HONGKONG DAILY PRESS
UNANIMOUS
OPPOSITION TO
FOR GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF NIGHTSOIL REMOVAL
Lengthy Discussion By Finance Committee
Unanimous opposition was voiced by the unofficial members of the Legislative Council when the Finance Committee met yesterday afternoon to discuss the EXPENDITURE OF FOUR LAKHS ON A SYSTEM OF NIGHTSOIL REMOVAL BY LABOUR DIRECTLY EN- PLOYED BY THE SANITARY DEPARTMENT. This vote includes provision for the emoluments, of 2,000 coolies in substitution for the existing free-lance coolies.
THE HON. MR. N. L. SMITH (Chairman), announced at the con- clusion of a somewhat lengthy debate that a decision would be reach- ed in a few days and would be circalarised.
Both the DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL SERVICES and the CHAIR- MAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL urged the necessity for the pro- posed scheme.
Most of the unofficials were op- The Colony was in need of cheap posed to a "one per cent. increase supply of fertiliser and much of In rates. HON. MR. W. N. THOM-this valuable material was literal- AS TAM remarked that the ex-ly going down the drain which was penditure would be a sheer waste
intended for such a purpose. of money while HON, MR. M. K. The present situation brooked LO and HON. MR. A. L. SHIELDS not a moment's delay, concluded commented on the absolute neces-Dr. Selwyn-Clarke, and he earnest- sity for supervision.
ly appealed to the Committee to
It was revealed by the Urban give approval to the expenditure. Council Chairman that the Urban
CAREFUL EXAMINATION Council had worked cut a scheme
The Hon. Mr. W. J.
Carrie,
GENERAL
SCHEME
New Rates On
PHILIPPINE Entertainment SHIP SOLD SHIP SOLD TO FIRM IN HONGKONG
Will Realise $650 Thousand
"There are indeed about afteen cinemas in the Colony which do Philippine Customs officials on not charge more than 20 cents for Feb.28 transferred registry of the any of their seats. Government s.s. Atlantic Gulf from the Philip considers that in present circuin- pines to that of Great Britain, can- stances this source of revenue celling its Philippine registry in should no longer be left untapped," vlew of the ship's sale to a British remarked the Hon. Mr. R. R. Todd irm In Hongkong, reports the (Financial Secretary) in moving a Manila Bulletin.
resolution for the introduction of Formerly owned and operated in new rates of entertainments duty the coastwise' service by the Atlan-as from April 1, 1941: tic Gulf and Pacific Company, the
The Hon. Mr. N. L. Smith (Co- ship has been sold reportedly tortowal Secretary) presided in the more than P500,000 to. Wallem and absence. of His Excellency the Company of Hongkong.
Officer Administering the Govern- ment (Lt.-Gen E F Norton) who
still indisposed.
FIRST SINCE WAR Officials at the bureau of cus-is toma declared that this transfer of the Atlantic Gulf to foreign reg- latry was the first since war broke out in Europe.
These officials have been advised also that the ss. Bisayas, now operated on the Mindanao ran by Elizalde and Company, owners and operators, may be operated. foreign routes by Madrigal and have begun negotiations for the charter of this ship.
on
MEET WARK EXPENDITURE The Financial Secretary said:- In his Budget speech to this Council on Jan 16, 1941, the Fin- andal Secretary, the Honourable Mr. Butters, stated that Govern- ment proposed to increase the rates of Entertainments Tax in order to raise more revenue to
for entrusting this work to a pub-chairman of the Urban Council. Company, which was reported to meet the heavy expenditure; es-
lle utility company or, in other who was also invited to attend the words, to a single monopoly con- discussion, said that the Govern
fcit.
THE DEBATE
A Select
Deadly war expenditure, which will be incurred during the coming financial year 1941-42
Action has had to be delayed, however, to allow of ari amendment
ance: The effect of this amend- ment, which was passed at the
tractor.
Mr. Lo also asked how was this careful examination of the night- ment had already made a most
MORE TRANSFERS expenditure justified when the
3011 removal question.
