F
518
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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cer-
[December 30, 1901.
The motion on being put to the Council, was carried unanimously.
State for the Colonies regarding the further first of next month, and that is one of the Civil reasons I wished to bring the matter before the grant of exchange compensation to
this Colony, subject to the Council to-day before the first of next month; servants of
cases, and I think it is better that we have the approval of the Legislative Council, be app: oved As a rule I disapprove of retrospection in such
I am quite of the same by this Conncil.” opinion as the senior unofficial member of the thing arranged before the date arrives. If it Council. I certainly think that in the third is the wish of the unofficial members that it be Hon. T. H.WHITEHEAD - In deference to what port of the world we should not pay our Civil postponed, I am entirely in their hands. servants in any worse ma ner than they are paid in Singapore, considering that this Colony has been said, I will not press my proposal. I have call no desire to stand in the way. Only before giving of Hongkong is the chief port of for all vessels coming East or going West; my vote on a question involving a very consider- and we expect, and have a right to expect, able outlay of money, I should have liked to that all our Civil servants should discharge have had an opportunity of fully considering corres- and discussing all the pros. and cons. My their duties in a faithful manner ponding to the importance of this Colony. sympath es are entirely with the resolution, but we expect faithful and long as an ordinary matter of business I should have And while
liked to have had an opportunity of going into service from Civil servants, we
our tainly should pay them sufficiently for their the matter, and discussing it in all its different
to oppose the wishes of the majority. faithful work. "Singapore, I believe, although phases and on its merits. Still I bave no desire it is a larger place than Hongkong, is in prosperity, in trade, and i › everything else, far behind Hongkong, and I believe the duties there of the Civil servants are not anything like so hard and important as we have for them here. So that in sanctioning this further grant in exchange compensation, we are doing nothing but justice to our Civil servants, and I for one, as representing the Chinese, numerous large tax-payers in the Colony, am quite of the opinion that their compensation should be increased. & further inducement, I think, in There is this way, that while they are on active service here they get the full compensation, and in their absence on leave they do not have any such advantage, so that there would be an inducement to work harder here and not go home on half- pay leave so frequently, We at all events, as colonists and inhabitants, get good service for the rate of pay. I propose this resolution just to the the opinion of my unofficial colleagu ne and I am quite ready to discuss the questiones; I only put this out as a feeler, so that we may all see what opinion will be expressed and whether we are unanimous in sanctioning this decision of the Secretary of State.
Hongkong. When I received that despatch I saw at once the position in which this Colony would be placed if the officials in the Straits were to be paid better than the corres- ponding positions were worth in Hongkong. Both Colonies are recruited, and will be re- öruited in the future, by cadets who go through the same examinations, and in accordance with their positions on the 1 st these cadet have the option of choosing where they go. Naturally, if we are the worst paid Colony in in the East, we must expect to got simply the remainder. The most successful will naturally choose the best paid position. I wrote in answer to that and I pointed out this to the Secretary of State and also that we find it extremely difficult to get recruits for our police, water police, and warders, or any position for which we want Europeans in this Colony. I pointed out further the position in which this would place Hongkong. Furthermore, I went into the question of the financial position of the Colony, and-I am speaking entirely to the unofficial members of this Council-I think it is unneces- sary for me to say anything upon that matter. Anybody who has seen the list of public com- panies, shares, and other matters which are within the cognisance of anybody who chooses to take the trouble to inquire, must see that the operations in this Colony are very much larger than in Singapore; and I think as far as I, after nearly three years' experience, can gather, the financial position of this Colony is as sound as that of any in the British Empire. I pointed out that, and in answer to that I received this telegram from the Secretary of State on the 12th": Refering to Despatch 443. I agree to proposed grant to Government officials additional exchange compensation, to begin the first of next month, on condition laid down in the case of the Straits, and subject to consent by the Legislative Council, who must be warned that more revenue may be required.” He pointed out in his de spatch that possibly very large votes would have to be taken as a consequence of a possible revisitation of the plague, also possibly as the result of the visits from the two experts coming out, and that it was right to put this before you. But that being so, I place the matter before you. Every official member except myself is interested in this and it is, I need hardly say, a matter upon which they can neither speak nor vote. The following are the number of people who would be affected. There would be on the whole a total of 311 public officials affected by this-135 in the police, 26 in the gaol, 17 in the Harbourmaster's Office, 27 under the Sanitary Board, 32 in the Public Works Department, 9 in the Colonial Secretary's Office, 10 in Queen's College, 24 in the Medical Department, etc. and the amount that will be necessary to pay that increased exchange compensation during their service in the Colony would be about These are $120,000 a year, as far as I can see. the facts-the only facts-I have and am able to place before you. My own view is that it would be very injurious to this Colony, if it were placed upon a basis of inferiority to the Straits Settlements and the Malay States, and further II may tell you that we have the greatest difficulty at the present moment with our present salaries in procuring men for the grol, the police, the water police and those small appointments for which Europeans are required. The Colonial Se- oretary has placed in my hands a letter from the senior unofficial member, Mr. Chater. He states that he is sorry at being unable to be present and adds:-"I am very strongly of opinion that our Civil Service here should not be placed in a worse position than the Service in Singapore, and I feel sure that the community That is all I would be of the same opinion.' have to say upon the subject, and I place it before you.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-I understand, sir, the unofficial nembers are chiefly concerned in this matter and that the official members will neither discuss nor vote.
