, 1955 for a further year. This Ordinance which came into operation on 28th October last year provides that in the case of certain minor offences a person upon whom a summons in a specified form has been served may plead guilty and pay the fine stipulated by the Ordinance, without appearing before a magistrate. This procedure was until quite recently available in relation to four minor traffic offences only and those which were specified in the Schedule to the Ordinance.
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In introducing the Bill to this Council Mr. Hooton, then Acting Attorney General, described it as being of an experimental nature and went on to say that after a trial period consideration would be given to extending the procedure to include other offences. I think that on this occasion I need only say that the experiment has worked and that the Ordinance has more than justified its enactment. The Governor in Council has recently by order amended the Schedule by adding thereto six other minor offences for which the procedure under the Ordinance is now available.
I think that there is every reason to suppose that members of the public will continue to avail themselves of this procedure, which saves their own time and trouble and also that of the Magistrates Courts. In these circumstances, Sir, I beg to move the resolution.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
PUBLIC SERVICES COMMISSION (AMENDMENT)
BILL, 1956.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the First reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Public Services Commission Ordinance, Chapter 93."
He said: Sir, the Review of Professional, Administrative and Superscale Salaries conducted by Mr. Godsall earlier in the year recommended the insertion of a new class of Cadet Officer between the existing Classes I and II. Mr. Grodsall further recommended that, following the system of nomenclature adopted in other Colonies, the most senior subdivision of the Cadet Officer Grade should be renamed Staff Grade, that the new class should become Class I and the most junior class, Class II.
Mr. Godsall's recommendations were accepted. It was the intention when the Public Services Commission Ordinance Chapter 93 was framed that the most senior class of the Cadet Grade should be excluded from the provisions of subsection (2) of Section 6 of the Ordinance. That is still the intention. But
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consequent upon the change of title of this class it is necessary that the First Schedule to the Ordinance should be amended with effect from the date of the acceptance of Mr. Godsall's Report. That is the sole purpose of the Bill now before Council.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a First time.
Objects and Reasons.
The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows: —
In accordance with the recommendation of the Report on the Review of Professional Administrative and Superscale Salaries, 1956, the title of “Cadet Officer, Class I” has been changed by order under subsection (10) of section 3 of the Interpretation Ordinance, Chapter I, to "Cadet Officer, Staff Grade" and a new class of Cadet Officer “Cadet Officer, Class I” has been created. It is not proposed that the provisions of subsection (2) of section 6 of the Public Services Commission Ordinance should apply to this new class and this Bill seeks to make the necessary amendment to the First Schedule, retrospectively to the date of acceptance of the Report.
MISCELLANEOUS LICENCES
(AMENDMENT) BILL, 1956.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance further to amend the Miscellaneous Licences Ordinance, Chapter 114."
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.
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Clause 1 was agreed to.
Clause 2.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL: —Sir, I beg to move the amendment standing in my name, the purpose of which is explained on the paper before honourable Members.
Proposed Amendment
2. Leave out all the words after the words "or thing placed thereon," in the definition of the expression "automatic machine" and substitute therefor the following—
“or of producing for sale any article to the value of a coin to be inserted therein;”.
Clause 2, as amended, was agreed to.
Clause 3 was agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Miscellaneous Licences (Amendment) Bill, 1956 had passed through Committee with one amendment and moved the Third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed.
ADJOURNMENT.
H. E. THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT: —That concludes our business for today gentlemen. When is it your pleasure that we should meet again?
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL: —May I suggest this day fortnight?
H. E. THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT: —Council will adjourn to this day fortnight.