The
111
Enclosure No.: 2 to Despatch No. 485, of the 34th. October, 1992.
SPEECH UT THE GOVERNOR,
HIS EXCELLENCY the LOVEKAUP said—Gen- tlemen,-Since I last addressed you, there have been many changes in the membership of this Council, and while I have to expres y regret at the loss of the able assistance dat this Council has received in its de- liberations from the Mombers both fficial and Unofficiel who have vacated their soata, I welcome most cordially the Honourable Mem bars by whom they have been replaced, pos- seseng, as they do, a high standard of lega and business capacity that commands the cus- fidence of the community. During my visit to England I had the honour of being received in audience by the King and of hearing from His Majesty's lips his appreciation of the loyalty that has always distinguished Hongkong and of obtaining His Majesty's gracions permis- sion for the erection of the statue proposed to be presented to the colony by Sir Paul Chater, white His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales expressed his approval of the erection of his status similarly offered by ar. Bell-Irving, then a Member of this Couno.l. The grave illues of the King on the eve of the Coronation day has happily terminated without permanent Jujury to His Majosty's health, and the manner in which it was borne has served intensify if that to were possible the loyal affection for the person of His Majesty among his people, who admire the kingly qualities of fortitude and courage displayed at that most trying juncture. Į was glad to learn by the telegrams that Hongkong was not behind the "other portions of the Empire in its demonstra- tions of joy at the Coronation of the King and Queen, and i hope that the King's Park ther dedicated to the use of the public will in future be an open space as attractive as it will be valuablo to the inhabitants of Kowloon. Under the provisions of the Treaty of Commerce arranged at Shanghai beteon Great Britain and China the Inland Navigation Regulations have been revised in accordance with the views put forward by the Hongkong Chamber of Com- merce, and the Ports Kongmoon on the West River and Weichow on the East River have been opened as Treaty Ports. I congratulate you on this arrangement, for which I have striven for the past three years. Some of the provisions of the Treaty have been adversely criticised on the assumption that the Chinese Government will be noable to perform the obligations accepted by them. It must, however, te apparent, that such assumption would preclude any arrangement whatover, the necessary condition, preliminary to any Treaty being an assumption that each of the con- tracting Powers is able and willing to carry out the obligations agreed upon.
The past year has been one of great importance to this Colony, for during the year careful enquiries have been made into its water- upply, its sanitary condition, its education, and its Public Works. The report on the educational system is still under consideration. That on the Public Works Department shows the necessity for an increase in the Public Works ataff. Provision in the Estimates has been made for a portion of the proposed increase: the remainder is still under the consideration of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The failure of the rainfall during the year brought the question of the conservation and distri- bution of the Water Suply into promin-uce, the immediate result of which was the passing of a Ordinance dealing with the subject, auder which it is hoped that waste may be checked. But apart from the prevention of waste the time has come when the collecting area must be! largely increased to meet the requirements of an increasing population. How the expendi- ture is to be met I will explain later on. In response to representations made inst year to the Secretary of State for the Colonies the services of Mr. Osbert Chadwick, the well known engineer, and Dr. W. Simpson, MD., who has been speci lly employed in! India Bad South Africa during the: epidemics of Plague, were obtained to report upou the sanitary condition of Hongkong, especially in relation to plague, the annual recurrence of which in epidemic form had baad the efforts of our Medical and Sanitary Officials, Action has already been taken upon Mr. Chadwick's exhaustive report on the Water Supply and Drainage as to which the following
passage appears in Professor Simpson's reports?
With reference to the Water Supply and Beverage they are stupendous works which thể: Government may well be proud of." Prote-søras Simpson also reports that neither the scarcity MOL of water nor the system of drainage has anything to do with the Plague epidemic, which he attributes mainly to its propagation by rats. The joint report of those eminent experts on the question of the Honsing of the Popula- tion of Hongkong shows that too many honses are crowded on too small a space; that the tenement houses are occupied by too many people, and that the design of Chinese tenement houses hitherto anthorised by law is so faulty as to be in a high degree insanitary. The recommendatious of these two gentlemen have been embodied is a Bill that has already been read a first time. Its provisions will involve a very large expenditure of money and the displacement of a number of people estimated at 40000, for whom accommodation must be provided elsewhere. The ultimate reconstrue- tion of the City on a mora sanitary system must necessarily be a slow process. I inte placed the sum of $100,000 upon the Estimates for the purpose of resumption and compensation during the coming year. Apart from the defective plan of the ordinary teuement house, the lamentable loss of lito caused by the collapse of newly built houses during the past summer has demonstrated the necessity of making contractors personally responsible for work that does not satisf. the requirements of the law as to quality of materials. This has been dealt with by the new Building Ordinance. While I was in London the question of the purchase of a site for a new Post Office on the Praya was sub- witted to the Secretary of Stats and ou my recommendation was approved, the payment of the purchase money, $508,000, being made out › of the bui.. nce in ham. A sta of $20,000 for the preparation of the foundatious has been placed upon the Estimates and I hope that in a short time the Colony will have the benefit of this much needed improvement. The ordin ary Revenue for 1903 is estimates to amount to $4,583,295, and the ordinary Expenditure to to $4,714,501 leaving a deficit of $131,206. In addition to this the Fistimate Expenditure upon xtraordinary Public Worss amounts to $281,100, while the Estimated Revenus from land sales is $350,000, leaving a further deficit of $581, 190. - The total deficiency to be made good is therefore $7 12,306. It is not expedient to raise this sum solely from additional taxation, I therefore propose, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to raise a Loan on account of certain productive Public Works, the total cost of which has been estimated by the Director of Public Works to be $2,250,000, the Expenditure being spread over five or six years. The sum to he spent on these works in 1903 would amount to $5,62,000 leaving a deficiency of $150,356 to be met by additional taxation. To this amount must be added, assuming that the Loan is authorised, Interest and Sinking Fund on Loan $25,201, Additional Military Contribution $61,650 and a necessary surplus of $71,004 making a total of $308,250 to be provided.
This sum I provide in the following
manner:--
Increase in Spirit Licences ... ...$173,000 Autorioueers' Lacenoes, Billiard
Taules, Chinese Undertakers,
Money-Changers...
3,000
Chinese Passenger Ships' Liceuces
1,750
Dog Licences ...
3,50/
Marine Store Dealers
6,500
Stamp Duties, all duties other
thau ad rulorem
84,000
3,500
Registration of Doods...
24,000
Examination of Blasters
8,00
Registry Fee and Survey of
Steam-Ships
6,000
$308,950
Bills of Health
Those matters, with the Bills to be laid before you, I commend to your carofal consideration with oaruest hope that the result of your deliberatious will forward the best interests of this important community, whose progressive energy has made Hongkong one of the princip al porta of the World. (Applause.)