562
32
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
mant. As the contractors' representa- tive who was in charge of the matter, did it apparently deem it advisable to approach local engineering firms, any direct interference in the matter on the part of the Government might have led to a repudiation of liability on the part of the contractors, but the following telegram was ent to the Crown Agents on the 11th October, 1917:
My telegram 3rd March. Pumping plant urgently required for duty. Dyer sick. Suggest that Simpsons entrust completion of erection and trials to Dock Company or make other arrange-
ments.
The Crown Agents replied that the contractors were arranging for their Shanghai agent to visit Hongkong.
The Conscription Bil
i
"Your telegram May 30th. It is essen- tial that provision should be made from public funds for wives and families of men conscripted under bill now before Legislative Council for period of such men'a service. Proposed to grant in the Colony $200 per month to each wife, $25 per month for each child under following years of age-16 for boys, 20 girls aa minimum with addition in special cams put forward by Tribunal in addition to separation allowances payable under army regulations. Cases probably will not be numerous. Allow ances paid outaide the Colony should be £20 per month and £2 10s. respec- tively. It is proposed also to insure each man's life for £2,000 if married, £1,000 if single, apart from any military pension. Unofficial members of Legis- lative Council unanimously concur in these proposals. Should be glad to have your approval of them.
MAT-
In connection with the remark that I made as to the distinction between those who went voluntarily or who wished to go voluntarily and the men who go under conscription, I wish to draw atten-
H.E. THE GOVERNOR Before we proceed to consider this important Bill on the Orders of the Day, I wish to make a short statement as to why no provision has been made in it for separation or pension allowances. It would not be com- petent for this Government to provide by legislation definitely for such allow-tion to the proviso which has been made ances without the sanction of the Secre- in clause 9, that it should be lawful for tary of State. Then again it would have been necessary to draft very considerable provisions for any such allowances. The people in this Colony are various, and the circumstances of each case which may arise will differ very materially. More over, the Bill provides power for the calling up of any British subject in the Colony although at present it has only been decided to call up those of pure European descent-and that will entail other complications. But the Government has stated on the first reading that it is prepared to view this matter sympathe- tically. We draw a very broad distinc- tion between the men who went away from this Colony and those who now come under the provisions of this compulsory law. It recognises that where the State compulsorily avails itself of the services of men it should make some adequate pro- vision reasonably adequate provision for the maintenance of his wife and children, if he is a married man, and it is prepared to insure a single man's life. Therefore, after consulting the hon. un- official members, I sent last night the following telegram to the Secretary of State: --
the Governor to omit from such enrol- ment list the name of any person who before the 1st day of May. 1918, applied to the Military Service Commission for permission to volunteer for active service outside the Colony. The men who so applied-or endeavoured to apply-will have the option of being sent to England with second-class passages and the pro- spect of obtaining a commission, or, on the other hand, of coming under the compulsory provisions of this Bill and obtaining the financial privileges which have been mentioned. I would like to add that members of the Civil Service, who have up to the present time been exceedingly liberally treated as regards their pay when joining H.M's. Army, will in my view be treated in exactly the same way as the men who are not Civil Servants conscripted under this Bill. That is to say, the exceptional privileges as regards pay which they have enjoyed up to date will not be continued. I would like to read you a memorandum furnished me by--I do not know whether he was an officer or a man (A voice: A sergeant) of the 85th Middlesex descrip. tive of the arrangements made at home
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
to meet such cases as we propose to meet here. This memorandum states:-
The Civil Liabilities Committee wES instituted by the Home Government to relieve financial hardships of the married men and did not concern the single man except in very special cases. The chief object of the scheme was to keep a roof above the heads of a man's wife and children. Consideration was given to rent, insurance premiums, endowments, rates, purchase by periodt- cal payments of property and furni- ture. Grants were made up to £104 per annum (paid quarterly). In the first place applicants had to obtain a 4 page foolscap form from their local Post Office and fill in the information asked for, and then forward to the barrister appointed for the particular county. At a later date the applicant was required to interview the barrister and supply documents as proof of cor- rectness of statements made, ie, In- come-Tax receipts, receipt for rent, insurance, etc. If satisfactory, the barrister recommended that a grant be made, with the Committee's ap- proval Grants were not to enable one to carry on and save as well, but just to cover absolute necessities. For instance, a man with a wife and three children earning £2 per week. On his becoming a soldier, the wife would receive £1 75. per week and the husband 38 8d., his food and clothing. In cash alone this is only 9a 6d. less than his pre-war income, and he himself is clothed and fed by the Government. Obviously this man cannot claim finan cial hardship, and therefore does not come within the scope of the C.L.C. As an illustration of when a grant is made, I will instance my own case. As a commercial traveller, I was, previous to the war, in receipt of £240, but owing to the war my salary fell to £186 per annum. With a wife and one child the Government Separation Allowance of £1 1. was insufficient to keep my home running during my absence while a soldier. I made application to the C.L.C. as follows:-
Per annum.
Rent and Rates
£38
Insurance Premiums Housekeeping and Clothing.... Expenses (self) ..... For "Rainy Day
G
88
30
..............
25
£186
On enlisting I naturally had to delete the
Rainy Day " Expenses (self) Own share housekeeping
exA.
25
30
88
+£98
33
† £98 required by wife to
carry on." Separation allowance at £1 19.
per week
33
54 3-5
*£43
*amount claimed and allowed in
my own case.
I read that to show you the sort of circumstances at home and how they are dealt with. Here it is proposed to make a minimum grant of the sum mentioned in the telegram and any additional grant that may be decided upon in a special case put forward by the Tribunal. These cases, as at present advised, I shall transfer to the Treasurer to examine and inquire into and to come to some deci- sion as to the total sum required. I hope, gentlemen, this statement will prove satia-
factory.
JJ
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL I beg to move the second reading of the Bill intituled An Ordinance to provide for the raising of A force the members of which shall be liable to service with His Majesty's Forces outside the Colony during the pre- sent war. In doing so he said: The Army is in need of men. It is fighting, with our Allies, for the cause of those Allies and to save civilisation. It is fighting to defend our fortunes, our means of live. lihood, our liberties, our lives. Everything that we can do to help the Empire in this great struggle we must do, and the only reason we can have for holding back a single fit man is that such man is of greater service to the Empire here than he would be in the fighting-line. That must be the guiding principle, I submit, in all our decisions, and that note should vibrate through all our delibera- tions. It was the note struck by the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce when they asked for the policy of com- pulsion to be introduced. It is easy to set up this ideal, but not so easy to keep it clearly in mind amongst the condicting claims of local conditions. We are proud