Other ships whose transfers to Colony was facing a serious de-Committee of the Council was ap-foreign registry are pending ap-to the Entertainments The Ordin- pointed in July, 1939, on the direct proval of the government are the instructions of HE. the Governor,s.. Churruca, of Elizalde and Com- Opening the debate the Chair-Sir Geotry Northcote. The Select pay, which is being sold to a tast meeting of this Council, is to man said the question was merely Committee worked out Я full shipowner and operator in China, whether the Medical Department scheme thoroughly revolutionising and the ss, Islas Visayas, operated reduce the duty-free limit from 20 should be authorised to go ahead
the collection of nightsoil in by a shipping firm in Cebu, whose cents to 4 cents. Since the intro- with the expenditure which had Hongkong. But it was not possible ownership is being transferred to duction of an Entertainments Tax been put in and passed in Budget to inaugurate at once the ideal that of another company in China. in this Colony-on January 1, 1831 I had always been assumed, or two steel bucket system, motor Approval by the government of up to the present no tax has understood, that this would mear transport," and mechanical wash sales of ships of Philippine registry an additional one per cent. on the ing and sterilisation of the soiled to foreign firms or corporations
buckets before returning them is required by law.
rates.
THE HON. DR. F. S. SELWYN- next day.
CLARKE, Director of Medical Ser- War conditions prevented the
It
been levied where the amount of payment for admission to an en- tertainment does not exceed 20 cents.
Apart from the prices of admis sion to football matches where considerable sections of the seats
vices, who was invited to attend acquisition of sufficient steel plate impress him and not tacties. the meeting, said that in spite of to make the buckets and motor was only by supervision that one are sold at 20 cents and under, a century ΟΙ progress in the transport was not easily obtained could control labour. Colony it had not been found today. It was only proposed to
It is estimated that in respect of practical to keep pace with the proceed with the first stage in the were not justified in spending the for admission: at 20 cents and Mr. Tam concluded that they cinemas the aggregate amount paid fundamental needs of the com-next financial year." Wooden $400.000 which was a sheer waste under is about equal to the total: munity. Owing to certain serious buckets and human transport of money. diiculties in connexion with har- would still be employed but he Hon. Mr. Li Tse-fong said that
amount paid at other admission ...bour
developments (which he could assure the Committee that the Urban Council had not been prices! there are indeed about flf- hoped would be solved by
Sir there would be very great re-given the opportunity of consider. teen cinemas in the Colony which i David Owen) It had not been organisation.
found practicable to lay "public sewerage in several parts of the city.
65,000* *UCKETS
-Dr. Selwyn-Clarke wept on
to
CONTROL IMPOSSIBLE Regarding a proposal described
by the Hon, Mr. W. N. Thomas
Ing the alternative method sug- gested by Mr: Tam.
ANTAGONISE EMPLOYERS Hon. Mr. S. H. Dodwell asked
do not charge more than 20 cents for any of their seats.
NOT PRESS HEAVILY Government considers that in
Tam, in his Budget debate speech, how many coolies would be turn-present circumstances this source as an alternative and more satis-ed out of jobs and suggested that of revenue should no longer be left say that certain houses had to put that licensing would not improve present employers who were mak-rates of duty proposed tor these factory solution," Mr. Carrie said the scheme would antagonise the untapped and believes that the up with the dry bucket system and the labour conditions of the mening money out of it. some residents were even denied
very cheap seats will not press and women in this occupation and In the
Dr. Selwyn-Clarke mentioned heavily on the less fortunate mem- summer of 1939 he ascertained in these circumstances supervision that three years ago there was bers of the community. In passing or control would be impossible." much shaking of heads when he I would add that in the Straits
the use of septic tanks.
Counell
Aur
that there were 65,000, buckets In the urban areas serving 500,000 Carrie. "suspecting opposition on for Chinese.
." For a time," continued Mr. Introduced compulsory Inoculation Settlements there is no duty-free people. The bye-law concerning the financial side, the
limit corresponding to our limit of the removal of nightsöli had not worked out a scheme for entrust-
Mr. Lo: I have never heard or 4 cents; the minimum daty there been carried out. Fifteen per cent. ing this work to a public utility
any such opposition.
is 5 cents Straits currency or near- of the residents used to pay for
Hon. Mr. J. J. Paterson; We are ¡ly ten times as much as dally removal. 75 per cent. for company or in other words to anot convinced that the
present minimum of 1 cent.. every other day and 10 per cent would perhaps be better than a
single monopoly contractor. This scheme is the right one.
Where the amount of payment for a longer period, and 85 per cent, multitude of small contractors and yip employed 3,000 coolles at 530 effect of the proposed new rates Mr. Carrie said that the Luen for admission exceeds 20 cents the falled to comply with legal re- have a thick Ale of applications per month each but he was not is generally speaking, to double The contractor or sub-contrac- from people anxious to pay large likely to require more than 1.800. the amount of duty payable. The tor who employed the men of wo-such a contract.
sums of money to Government for If the one
per cent: was the number of steps in the scale has, men for this work was only in-
stumbling block he had no objec-however, been increased so that terested in the profit and paid n made out of it but not all of it to continue to pay.