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR-No, they
will not.
Hon. Dr. Ho Kar-With your leave, and in the absence of the senior unofficial member, I beg to propose a resolution in order that my unofficial colleagues may have an opportunity of discussing this question to-day.. The pro- position I have to make is as follows:--"That the decision of the Rt. Hon, the Secretary of
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Hon. J. J. BELL IRVING-I have much pleasure in seconding the proposition put before the Council. I heartily agree with what Dr. Ko Kai has said.
Hon. WEIA YUK-I beg to concur with all Dr. Ho Kai has said.
BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION. The ATTO NET-GENERAL-The first item Bill entitled an Ordinance in the orders of the day is the second reading of a to amend the Births and Deaths Regis- should tration Ordinance, 1896. There are one or two matters in this Bill which take more fully to consider before it is brought on, and as there is no great urgency in the matter I would ask you, sir, to postpone the second reading to some future occasion
This was agreed to. after it has been more fully discussed.
REGISTRATION OF EMIGRANTS. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL-As regards the next item, the third reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to further amend the Chinese Emigration Consolidation. Ordinauce, 1889, there are one or two slight alterations which think it would be desirable to make. I have read it over with the Harbour Master since my return and we have made some slight alterations.
The Council wen't into Committee on the
On resuming, Bill. and it was considered claus, by clause.
The Bill was read a third time and passed on ATTORNEY-GENERAL, the motion of the seconded by the HARBOUR MASTER.
The Council th n adjourned sine die.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately afterwards, the Hon. Colonial Secretary presiding.
Hon T. H. WHITEHEAD-I would certainly have seconded the proposal and my sympathies are entirely with the ivil servants. But, sir, I would like if this motion could be postponed until next meeting of the Council with the view of having an opportunty of going into the matter. This is the first, practically, I have
The Governor recommended the Council to heard of the motion. I did not know that it was to be brought forward to-day, and if it would make no difference I would like time to vote a sum of three hundred and thirty-nine give it full consideration. If your Excellencyd llars (8339) in aid of the vote of $15,200 for would give the unofficial members an oppor- unity of perusing the despatches which have passed I have no doubt at all that an unanimous vote could be some to.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-I quite understand the position of the hon. member. may tell you that I gave this at once to the senior unofficial member of the Council with a view to hi communicating with the other members. Unfortunately you were not here, being away at the time. Of course if it is the wish of the unofficial members that it should be postponed, I am in their hands. A to the despatches, they were confidential; I have said as much as I can regarding them, and I do not think I can make them public, because they were
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STEAM LAUNCHES.
Coa's, repairs, &c., to steam-launches," Har. bour Master's Department.
The CHAIRMAN-The Hon. Harbour Master, in applying for this vote, points out that the actual cost of repairs. etc., to the launches has exceeded the estimate by nearly $1,000. In
The recommendation was approved. order to meet this excess the vote is necessary.
SANITARY AND POLICE EXPENSE. The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of one thousand two hundred and
fifty-two dollars and fifty cents ($1,252 50) to
cover the cost of:-
13
pairs of wheels and axles complete
at $22.5 per pair, 24 pairs of cushion tyres at $40 per
pair,...
$292.50
960.00
confidential and mention some matters that perhaps it might be as well not to publish. I have no objection to show the hon. member the despatch if he wishes to see it. for the use of the Sanitary and Police Depart Perhaps that would be quite sufficient.
Hon. J. THURBURN-I quite concur with, what Dr. Ho Kai has said on every ground but especially on the ground that it is most undesirable
that our officials should
be
paid less than those of any other Colony. jon, sir, mentioned in your speech, As we would get the worst men. There is no question about that, and I think that is one of the strongest reasons why we should grant this increase. For my part, I have much pleasure in supporting it.
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR-I do not know whether I mentioned it, but the proposal is that this increase should take place from the
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ments.
Total, $1,252.50
The CHAIRMAN-The Medical Officer of
Health in his letter says that four ambulances for the removal of infectious cases to hospital have been built and are only waiting for wheels. I am sure all the members of committee will agree to this very desirable expenditure. The recommendation was approved.
PUBLIC WORKS.
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of nineteen thousand and two hundred dollars ($19,200) in aid of the following votes:
- Public Works, annually recurrent penditure.
ex-