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* [October 12, 1908.
instating that those most- deeply i received no intimation of the inoresso beyond a notification in the colum the "Government Gazette': Although – Your Excellency may not be aware of #zit, no better way could be devised of imparting information that it was desired should be com.
oon.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND On the subject of the Judiciary the opinion of the unofficial members is divided as regards the necessity for a third judge, but there is no division of opinion as regards the view that the state of the Colony's fluanos does not allow of the oreation of such an appointment at the present time. Under these circumstances we agree in viewing with favour the new arrangemented upon as little as possible. That ment announced by Your Excellency. I have estimates are unreliable is a well established to add on behalf of the Chamber of Com-fact, and that this Government does not belie merce that the arrangement highly re- the reputation will be fully confirmed by a commends itself to the Committee. These reference to the cost of the Kowloon Water are all the points upon which I have Works. It appears the original estimate was
and comment at this stage of the Bill. $835,quo,
that the revised estimate It only remains to refer to Your Excellency's is $1,194,600 of which $1,121,700 han interpretation of the signs of the times. been spent, and wo are asked to approve The reiterated belief that these all point he expenditure of a further sum of $44,000. towards a period of prosperity ran through in 1909. The expenditure of a very large your speech like a refrain. It is quite possible | sum ba a Typhoon Refuge is now to share this belief as regards the general trend templated part cost of which is to be of events in the wider world, and even borne by Shipping, and I think, Sir, it is not regards the Chins trade, and yet at the same unreasonable to ask that the Government give time to doubt whether this Colony is destined an assurance that $750,000 will be the maximum to benefit thereby to the extent that Your amɔant to be contributed by a special assessment Excellency anticipate. Your Excellency re-
on Light Dues. Your Excelleney referred to ferred with evident satisfaction to certain the new Magazine on Green Island, and I official reports and statistics which seemed to observe that it is estimated that it will increase show that Canton had been prospering during the revenue derived from storage on gun- the period in which we ia Hongkong powder by $5,000. In order to secure this heard nothing but talk of languishing increase it in proposed to terminate the markets. Some of as had already noted
lease of One Tree Island, and make the the fact as omincus If Manchester or
lesseds who have been tenanta of the Hamburg were to flourish, while Liver- Government for 25 years, nolens volens, pool or Bremen respectively dwindled, would transfer their stocks to Green Island, This the inhabitants of the latter ports have arbitrary action of the Government it appears reason to reflect with satisfaction on the cir to me, l a direct interference with private oumstance ? Without laying themselves open enterprise, and I would ask if your Excellency to the charge of andue pessimism they might cannot reconsider the decision. It is notios- judge that trade was going past them, that able that your Excellency made no reference to business was being done direct. Our circum- any possible means of retrenchment.
in the stances are not exactly parallel, but there is estimates before as the fall in exchange has enough similarity to make one ponder. Some under the heading Personal Emoluments ” observers think that Hongkong is in danger of necessitated tha provision of
less & losing its important position as a mart.
sam than $156,000. The rate of ls. 9d. on is an ugly foreboding. But its ugliness does
which this o louistion is based, will I trust prove not justify any one in simply turning away.
to be on the safe side, but we have seen lower The blindness of hope is proverbial, but optimism, exchange in the past, and it is by no means in finance at least, should keep open eyes. improbable that we may do so again. As our Optimism may, sometimes, father the fact revenue is a silver one, it is desirable that as far of prosperity. But, at least, through excess, as posible our expenditure should be in the same it as often begets adversity. Here in Hoog- currency, and it appears to me somewhat kong, if anywhere, the truth of that has of an anomaly that in say one year Wo been demonstrated, time and time again. should have to provide such a large sum Some of us, who realise how much this Colony as $156,000 for depreciation of the dollar I has suffered from the results of optimism carried am not conversant with the method adopted in to excess, view this badget with concern,
calculating personal emoluments, but I think it having regard to the extent to which the will be admitted that there must be some limit fature is relied upon to ameliorate present to the allowance to be made owing to a fall in conditions. We should have liked to see exchange. This Sir may prove a very important more evidence than it displays of a growing factor in the fature of the Colony, and is a disposition to set the Colony's financial house in matter worthy of your early and olose attention. order, lest the loog prophesied period of renewed prosperity should still lag. In saying these things, I am not actusted by any desire wantonly to tear in pieces the good hope apon which was mainly based Your Excellency's defence of this makeshift budget, but because I have felt bound to point out that there is another side to the pic- ture. And now having said so much in discharge of the unpleasant duty of critio, I have to add an expression of my most earnest desire that these and all sugh forebodings may be utterly falsified, and that, instead, Your Excellency's brighter forecast may be justified sad even triumphantly vindicated by the only logio that oan ultimately be relied upon to make the position clear--the infallible, illuminating logic of events
This
