ALHAMBRA
NATHAN RD, KOWLOON DAILY AT 2,30-520-220 & 9,30
SHOWING TO-DAY
A Broadway Stage Hit Hits the Screen! Ginger and Doug in the roles that made folks howl.
GINGER
DOUGLAS
ROGERS FAIRBANKS JĮ.
Havinganderful
Time
Peggy Conklin, Lucille Ball,
Lec Bowman, Richard (Red) Skelton, Ann Miller, Donald Meek
RKO RADIO PICTURE Directed by Alfred Santelt. A Pandro S. Berman Production. Screen ploy by Arthur Kóber from the play as produced by Marc Connelly.
— ADDED ATTRACTION Walt Disney's Latest Silly Symphony "WYNKEN, BLYNKEN & NOD"
NEXT CHANGE
RKO Picture
Richard Dix
Chester Morris
"SKY GIANT”
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BEFORE
Steradent
HIGO. TRADE MARK
TERUISES
THE CHINA MAIL,
MBER 15, 1938.
THON. MR. M.K. LO ATTACKS GOVERNMENT'S NEW WATER FINANCE SCHEME
THE HON. MR. M. K. LO RECORDED HIS VOTE AGAINST THE NEW WATERWORKS BILL WHICH WAS SUBMITTED. TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR A SECOND READING THIS AFTERNOON. IN THE COURSE OF A LENGTHY SPEECH, MR. LO CRITICISED THE PROPOSALS, CONTENDED THAT THE COLONY WAS BEING HEAVILY OVERCHARGED FOR WATER, AND QUOTED FIGURES SHOWING A PAPER PROFIT OF $15,000,000 IN FIFTEEN YEARS.
Mr. M. K. Lo said: Your Excel-free allowance the Peak charges, as lency: Our reaction to Government's compared with the existing charges. solution of the Water problem must de-are to be reduced by 40 cents per thou pend upon our point of view as to the sand gallons, the rest of the Colony by history of this problem. If we con-17% cents, and the Upper Levels by sider that the water charges have been 7 cents only! On the face of it T unreasonably low, and that the consum- cannot see how these new charges can er has not shouldered his fair share of be fair if the old relative rates were the financial burden of water supply, not inequitable. I do not say that the then, we should accept Government's Peak charges are not high enough; I proposals, if not with enthusiasm, at suggest that the rates for the rest of least with resignation. But this, Sir, the Colony are not low enough, and I 13.not the view of those I have the do say that the modifications of the honour to represent. I cannot per- relative rates are inequitable. I un- suade myself that it is the view of any derstand that the official answer is that considerable section of the community, the old charges of $1.00 for the Peak, or. indeed, that it is the view of any- and 50 cents for the Upper Levels, less one but the Water Authority!
15 per cent., mean nothing in practice Our view is that the charges for because consumers in these
districts water supply in the Colony have for are, as a whole, always within their years been excessive, and have occa-free allowance, and so never had to sioned hardship and dissatisfaction in pay any excess charges. But I fail to the community. A casual perusal of see how the assumption that the Peak the Hansard Reports for the past few and Upper Level residents do not ex- years will show that this subject has ceed their free allowance can affect the... formed anxious representations by va-point of my criticism, since the old rious Honourable members of this rates were rates which they would Council.
have to pay if they did exceed the EXCESSIVE CHARGES
free allowance. But though in this, as In the Budget Debates for the past in so many other matters regarding the two years, in which I had the honour question of water supply, the public is to take part,
endeavoured to express totally in the dark as regards figures the dissatisfaction of those whom I supporting this contention I, for one, represent against the excessive water cannot accept this assumption.
The charges. And it will be recalled that Economic Commission's Report stated in the Report of the Economic Com- that in 1933 it was estimated that 82 mission, published in February, 1935. per cent of the metered properties did the Commissioners expressed the view not exceed their valution allowance, that existing charges for water "may and I should like to know whether this be fairly described as unreasonably percentage still holds good and, if so, high-clearly some relief here is over-whether the properties affected are due."
wholly situated within the Peak and Such being the position, it is neither Upper Level districts. surprising that Government's proposals This, as I have said, is only a minor as contained in the Financial Secre- point. The substantial questionis tary's original memorandum should be whether the public has to pay under a great disappointment to the Chinese the new scheme more than under the community. nor that this disappoint-existing system. If the former, the ment should not have been removed by present scheme is not an alleviation the subsequent modifications of such but a burden. proposals.
POOR'S CONTRIBUTION
For, on a critical analysis, and des- It is suggested that the poor in the pite their attractive appearance, what Colony will pay less since, although do these "modifications" in truth free allowance has been abolished, they amount to? They amount to this: will pay at the rate of 25 cents per 1. That the Financial Secretary had thousand gallons from the first gallon, in his original estimate of expenditure instead of 42% cents for excess water. erroneously included a sum of $202,- But it seems clear to me that unless 160.00 for Military Contribution on the the consumption in relation to any par-
of interest payable in respect the ticular assessed premises is very great- $14,000,000.00 Loan, and that as in factly in excess of the free allowance, the no Military Contribution was payable old rates are much more favourable. in respect of the interest on this. Loan, The free allowance is based on 40 cents It was decided that this surcharge per thousand gallons: it is obvious that should be utilised towards the reduc-in order to make the difference of 15 tion of 5 cents per unit for domestic cents per thousand gallons count in supplies, and
favour of the consumer, the amount 2. That the 2 per cent. on "pastort gallons consumed in excess of the capital expenditure out of General Re-free allowance allowed must be very venue" should now be used to build up considerable. The inescapable fact re- a Renewals Fund.'
mains that out of the 68 per cent. con- ACCOUNTING ERROR
sumers who do exceed the free allow The first "modification” is of course ance, all whose excess consumption is at a. mere correction of an accounting a rate insufficient to neutralise the: ef- error; the second “modification", as I fect of free allowance must pay more" hope to show later in the course of under the new scheme.
my remarks, leaves entirely unanswer- I therefore submit that, on the whole, ed the objections raised against the it is more than likely that the con. original proposal. Although it is of sumer will pay more under the new ficially stated that "the proposals in scheme than he has been paying under the Financial Secretary's memorandum the old. published last April have been con- MATTER OF PRINCIPLE sidered in the light of the comments But this question, though important made on them by the District Watch on - the merits of the scheme, is Committee, the Chinese Chamber of not really fundamental; because Commerce and other bodies and in the once we accept, as I do, the principle Press", the truth of the matter is that that the consumer should pay for all all the "comments"-at all events by current water charges, the question the District Watch Committee and the must assume a new form, not whether Chinese Chamber of Commerce-have the new charges are higher than the been entirely ignored by Government. old, but whether the new charges need In setting out our objections to some be so high on the figures presented, of these proposals I deal first with a and on the assumption that the con- minor point, namely, the relative rates sumer has to foot the bill. I propose
On the abolition of free allowance, to deal with this question, but before· the present charges, the new charges, doing so I wish to dispose of one point, and the difference between them, for as to which I find myself in acute dis- the different localities, are as follows:-- Lagreement with the views of my Hon-:
Present New
Differ- Löurable friend the Financial Secretary, Charges. Charges
46с.
Peak
ETH
81 Less 15%86c. Rest of the
Jony - 500, Upp
ence.
400,
In recommending to Government that the existing 2 per centrate which has always been regarded · by Government, as well as by the com.... munity, as a payment for a supply of water at the rate of 40 cents per thou- sand gallons up to a prescribed limit of supply should be retained, but that the equivalent free supply should be
Continued on Page 18)