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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
estimated premia on land sales, I should like to endorse and repeat every word uttered by the Hon Mr. Landale last year, when dealing with the same item, words which you will find, sir, on page 82 of the Hansard report.
reason!
it intends to take to remove that dif ficulty during the ensuing year.
On the Hongkong side, I doubt whe ther it is worth while to spend $45.000 on the extension of Lugard Road at the Peak, unless arrangements can be made some of the military lands in the neigh with the military authorities to releasa bourhood of Harlech Gap for building sites. As we are asked to assist the mili tary authorities with a Defence Contribu- tion of $2,886,478 out of our revenues for the year, they should at least be reason able in helping to reduce the housing shortage by releasing undeveloped build- ing sites which cost them nothing and which are not required for military pur poses.
I notice amongst the Public Works Extraordinary, on page 93, that the sum of $60,000 is to be spent on the recon strud ion of ferry piers, which now are a disgrace to the fair fame of the Colony. I note, also, that though a similar sum was voted last year only one-fifth of it was spent. I should like to know the Although Eastern Street ferry pier was removed about a year ago no thing has been done to replace it. The ferry pier op the new bund opposite the market at Cheung Chau has not been
With regard to the $71,481, including a even begun. The ferry piers assigned to suin of $24,000 for next year's camp the Yaumati and associated ferries are expenses, which you propose to spend on inpossibly narrow and congested.
The the maintenance of the Defence Corps, is want of proper supervision of these it not high time, sir, that this body of piers is apparent to everyone who has had tuen, who have cheerfully served for n occasion to thread his way through wards of five years without daily pay buckets of pigwash when leaving, or without chevrons, and without medal. arriving, at these piers by ferry. Whilst and who have been combed and re-combed on the subject of ferries, I notice, on page for service in the fighting line until none 9, that you count on getting $118,800 for but those medically unfit or essential to new licences in connection with the the Colony remain, should be given the Kowloon (West) ferries. It would be privilege, accorded to troops throughout better, in the interests of the community, the Empire, of demobilization at the ear that fares be reduced, and the type of liest possible moment! As a force they vessel improved than that we should have not proved costly and they have regard those necessary communications as rendered such services towards the pro- a source of revenue I fear, however, tection of the Colony as were deemed that not until you have required your necessary, whilst they were always in Heads of Department and Executive and readiness to do more should the occasion Legislative Councillors to travel by the arise. The Government, sir, ip & the ordinary ferries to Aberdeen, Stanley, of emergency, has traded on their patric Ping Chu and Tai O. will you be pro-
tism. I blame them not for that. Every perly advised as to what is really requir
State may legitimately trade on
the ed to bring our ferry services up to date. patriotism of its people in times of emer
gency, but to continue so to trade when I am glad to see that you intend to the emergency has passed savoure of pro spend $30,000 on the extension of Coro steering and engenders discontent, nation Road northwards and a further $190.000 on other roads in Kowloon; also that it is proposed to lay a larger main from the reservoir filter beds and to im prove the system of distribution in that rapidly developing district. With abund ance of water in the reservoir, the in- habitants of Kowloon have suffered for years from a difficulty in obtaining water in their houses, which amounts to a positive scandal. It is due to them that the Government should state ex- plicitly the precise nature of the measures
I am afraid that, in commenting on this Council for somewhat longer than I had mase of figures, I have detained the originally intended, but, before I resunite my seat to make way for the hon. member there are two or three matters of import who represents the Chamber of Commerce, ance to which I must refer.
Under the heading "Judicial and Legal departments" I note that the Government proposes to abolish the post of Assistant Interpreter (a European billet) and to
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
It is
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substitute & second grade Chinese inter- mend to the earnest attration of your preter. The legal profession views this Excellency's Government-
The proposal, sir, with consternation.
THE HON. MR. E. V. 1). PARR said :- proper administration of justice in this
Your Excellency, in associating mysel alony depends, in no small measure, generally with what the hun. unofficial
quality of interpretation.
members have said, I would like to add sential that there should be at least two
that I feel certain I am voicing the opinion fully qualified Europeans on the inter- of the general public in endorsing the preting staff and that they should be recommendations of the Commission ap- supplemented by Chinese interpreters of pointed by the Government to raise the the first grade only. The administration scale of European pay, more especially has been niggardly in this respect in the the granting of indulgent passages when past and the Government has lost. in on leave for the families of officials. Consequence, the services of some of the best of the Chinese interpreters and
translators.
As regards the Government's present proposal to spend some 45.000.000 of cur- rent expenditure for public works out of revenue, in the event of money incon ing easier as it is fairly certain to do sooner or later, I would reiterate the ad- vice of the Hon. Mr. Landaly last year to this Council that the only business way of supplying the Colony with such works is by means of short loans in local currency with adequate sinking funds. which would provide the amount requir
Under the heading Sanitary Depart went "you are making provision for only Sanitary Inspector's to do the work at Kowloon City and Shamshuipo formerly done by Police Inspectors. You may no: be personally aware, sir, so shortly after your arrival in the Colony, that when the estimates for the Sanitary Depart uent came before the Sanitary Boarded for each year while more equitably last May, four new Sanitary Insperors, distributing the burden of repayment." and not two. were recommended. Fur I believe it might be possible to save con- ther, that that recommendation was re siderable sums of this proposed expendi- ferred by the Board to a sub-rommittee ture on public works, if the Government contractors' consisting of the President, Mr. Chan could dispense more with Kai-aing, Mr. Bowley and Mr. S. W. services when the contractors' charges are I mean by the Government Tao, who were ananimous in supporting excessive. the recommendation for four, and the re buying their stores in the open market. commendation was unanimously agreed I understand some such arrangements to by the Sanitary Board at a meeting have been successfully carried out in the Straits Settlements." The Government on the 10th June. Why then, sir, is the Board to be flouted and the Departmen more than at present, by helping them. might also encourage smaller contractors deprived of the services of two much when they have shown themselves to be needed inspectors, one of whom was to reliable, to bigger jobs, thus assisting to have been employed a Shaukiwan and distribute the demand for all work in Quarry Bay!
the Colony more equally over the supply. As a member of the Public Works Com- ittee, I have gone exhaustively into this question of contractors charges and I cannot persuade myself that the Govern
ent are able to get the best terms poar sible under the present system.
Lastly, sir, thought there is much I have had perforce to leave unsaid, there is the item under the head of Education" which shows an estimated increase of expitation grants from $51,763 to $71,534, but this is explained by the fact tha: more schools are to be included in the grant scheme. It does not seem that there has been any increase in the actual grants per head for any particular school since 1910, notwithstanding that estab lishment charges for maintenance and salaries have measurably increased since that date. Indeed, I understand that, in 1916, the University Local examination grants were actually halved.
All these are matters which I recom-
We were glad to bear that Your Ex- cellency considers that it has become very desirable to open up new sites for resi- We urge dences in the Hill districts. that the Governinent prepare surveys aud publish development plans of building areas in the vicinity of present habitation contres. more especially at Kowloon, suit- able for inexpensive and immediate de velopment, forming the necessary levels and roads before such areas are applied for and taken up. The development plans
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