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Hon. Mr. GERSHON STEWART After the luminous and on prehensive review which we had all the pleasure of listening to from your Excellency on the first reading of the Estimates for the year 1906, it may per- haps appear somewhat unnecessary to say much more upon a subject which has been dealt with already in such a masterly and thorough manner. But as Mr. Shewan and I have been detailed off by the unofficial members to review the Government programme I ask your indul. gence while I give some ideas that occur to
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[September 23, 1905.
practice of always exacting the last cent when coincides with a great improvement in the piers are not worthy approaches to ever a piece of ground is wanted for a new public health, and we are naturally d sirous port which claims to be the third in the « industry. I know of one contemplated industry of utilising to the full the strong position we world. A spark from the funnel of a s'eam which it was seriously intended to start in are in at the present moment and doing launch was sufficient to remove the Ferry Canton on this account. In another case the everything in our power to wake up matshed in a few moments, a month or two ago, Company which had bought the ground from the leeway of the lean plague years.' and the gale we had on August 30, although a the Government and cleared it of squatters | Firstly and chiefly, the point in the Govern- little one, was sufficient to demolish the at its own expense was asked 124 times the ment programme which cals for adverse covering at Queen's Wharf. Luckily the shed original cost for a small piece it wanted for criticism is the cessation of work upon the at Blake Pier has stood althrough in a some- an extension for housing its workmen. Needless scheme of a gioster reservoir at Tylamtuk, what dilapidated state, and it would take but to say the ground was not bought, and the last which will, when completed, solve as far as it is little to dissipate that venerab'e relio. When time I saw it, it was still lying idle. In another possible for us to solve the question of a con. it is remembered how the sun pours down and case a concern was called to account for making start supply of water to the Island of Hongkong. | the rain als, on just and unjust alike I feel it a path to a piece of ground on the top This is of such pre-eminent importance to is not asking too much that the elaborate plans of a hill which it has bought from the the best interests of the colony that any delay for a proper approach to Blake Pier be extracted Government, although in what other way the is to be much deprecated. I trust sincerely from their official pigoon hole and the work men, not being birds, were supposed to get that the arrangements for pumping are proceeded with forthwith. If your Excellency there I have never understood. In a third being developed, to prevent as far as possible would further take the Clock Tower by the case it was attempted to bring a factory to book the wastage of good water running through hand and lead it down towards the water front, for having built a well within its curtilage. Tytam valley to the sea. There are thee and endow it with a large olean new face so that but this fell through because on being asked, the questions which I hope the Director of Public it could pass the time of day to every ship'in Government could not explain what the curtilage Works will answer when the estimates for his the harbour, a busy street would be relieved of was. With regard to the last item touched department come to be passed. (1) During the a long standing congestion and a consid rable upon by your Excellency, "Sport," I am quite last 5 years, how long during each year has the improvement would be effected. I note with in agreement with Mr. Kipling, and do not think whole Colony been on a constant water supply gratitude that the requirements for improved in this Colony it requires any encouragement. (2) What progress has been made with the rider typhoon shelter have your support and sympa. If our young men were but to serve their mains, and what saving does he estimate will thy; may good wishes soon be translated into misters as diligently as they serve their god ansus? (3) What amount of water is estimated action and it will be a joyful day to folks afloat Sport," we should not see the British slowly to carry on the new system of flashing sewers, when they see the foundation" stone of a new driven out of the trade of China by the hard-and will it be all fresh water? Cannot some of breakwater take its first plunge into the waters working German, the thrifty Japanese, and the those cataracts which go forming to the sea in of this storm-swept harbour (applause from Dr. untiring Chinaman. In trade and commerce wel weather on the north side of the island be Ho Kai). One of the smallestitems of expenditure to-day the race is to the man who gives himself in some degree impounded and harnessed to do is on page h5, the Ecclesiastical Vote, 83,800. entirely up to it, and who, like St. Paul, has put the work of flusbing drains? After six months' With regard to this, I respect the opinion of away childish things. We shall never regain dry weather in the spring it is trying to all of those who think there should be no state aid to our old position in the Far East by encouraging us to see quantities of good bath water and religion, although I do not hold that opinion our men to dream all day of polo ponies, cricket drinking water go gugling down the sewers. myself. Under i mitations I think it advisable matches, and boat races.