which, under the circumstances, it is perhaps undesirable to comment. Of course the railway will never be anything but an expensive toy until through communication is made to Canton and beyond. But even though it may only be as a railway to nowhere we welcome the prospect that the line to the frontier will be com pleted and opened for local traffe by March 1910. This prospect opens up the question of roads in the New Territory, for which we are glad to see some provision has been made. It is unnecessary to dwell on the stimulating influence of improved means of communication, apart from which the roads are needed to feed the railway. I am sorry that it has not been decided to build the more important roads, as for instance, that from Castle Peak to Ping Shan, wide enough to admit of wheeled traffic. I think that this decision requires reconsideration. The plan of making a narrow road with the intention of some day returning to widen it does not recommend itself either for efficiency or economy. In the long run it will prove more expensive and in the meantime communication between the villages will still be subject to pedestrian conditions, which do not make for rapid progress. It has been pointed out to me that the roads ought to be built strictly as feeders and that they should be commenced and pushed out from suitable places along the line of the track. I imagine that the importance of this has not escaped Your Excellency's advisers. That the New Territories should yield in all a Revenue of upwards of $200,000, exclusive of Land Sales is perhaps the brightest spot in the whole Budget, and it was only fitting that Your Excellency should single out for special mention the notable part played by Mr. Clementi in the initial stages of the settlement of those Territories and the admir- able work of development which is being carried on by his successors. As one who has taken a keen interest in it for years, I found satisfaction in Your Excellency's appreciative reference to the work, the value of which I may say, has never been hidden from the present unofficial members, nor I fancy from that section of the public which takes an interest in local affairs. As regards the roads on the Island I have a word to say on my own account. When I returned to this Colony at the end of last year, after an absence of nine months, the strongest impression of change which I received was the change for the worse which had overtaken the surface of the roads. In particular I refer to such roads as that leading up from Happy Valley to Wong-nei-cheong Gap, and that down from there to Aberdeen; also to Black's Link and even the Bowen Road; and last, but not least, the Jubilee Road, but I do not by any means confine my criticisms to these. I imagined that the fallen state they were in must be due to less money having been appropriated towards their upkeep than in former years, owing to our extreme impecuni- osity. I was surprised therefore to notice that the vote for this year is the same as last, and I am unable to account for it except upon the theory that the money so voted was not properly spent. Quite recently the first road referred to has been repaired, and also Black's Link, but on the Jubilee Road the grass still grows, in many places a foot high, and in others the surface has become a series of small ravines created by the rains. The roads of this Colony used to be one of our chief sources of pride, and they ought to be so at this day, if thorough Hon. Mr. GRESSON said :-The honourable supervision were exercised over the spending Member who has just resumed his seat bas of the money devoted to their upkeep voiced the views of unofficial members of this Another matter of widespread public comment Council on the Estimates for 1909. There are is the extent to which the ordinance relating to however one or two points on which I would receipt stamps is neglected in small business like to say a few words. It seems to me, that transactions." A striot enforcement of the ex-
when an increase of revenue is required the isting law would, in the opinion of many of our Government regard Shipping and the Harbour leading Chinese residents, bring in a really large as the best source from which this can be revenue; indeed I have heard the comforting derived. It has been pointed out time and opinion expressed by more than one such, that again that Hongkong without its shipping between retrenchment and receipt stamps there would be a port of very minor importance, ought to be enough to banish the prospect of therefore it should be our policy to foster, having to meet a deficit next year, when there and not to bleed shipping. In the estimates will be no Widows' and Orphans' Fund to fall that we are considering there are two items back upon. However that may be, there is no that have been increased about 66 per cent. I doubt that a good deal osn be done, and refer to the revenue to be derived from Boat the unofficial members have noted with Licenses and Medical Examination of Emi- satisfaction that Your Excellency is aware grante. On principle I strongly deprecate this of the position, and has already taken large increase, and I desire to criticise the | steps towards availing of its advantages. ' method of its imposition. I believe I am correct
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The COLONIAL SECRETARY— Sir, I shall not deal with any questions which are really in the nature of criticisms of your Excellency's speech when moving the estimates, but as I am respon~ sible for certain matters that the last speaker has referred to, I beg leave to make one or two remarks. I am many things in this Colony, Sir, and, among others, the editor of a news- paper-the most important newspaper in the Colony-the * Government Gasetta.” I am sorry to learn, Sir, that this excellent publics tion is so little appreciated that evidently the hoo member regards it as a sort of place whereid to hide things away, not to make them public. He complained that no notice was given of the increase of fees for bost lioaneer. Well, Sir, that increase was affected by an amendment of a sabedule of the Merchant Shipping Or- dinguee, and the whole of those schedules was published in the Gazette,
and if my memory serves me, in March last the hon. member referred to the great part that shipping plays in this Colony. He himself is the head of firm which has a great deal to do with shipping, and I, as editor of that little news paper, would have imagined that the shipping community would have read with avidity any thing in the nature of schedules to mols an important ensotment as the Merchant Shipping Ordinance. Then again, Sir, the other" Item complained of was that no notice had been giren of the increase in fees for medica Inspection of immigrṣats. That inère wad effected by an amendment of the Imm tion Ordinance. It was made in Comin and after the amendment had been mas hon friend on the left distinctly w*
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