"There is a lot of money to betion to the people who pay today the duty payable on the cheaper regard to public health. The workers employed took on more public should get any profit that
prices of admission is not out of legitimately. I submit that the
proportion. than they could manage and there was evidence that some of the men
by had tried to increase their wages operating the service themselves." just taking the last three years, let
quirements.
may
accrue
Government
SEPTIC TANKS
STATE OF CHAOS Hon. Mr. A. L. Shields said that
In the printed Estimates. for
1941-42 the revenue from Enter- alone 50. the nightsoil collection tainments Tax is shown at the by asking for cumshaw from householders in addition to
system had gone on now into its figure of $350,000; it is anticipated the The Hon. Mr, M. K. Lo queried present state of chaos.' If this that the increased rates will bring conservancy fee.
why applications for septic tanks was a serious menace to the in an additional $300,000, making Referring to cholera, the D.M.S., in the Homuntin area were con- Colony then why was not some-a total of $850,000. said that in spite of it being win-stantly refused, and the Chairman thing done to enforce the law and ter there was a fresh flare-up of remarked that it was purely an provide supervision,
The date chosen for the impost- the disease in the past two days. engineering matter.
tion of the revised rates is April Mr. Lo also asked why there 1, 1941. This is convenient in that: So far there were 36 cases with 20 Mr. Lo said that what they could not be supervision. deaths already.
it li the beginning of the new fin- wanted to know was in what way Hon. Mr. Leo D'Almada, Jun., [ancial" year; it will also give the would the employment, of coolles said he would like to know if any proprietors of places of entertain- REGISTERED COOLIES by Government justly the expen- attempt had been made to con-ment suficient time to make the The proposal envisaged was the diture of nearly half-a-million sider suggestions made by various necessary arrangements for the employment by the Sanitary De-collars when there was a serious guilds, made. he believed, after printing of new tickets, the over- partment of coolles who would be deficit facing the Colony. He they had heard that Government printing or old tickets, etc. registered and if one fell sick there could not understand why the were going to take over control, would be a substitute. The work Urban Council should, without One petition which he had seen would involve the least possible effort, confess to failure to carry offered about $8,000 a month out waste of time, men would not be out the law and did not see why of its profits to be given to any employed if they were physically the petition of the Liten Yip gulid charity named by Government.. unt or were found to be unre-should not be considered.
Mr. Carrie: If there are any As a protest against certain re- liable, dishonest or guilty of cor-
NOT CONVINCED Tuption. The Chairman of the
profits they should accrue to the gulations in regard to the grant- Mr. Tam: I am not convinced. public hourse.)
ing of leave of absence, nurses of
Cont'd Page 8, Col. 2:
NURSES STRIKE
Urban Council would try the men I want the public to be quite sure Mr. D'Almada remarked he did the new Tai Wo Nursing Home, already employed in the business what they are getting for this not share the faith of Dr. Selwyn Babington Path staged a sit-down and he might also engage the $400,000. What are we getting? Clarke and Mr. Carrie in Govern-strike recently. same women. They would be Simply to allow the Urban Councilment departments. working for not an unreasonable to employ 2,000 coolies, I think if seen one fall down. He suggested been amicably settled.
They had The matter is now stated to have wage and would share the pri the public realise what they are that the most stringent regulations vileges of those shared by em- for I think they will be clearly should be tried in the present ployees in other departments, against this scheme as I myself system.
The time may come, added Dr. am.
The coolles should be supervised Hon. Mr. R. R. Todd (Financial by foremen engaged by the Ban Belwyn-Clarke,' when "the Colony Mr. Tam referred to a meeting Secretary), former Chairman of tary Department for that purpose. may have to expand the bucket of the Urban Council held in the Urban Council, said that the Replying to Hon. Mr. T E system and he referred to an camera at which the scheme was Urban Council should fix the Pearce, Mr. Carrie said that the emergency should hostilities come pushed through, and added that amount to be paid by the tenant petition of the Luen Yip Guild
only, a question of merits would for daily removal from each floor. had not been considered
here
Umre Supreme
Cout
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1941 -PAGE 5
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$425.00
12' x 20'
$720.00
10' x 15'
$850.00
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3' x 2'..
$10.00
3' x 4'. $15.00
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