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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The recommendations made by Lieuten an Olitsky have, of course, been carefully considered. Steps have been taken to prepare the serum for the treatment of epidemic meningitis and in the quantity suggested As regards the treatment of the patien it will require careful and continuous persuasion to get the serum used; and in the event of an epidemic every effort w be made to provide the patient with methods of Western treat- The ment, including the use of serumi prevention of pharyngeal infections and influenza can only be effectively achieved by keeping the individual in the best possible state of health, by segregating the sick from the healthy and (what is more difficult, in fact, at present practically impossible) by avoiding overcrowding The employment of masks quld only he resorted to in special circumstances, as in hospitals, for example. Prophylactic vaccination as a method of prevention is still in the stage of enquiry.
During the epidemic this year a leaflet way drawn
up and translated into Chinese dealing with certain efficacious measures capable of being easily carried into effect, but it was not distributed Should there unhappily be a return of the disease in epidemic form this method of propaganda, in conjunction with oral advice, would probably be the most effec- tive way of educating the population There I will leave the report for the pre- sent, and I feel sure that honourable members will wish to record their sense of the obligation this Colony is under to the Rockefeller Institute for the valuable assistance rendered by it in this matter
Finance
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by com- mand of H.E. the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table Finance Minutes Nos. 79 to '82 and moved that they be referred to the Finance Com- mittee.
Government's Discussions with
Unofficial Members
H.E. THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT—It will be convenient, I think, to make a short statement at this meeting of the Legislative Council re- garding certain matters that have been the subject of discussion between the Government and honourable unofficial
embers during this year.
In January last information was re- quested regarding the organisation and pay of the Police Force, the Fire Brigade and the Preventive Staff of the Depart- ment of Imports and Exports, and at a later date honourable unofficial mem, bers submitted to the Government a list of recommendations which was discussed at a meeting held on the 23rd of May.
The question of the rates of
in pay the Police Force has been settled tem- porarily by the grant of a ten per cent. allowance, while the question of the rate at which pensions should be granted is still under consideration, and, I hope. will shortly be decided.
The next matter was the organisation of the Fire Brigade both as regards per- onnel and equipment. The efficiency of the volunteer portion of the brigade has be increased by relieving the men of certain other duties, which they had been performing. Additions have been made to the quipment including two powerful motor pumping engines that have been ordered from America. It has for a long time been recognised that the present site of the Fire Station in Victoria is too cramped and that a station is required at Kowloon. A suitable site in Victoria is already in the possession of the Govern- ment, and it is probable that a good site can be found on Crown Land in Kowloon.
After the murder af Sergeant Glendin- ning at Tai O honourable unofficial members endorsed the recommendations made by the jury at the Coroner's en-
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded | quiry, and asked certain questions as to and this was agreed to.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by coun- mand of H.E. the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table report of proceedings of the Finance Committee. No. 7, and moved that it be adopted.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.
the patrolling of the waters of the Colony and the visits of inspection pade to out- stations. The Government replied as follows:---
(a) The practice of having two Euro- pean Officers at Tai O was interrupted owing to the war. It was proposed to It was not considered resume it at once. that the Cheung Chau Station or any of
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the Police Stations on the mainland were so isolated as to require the presence of two European police constantly stationed there Circumstances had arisen, and might again arise, rendering the presence of two or more European police at a station necessary.
(6) Enquiry was being made as to the possibility of obtaining the necessary tele- phonic material. It has since been ascer- tained that the material can be got from Japan, and the work of linking up the island stations with the mainland is now in hand.
(e) It was not considered necessary to provide at any of the four island stations a steam or motor pinnace, as the expense would be out of all proportion to the usefulness of the craft. Four police launches were employed in the patrol of the waters of the Colony beyond the limits of the harbour. The island stations were visited by patrol launches some fifteen or sixteen times a month. Details of visits of inspection by Police Officers were sup- plied.
Honourable unofficial members, in re- ply, recorded their unanimous opinion that Cheung Chan was of sufficient fun- portance to render it advisable that a second European Police Officer should be stationed there. The Government has not found itself in a position to give effect to their wishes.
80
in the two existing Ordinances, some of which are formal while others are of a more substantial character. In Sections 46 and 49 of the Opium Ordinance, 1914, in dealing with tonnage of steam ships rather ambiguous expressions are used. In one section the term used is "tons burden." In the other section the word used is simply tous. Clauses 2 and 3 of the present Bill propose to make it quite clear that in these two sections the tonnage referred to is what is known as
៥៥
J
het register tonnage." Clause of the Bill corrects a slight drafting error in the Opium Ordinance, 1914. Clause 5 of the Bill deals with the Opium Ordinance, 1917. That Ordinance made it an offence to be in possession of labels, wrappers, or marks resembling the labels, wrappers, or marks used on the opium sold by the Government. The clause was drawn too widely because it included cases of possession of marks resembling Government marks but not resembling Governinent marks with any fraudulent intention. Clause 5 of the Bill, therefore, proposes to amend that provision so that the resemblance aimed at will be resemblance amounting to colourable imitation. Clause 6 of the Bill stops another gap in the defences against fraud in connection with the Opium Ordinance.
provides that every person in posses- sion of labels and wrappers which were In July Mr. Lau Chu-pak requested at one time attached to Government pre- that provision might be made for the pared, or dross opium and which have application of the Grant Code system to been detached from Government recepta- the vernacular schools subsidised and cles be guilty of an offence. The object of managed by the Confucian Society, as the detaching such labels and wrappers is, schools were supplying a distinct want.
of course,
use them again in a fraudu- Arrangements have accordingly been made lent way by attaching them to receptacles for the giving of a grant to the 18 Con- containing non-Government opium. fucian Schools and to the 11 Tung Wa Clause 7 provides that in the case of any Schools. I should like to take this oppor-person found possessing any box or pack- tunity of thanking those Chinese gentle-age containing opium the onus shall be men who have so generously contributed to thrown on him of moving that he did not the support of these schools.
know that such box or package contained opium.
A number of other questions have also been under discussion in the course of the year between the Government and the unofficial members, as for instance the housing scheme for Civil Servants and the choice of a site for the European Young Men's Christian Association Building.
Opium Ordinance, 1918 THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, An Ordinance to amend the Opium Ordinance, 1914, and the Opium Ordin- ance, 1917."
In doing so, he said-The Bill proposes to make certain amendments
Tur COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the Bill was rend a second time.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL then moved that Council go into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.
The Bill passed through Committee resuming, the Attorney-General moved the without amendment, and, upon Council third reading of the Bill.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was then read a third time, and passed.