possible facility given him by the Govern- ment for obtaining soil from the shore, is not carrying on the work as rapidly as possible. As a matter of fact, I have reason to believe there is a large quantity of rock now available which he could buy to-morrow if he wished at a very reasonable price, but be refrains from doing so, because he believes that by waiting he will get it very much cheaper. This is clearly a case where pressure onght to be put on the man to see that he carries on the work properly. 1 am glad to see that ut last, after so many years' delay, the Post Office and the Law Courts will disappear from the Conneil, I have spoken so often on the subject that I do not propose to say much more, except to express regret that after an expenditure of $2.000 000 on wha ought to be the finest buildings in the Colony, we have such a miserable return for our money. Looking at the Post Office at close quarters the building is very attractive, but viewed from the distance it is disappointing. If anybody is disposed to dispute my statement I would ask him to take a lanach, go out into the middle of the harbour, and compare its appearance with Queen's Buildings. As for the Law Courts, I really do not know what to say about them, and who is responsible for the design I do not know. It was eredited to a leading architect at Home, but I cannot con- coivo that he could have invented such a thing as that. All the buildings round abont are tall buildings, built on high burements, but this unfortun to building of solid granite is sunk right down, appareatly by its own weight, until it stands knee deep in mud and is tiuished off at the top with a dome, a raiser- able common dome probably supposed to look like St Peter's of Rom. The whole effect is most deplorable, and I can only express the hope that the "fuest site in the Colony" will be built over, so that, at least from the harbour, the view of the Law Courts will be cealed. Now we come to the question of the Magistracy. Oo page 85 of this year's report there is an entry of $38,000 to be spent on this On the same page of building daria the year. last year's budget there was a vots of $20,000, none of which was spent, but I would call Deither of attention to the fact that in these budgets is there any estim-to as to the total cost of the building, and although asked to vote $38,000 this year we are still quite in the dark as to what this building is going to cost. The question of extending new roads and light railways in the New Territory meets with the approval of un official members, and we are glad your Excellency has devoted so much attention and spent the considerable sums of money you have in this direction. We are sure it will be a great boon to people living in the New Terri- There is orie item to which I tory. would draw attention, namely the excellent carriage road as far as Taipo, and suggest,
With that it be continued to the frontier. regard to the appearance of Royal Square, to, which I have just alluded, I am glad to know that the question of putting a satisfactory bas been decided rail round the upen, and I would like to suggest, as I have done in the past, that a low railieg should be put in front of the four royal statues. These are used as playgrounds by sampau children. The statues aro nude of an. polished granite, and we all know how rapidly the stone will soil. That was suggestod at the time the pi lars were put up, and I would still urge that a railing be put in front to prevent As we have heard. people soiling the statues.
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thero is great necessity for a new pier at Statue Square. This, however, if constructed, as it must be before very long, in view of the onermons increase of launch traffic in the
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Colony, will be a very expansive business, prob. ably costing something like a couple of lakhs. In any case whatever is put up, I trust it will not be such a horrible and unsightly structure as Blake Pir. At the prosent moment we are committed to about 4 millious for the Tetam Reservoir, for the Typhoon Refuge and the Magiasy, and in the present state of the revenue it is not advisable to incur any other big expense at the moment, but a pier is badly required at Kowloon For many years the police pier has been in use, but at prosent it is in a state of disrepair, and people going to Kowloon have be a quite unable to make use of it with privat launches. I understa d that the question of the site of a passenger station for the railway, and consequenily the position of the pssenger, is still under consideration, and I trast that the question will be settled at the earliest possible date, If it is decided that the station and passenger pier are to be placed on the east side of the peninsula, then I would suggest that a small pier, not of great cost, should be erected at the south end of the penin- sula in line with the south end of Nathan Road. That is a matter of some urgency, ss at the pre- sent moment Kowloon residents are put to very great inconvenience. The Tytam Tuk work is In esticated to cost next year $107,000. referring to this I would merely repeat what I said before, that I consider it very advisable that the construction of this big public work should be pressed on, and I do tot consider $10,000 sufficient to be expended in one year I will rufer more particularly to the general working of the Public Works Department later on. There is one point to which I would ask your Ex- cellency to ive your attention, although it does not really fall within the four corners of the Budget, that is, the question of linking up the railway between Canton and Honkow. At pre- sent our railway is of little use, but if we got through to Hankow it will brinus in direct communication with Europe, and this must of necessity increase the earnings of our railway. I trust that as soon as possible after matters havo quietened down in China your Excellevey will be good enough to give it consideration. I think I have now dealt with practically all the main points to which your Excellency referred in your speech, but flere are one or two others I would like to mention. As we know, one of the leading clubs here is laying out golf links at Fanling, and I should like to put on record my views on the subject. Now is the time when Government should peg out a claim of land round the golf links of considerable area to ke converted into a park, and should not allow building sites within that area to be let. I speak with some knowledge because a good many years ago I had to consider the advisability of providing a park for the future in one of the com- munities in which I was then resident I had the satisfaction when last I visited the place of seeing a fine park with tennis grounds. I golf links and all possible coveniences. think in the same way the Government hers should make such provision at Fauling. Another point which has been referred to in the This Press is the dredging of the barbour. mutter I discussed seriously with Sir Cyprian Bidge when he was commander-in-cl iof out
I 20 far as here, but
see there is not the slightest necessity for the lurernment incurring expense in this direction at present. Another important matter which has been before the Chamber of C. meree which I have the bonour to represent is the question of wire- less telegraphy. That, as your Excellency is aware, has formed a topic of correspondence | between us for many months past. The Com- ! mittee of the Chamber of Cos merce consider that the very lowest station we should have hore is one of 1,500 miles radius, that is
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