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OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
Meeting of 22nd April, 1959.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (PRESIDENT)
SIR ROBERT BROWN BLACK, K.C.M.G., O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR. EDMUND BRINSLEY TEESDALE, M.C. (Acting).
THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR. ARTHUR RIDEHALGH, Q.C.
THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS
MR. JOHN CRICHTON MCDOUALL.
THE HONOURABLETHE FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MR. ARTHUR GRENFELL CLARKE, C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE PATRICK CARDINALL MASON SEDGWICK
(Commissioner of Labour).
THE HONOURABLE ALLAN INGLIS
(Director of Public Works).
DR. THE HONOURABLE DAVID JAMES MASTERTON MACKENZIE, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Director of Medical and Health Services).
THE HONOURABLE COLIN GEORGE MERVYN MORRISON
(Director of Urban Services).
DR. THE HONOURABLE CHAU SIK NIN, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE NGAN SHING-KWAN, O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE KWOK CHAN, O.B.E.
DR. THE HONOURABLE ALBERTO MARIA RODRIGUES, M.B.E., E.D. THE HONOURABLE JOHN DOUGLAS CLAGUE, C.B.E., M.C., T.D.
MR. ANDREW MCDONALD CHAPMAN (Deputy Clerk of Councils).
ABSENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR EDRIC MONTAGUE BASTYAN, K.B.E., C.B THE HONOURABLE CHARLES EDWARD MICHAEL TERRY. O.B.E. THE HONOURABLE LO MAN WAI, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE HUGH DAVID MACEWEN BARTON, M.B.E.
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MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 8th April, 1959 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers: —
Subject. G.N. No.
Sessional Paper, 1959: —
No. 6—Annual Report by the Commissioner of Labour and
Commissioner of Mines for the year 1957/58.
Dutiable Commodities Ordinance.
Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Regulations, 1959 .......... A. 20.
Importation and Exportation Ordinance.
Notification under section 12 ..................................................... A. 21.
Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.
Poisons (Amendment) Regulations, 1959 ................................. A. 22.
Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.
Poisons List (Amendment) Regulations, 1959 .......................... A. 23.
Post Office Ordinance.
Post Office (Amendment) Regulations, 1959 ............................ A. 25.
SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 31ST DECEMBER, 1958.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution: —
Resolved that the Supplementary Provisions for the quarter ended 31st December, 1958, as set out in Schedule No. 3 of 1958/59, be approved.
He said: Sir, the total of supplementary provisions in this schedule for the third quarter of last year exceeds $17 millions, the largest individual item being one of $4,900,000 for redevelopment of the Kwong Wah Hospital. The total estimated cost of rebuilding the Kwong Wah Hospital over five years is $25 millions, and of this amount Government has undertaken to provide 80%. This figure of $4,900,000 represents Government's contribution towards the first stages of
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redevelopment. Your Excellency has already paid tribute to the public spirit of the Directors who have raised so much money towards the cost of this project.
$2½ millions are required for resettlement housing at Kwun Tong. This project is going ahead rather more quickly than was originally thought, and supplementary provision is necessary to enable the work to proceed. Another large item is $1,146,000 for collection and storage of sand. The demand for sand this year is running at more than 50% over last year's figures and this expenditure is, of course, more than offset by additional revenue. It is, Sir, a matter for some satisfaction that despite this great increase in demand, the Stores Department has, so far, been able to meet all requirements.
A million dollars is provided for the installation of salt water flushing systems. These are to be established in six different areas, mostly connected with resettlement. The only area where resettlement is not directly involved is at North Point where the land to the south of King's Road is hard rock. In this hard rock, it is not possible to sink wells, so that water for flushing has to come from the mains. We hope that the installation of salt water supplies will relieve the demand on the mains supply.
Many of the other items are of considerable interest, notably the supplementary provisions for the new prison for drug addicts at Tai Lam; an additional three-quarters of a million dollars for irrigation works in the New Territories; an additional quarter of a million dollars for local public works in the New Territories, and not far short of half a million dollars for reconstruction of the Clear Water Bay Road, following on its evacuation by the Army. A proportion of this cost has been reimbursed by the Military Authorities.
Sir, all the items in the Schedule have already passed Finance Committee and the covering approval of this Council is required.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
HOLIDAYS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1959.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the First reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the Holidays Ordinance, Chapter 149.”
He said: Sir, Her Majesty's Government recently announced that, with the agreement of other Commonwealth Governments and of the Empire Day Movement, it had been decided that Empire Day
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should henceforth be known as Commonwealth Day. This Bill is designed to make the same change in the Holidays Ordinance, under which the Day is a holiday for schools.
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: —
The Education Ordinance, 1913, was repealed and re-enacted in 1952. The purpose of clause 2 is to alter the date.
2. Clause 3 amends section 4 of the Holidays Ordinance to bring it into line with the change already made in the United Kingdom with the concurrence of other Commonwealth Governments.
RESETTLEMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1959.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Resettlement Ordinance, 1958."
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 3 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 1959 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 and passed.
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PUBLIC RECLAMATIONS AND WORKS (CHAI WAN, KWUN TONG BAY, CHEUNG SHA WAN
AND TSUEN WAN) BILL, 1959.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to validate undertakings for reclamation and other works over and upon unleased Crown foreshore and sea bed situate at Chai Wan, Kwun Tong Bay, Cheung Sha Wan and Tsuen Wan, and make provision for any claims for compensation arising either out of such works or out of works previously validated."
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 3, and the Schedule were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Public Reclamations and Works (Chai Wan, Kwun Tong Bay, Cheung Sha Wan and Tsuen Wan) Bill, 1959 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 and passed.
ADJOURNMENT.
H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —Gentlemen, that concludes the business for today. When is it your pleasure that we should meet again?
ATTORNEY GENERAL: —May I suggest this day two weeks?
H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —Council stands adjourned until this day two weeks.