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should be completed in January or Feb- ruary next year, including the bridge, and in next year's estimates provision is made for a road which will connect the frontier at the station at Taku Ling with the main road from Fauling to Shatau- kok. There will then be a road from the frontier to Kowloon. Provision is also made in next year's estimates for widen ing the road from Fauling to Santin (widening to 20 feet), also for construct- ing a bridge over the creek on the Fan- ling-Castle Peak road. With regard to Kowloon City, which the hon. member mentioned, and he was kind enough to send me a petition or some paper he had received, I would say that the roads men tioned in that potition refer to short lengths of road which connect all outly- ing villages with Kowloon City. There is a scheme actually on paper, and a road has been defined on the ground for strik- ing a route from Taikoktsui to Kowloon City. That road, when constructed, would meet the requirements of the peti- tioners, but at present I am douitful whether development in that neighbour- hood would justify the Government in embarking on an expenditure on the whole of that road anyway. With regard to the wireless station, tender has been accept- ed for that, and I hope by June next year the station will be completed., Sonie, not all, of the machinery, has already arrived in the Colony. The only other point I think the hon. member mentioned was the increase in the staff. The increase in next year's staff amounts to three sur- veyors and two inspectors in connection with the waterworks. Of the three sur- veyors, one is for the New Territories and the other two were requisitioned origin- ably in connection with the Praya East re- clamation scheme. There is no question that the
for the one
New Ter- ritories is essential, because there are 2 lot of village surveys which require completing. With regard to the other two, I may say that my department lost the services of one surveyor this year, so the increase was only one more, and the other surveyor was called up on the reserve of officers. The COLONIAL TREASURER--Sir,
the first point raised by the hon. member representing the Chamber of Commerce was. I understand, the general increase in the estimates of expenditure of, he said, one half. I think if he will ju-t glance at the figures again he will find that it is enly one-third, in that there is eight million and something in 1918 and for 1915 it is twelve million roughly, leaving out the odd thousands.
Hon. Mr. HEWETT-NO, Sir. The increased to 12 million is an increase of 33 per cent.
The COLONIAL TREASURER-The next point was under Miscellaneous Services, subsidiary coins. I think the question was that the total amount withdrawn up to date amounts to $11,000,000, which has heen withdrawn at a loss of sixteen per OF 1. I may say that practically four million out of that eleven million has been withdrawn this year. I think the only other point is the question of the increase in personeel. So far as the Post Office is concerned, I may say that is entirely due to the wireless station. The staff required for the wireless station is a somewhat expensive one, and accounts for the $25,000 increase. The staff of the Post Office has not otherwise been increased.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY- Sir, I would like to make a few remarks on one or two points raised by the hon. member who represents the Chamber of Commerce and the hon. and learned member on my left. On the question of the opium revenue and that of the re-arrangement of moorings in the harbour I have no wish to express any views, but the hun. ruember opposite me raised the question of the assessment and drew attention to the question of reduction of the value of house property in the Colony, with a view I think, to suggesting that the assessment which has been made is a high one for the coming year. On that point I should like to draw the attention of hon. members to the fact that recent assessments made in the Colony certainly show that house property has been under-assessed for at least a year, probably more, and the value of house property has risen so much and so rapidly that has not been possible for the Assessor to submit figures to the Government which represent the proper assessment. Therefore as property has escaped increased assessment for a year or more it is thought not unfair that the assessments should be made for the coming year at the same figure as for the current year. As regards the Import and Export Department, the hon. member opposite stated that the increase was $35,000, but really, owing to the reduction in the cost of opium by $50,000, that it was something like $80,000. That is a fact, but he was really referring to the revised estimate for the present year which reduced the estimate made at the end of last year by a sum of $67,000. The not increase over the revised estimate for the current year cannot be considered at all excessive. As regards the railway. which is the only other point I wish to refer to, and which the hon. and learned member made rather a point of, the figuren--are er pago liba The estimate for coal is considered low considering the large increase in the price, and it is not at all uncertain that the estimate is not fixed rather low; in fact, I think the manager of the rail- way holds that opinion. Still, we hope in the coming year the price will not ad- vance, and it is practically certain that we ought to be able to get coal at quite a reasonable figure.
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Hon. Mr. HEWETT-Can you tell us how much coal we have gott is lived in the year.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-6,600 tons
I think is the approximate amount.
As regards oil tallow and other stores, that estimate has been very carefully calculated. The actual cost this year for oil tallow and other stores is almost
exactly the same as that estimated $9,600, the resided optimalt
so there really is not an increase
Hon. Mr. POLLOCK I did not refer to that.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY As regards the locomotives, during the year they have been very hard worked, and it has net been possible to move them from the line and put them in the sheds when they should have been there, and the result is that they will want considerable repairs during the coming year when we shall have three extra focomotive, which will enable us to do that. Therefore the