Those of us who lived through the drought and at times even necessary. That the item of 1902 and know the annual recurrenos appears at all in these estimates shows 'that of a short water supply on the upper levels the principle is accepted and, that being the case, can only view with regret any failure to it seems to me that we do not err on the side cope with this most irksome infiction. of generosity. Much work is done in visiting I have known parents paying large taxes to goals and hospitals and caring for the see their children playing unwashed. I have destitute and miserable by ministers of all known a high military officer stand and see bis denominations and the reward for these services house burnt down and all his treasures consumed appears to me entirely inadequate. With a before his eyes, helpless for want of water, when revenue of $7,000,000, and the principle of state every coolie in the town was enjoying a constant aid to religion admitted, the colony squares its and unlimited supply! I think it may fairly be conscience cheaply by devoting about one claimed that the attitude of the Executive sovereign per diem to services of this nature. It would be hardly right if the towards the water supply has been justly open This subject naturally makes one think of unofficial members, content as they are at the to criticism during the last 15 years. When destitutes and of the increase in that field of general position of affairs, passed this Bill in Tytam was finished they seemed to think that obarity which your Excellency desires us for silence and voted away $7,000,001 of public finality had been arrived at and that they could our own moral advancement to solve by money without comment of any sort. To say fold their hands and sit down for good and all. individual as opposed to public effort. I quite nothing might suggest two possibilities (I) that The supply into all houses in the town soon dissi-recognise the extreme inadvisability of making the unofficial members are no good-a p sai.pated this idea. and it is therefore with great things too easy for the unfortunats (who in bility I have more than once seen darkly regret that one sees any relaxation towards the many instances are the lazy and self indulgent). hinted at, or (2) that the administration has desired end of a large and constant water supply. At the same time it is bad policy to press a arrived at a state of perfection and is With a clean plague sheet, a happy state willing horse far, and the charitable would above criticism. As to the first, I am in too shared also in the city of Canton which has no appreciate stronger efforts on the part of the delicate a position to offer any opinion; and to Sanitary Board, the amount of $191,645 put Executive to protect them from the admit the second would be lamentable to us all, down for sanitary expenses seems enormous, increasing invasion from outside of the destitute for as things are ever changing in this restless Were it not for a reduction of $10,000 for and penniless European. Cases in plenty arise world, the next change which must come after disinfectants the total amount of this vote of ill-health and bid-luck amongst our own perfection is a step towards deca. I am glad wo ld exceed $500,00) in 906. If one
residents and without being niggardly it to say that there are imperfections enough in protests too loudly the bogey of the colonies is manifestly our first duty to take the Government programme to make one feel ruin and plague tearing rampant through assured that we still belong to a healthy and pro- the streets, is shaken before our eyes. It gressive body. The sum of $244,000 brought in is not an item therefore that non-expert under the heading of the Widows and Orphans people care to take a strong staud against. At Fund is one requiring some explanation. We the same time we may be pardoned for drawing have no figures of any sort on which to form an your Excellency's particular attention to this opinion as to this novel departure. It seems to great outlay of public funds, and we appeal be exempt from military contribution but how to you with your acki owledged grasp of detail that exemption is effected is not explained. If and capacity for organisation to ratisfy yourself a vote of this Council is sufficient to excuse that we get value for our money. It is difficult any item of revenue recived from the 20 per for anyone to feel assured that over 500 men can cent. lax, it is a precedent which will probably be fully employed in sanitary work at the present be freely availed of in the future. In addition time. he diminution of $25,000 in the anticipated to our own affairs it seems a large order that revenue from felling trees is very welcome to by a stroke of the pen taxpayers should be all of us who love our woodland scenery. While called upon to accept the resposibilities on the subject of trees I veuture to congrat. of a life insurance company. When the Billulate the Government on their scheme for explaining this item comes on for consideration planting the hills on the north side of the br we can then consider the details of the scheme.bour, and I hope to see the red topped hills of Meantime our only course is to vote solidly against the inclusion of the figures in the Estimates and so publicly state that we view the whole project with disfavour. Your Ex cellency will pardon me if I seem exacting as to demands for public work, but you will remem- ber that for ten solid years, from 1894 and onwards, all our spare money went towards plague is only now that we can undertake many useful works which
have been unavoidably held over. present budget. The immense increase in the opium revenue which, at times,
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care of those of our own household. For the earnest activity with which your Excellency has endeavoured to promote the Kowloon-Canton Railway the whole colony is grateful and we await with anxiety the result of the present negotiations at Peking upon the matter. Whatever the delay may be about these negotiations, I hope that your Excellency will pursue the policy of constructing that portion of the line lying within our own borders, for to seo it running will have a fine moral effect upon public opinion in South China and I am sanguine enough to believe that in many ways it would repay the outlay. (Applause). As far as my observation has served me the new territory has up to now grown little beyond what the inhabitants require for themselves. Give them a quick and ready accoss to the markets of Hongkong and Kowloon iuoluded in the programme and I bope that our New Territory, witu an perhaps wreathed with laurels. As the increase industrious and increasing population, rendered in trees means that so much less earth is washed possible by augum nted facilities for transport by rainstorms into the harbour and on the and communication, will sprin into new life. principle that prevention is always better than Under the influence of the skilful husbandman, enre, the more woods you have the less work active because of a good market at hand for his you will have to do when it comes to dredging poduce, then will many of our barren hillsrej vice the harbour are staproaches to the town from and bring forth trai un mony na blossom
still in condition and I lying waste will ere long see no provision for their improvement in the like the rose. Succeeding and blossom generations will share with us the benefit of anything done now; let us therefore, if need be, borrow to
The dilapidated masheds ornament the three chief