82
pose,
as
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
I f
I
but, still, we think that you have not Empire of which we are proud to be applied it so far as you might. I refer citizens. The struggle in which we are to two items in the Budget that we should engaged we realise is practically one have liked to see eliminated-$140,000 for life and death, and it has got to be the part purchase of private moorings prosecuted absolutely to a finish, and that and, as a corollary, the annual expendi- finish can only be a permanent and ture of $10,000 for the upkeep of those satisfactory peace. To that end, and moorings. As your Excellency will re- that end alone, the whole of the energies member. last year, when speaking on of the Empire, and consequently this behalf of my colleagues, we strongly op- little section of the Empire, will be posed this scheme for the purchase of devoted, and whatever aid or assistance private moorings by the Government. your Excellency may call upon us to We thought it unnecessary, and we think render to that end will be gladly so even more now in view of the condi rendered. We will gladly support your tions now prevailing, and I therefore pro Excellency in every way possible, and I I have already notified the will now take this opportunity of say- Colonial Secretary, to move an amending and I am practically certain that ment that these two items should be
my colleagues will thoroughly endorse deleted from the Estimates next year. what I say--that we entirely agree with It is not necessary for me to go over old all the remarks made with regard to His ground, I set out fully last year my Majesty's appeal to the country. reasons for opposing this scheme. We are
regret to learn that there are as many as of opinion as practical business men 150 men of working age in the Colony that the taking over of these moorings who might be in the Volunteers, Police. by the Government is unnecessary, and or any of these volunteer services who will involve not only very considerable
are not yet there. I hope before many capital expenditure on behalf of the days are over that this disgrace will be Colony, but also a very great additional charge on shipping, particularly at A time when charges on shipping should be reduced. We have a regular staff of men, boats, tugs, and so forth, part of which are engaged in looking after cur
We cannot reduce our moorings. penditure in this direction, although the moorings cease to be our private pro- perty, and we shall have to pay, as I said last year, what we consider a very heavy tax for the use of these moorings, and also have to introduce a system of what is practically compulsory pilotage. That we all consider unnecessary. I never engage a pilot to take my ships to a mooring in the Harbour, but when a ship arrives and any uncertainty arises I should have to send for a pilot This means extra charges which in the aggregate amount to a large sum at the end of the year. Therefore, unofficial members oppose this expenditure, even stronger this year than they did last, and, as I I shall move an amend-
say. ment against that.
K
War Expenditure
ex-
With regard to war expenditure, I cannot quote your Excellency's words, and say we gladly accept it"; we have Do accept it, but We are prepared to go on paying our share of that expenditure, which is entailed upon this Colony as part of the great
removed.
Police Leave
[In-
With regard to the Police, your Excel- Jency made some remarks with reference to men who take increased advantages of the opportunities the generosity of the Government gives them, by increased allowances and pay, to return home at more frequent intervals. That, of course, is entirely carrying out what the official members spoke of last year, but I should like to see it go still further. We trust that in time the Government will be able to see their way to make it compulsory on these men who have these bonuses that they should be compelled to leave this Colony for a certain number of weeks at a certain given time, and that the bonuses should not be given to anyone who does not leave the Colony. The idea is that it would be much better for the men's health, and would result in benefit to the service in which they are engaged: a man should leave the Colony, if only for a few weeks. every year, and I trust that will be made com pulsory.
The Hospital Nursing Staff
Coming now to the Medical Depart ment, the only point to which I will refer-because I think one of my friends is going to speak on the subject later-
1.
I
nurses.
present moment
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
600
83
is the question of the reduction of the staff in which economy should be exercised. Your Excellency pointed out Good nursing, of course, cannot be obtain- that the nurses were reduced by two, anded unless nurses have ample leisure during the staff increased by six probationer working days and a reasonable time for dressers. So far as probationer dressers leave. Then there is another point. are concerned, no doubt they are of Although the figures put before us for next valuable assistance to the service, but in
year show two private nurses, as a matter discussing the Estimates for 1914, in
of fact I am assured that for some con- November, of 1913, I had a good deal to
siderable time past only one nurse has been say on the subject, and unofficial mem-
available for private nursing. Two mem- bers expressed their views rather strongly. At that time the staff was as follows:
bers of the unofficial body told me that of their own knowledge, and I also heard 1 Matron, 9 Sisters, 2 Sisters for private nursing, and 5 probationers, At the it outside. The greatest possible difficulty the staff is:-1 has been experienced during the last few Matron. 7 Sisters. 2 private nurses,
months in getting the advantage even of 1 Nurse, probationer, and 6 probationer one private nurse, owing to the demand dressers It is not necessary for me to
made in the Government Civil Hospital. repeat all the arguments brought forward Now that, Sir, we maintain, is an absolute at the time, but I will read a section of breach of faith on the part of the Govern- what I said on that occasion, because it ment. Whatever economy ought to be has a very direct bearing on the subject. exercised, there ought to be no economy in I said: In view of the number of the two nurses to be permanently available hospitals now in existence in the Colony.
and the chief call on their time must be the number of nurses at present engaged for outside nursing. I think it has some by the local Government seems to be connection with The Queen Victoria altogether inadequate. The result of Jubilee Fund, when there was a fund working short-handed is that the nurses raised to start a Nursing Home under the are often subjected to an undue strain auspices of Mrs. Chamberlain, and some owing to long hours, having to attend to nurses were imported here and the experi. too large a number of patients at one ment was made. It was not an altogether time and with entirely too little satisfactory one, and after some time it onnortunity for the rest and recreation
was decided that it would be for the which is so necessary to women engaged greater good of the Colony to hand the in so arduous and important a profession,
Fund over to the Government to be while we understand it is not infrequently
administered by them in the interests of the case that a nurse engaged in maternity the public. and the two nurses should cases has at the same time to attend to always be available for public service. A other patients. The matter has recently
sum of $19,000 or $20.000-the balance of been much discussed in private circles
the Fund-was handed over to the Govern- and the unofficial members are aware that
ment to that end. I trust that this considerable feeling is felt in certain
matter-it is the second time I have had quarters that whatever may be happening
to bring it up will receive the very serious in other dena-tments of the Government consideration of your Excellency. service. here at all events there is reason to believe qua
Supervision of Vernacular Schools ar Verv shorthanded " Now, since then the staff has been stil further reduced hy two nurses. Proba-
With regard to Education. there is a tione» dressors, although they are very
increase of which we entirely useful, cannot possibly take the places of approve. We know that of late years nurses. These nurses have got to be in
greater care has been bestowed upon the charge of a certain number of wards and
control of the numerous Schools-Chinese patients, and that pure nurses' work which
and others in the Colony, and we entirely was considered two years ago to be too
support the policy of the Government in onerous is still more so now Therefore, carrying out that reform. Still. I regret the unofficial members can only view with
to say that I have been informed by people the greatest possible regret this reduction
who ought to know of what they are in the staff. In such a climate as this.
talking. that the supervision of the verna- good nursing is of the utmost importance.
cular schools is not what it ought to be. and surely it is one of the last if not
and that is a matter which might have the very last-sections of the Government
further consideration. After all, the
small