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Kowloon and this will increase the pres- sure throughout the whole district. As to the Saiyingpun School I am hoping that an exchange of land will be arrived at within the next month.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER.
The COLONIAL TREASURER explained, in reply to the Hon, Mr. Pollock, why the sum of $600,000 for the University did not appear as a liability in the state. ment of the liabilities and assets of the Colony. In regard to the question of loans he thought the best answer to the Hon. Mr. Stephen's remarks was what the Colony had no need of loans.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
DEFENCE OF PEAK ROAD TO VICTORIA GAP PROJECT.
The Hon, COLONIAL SECRETARY: At the opening of his speech the Hon. and learn- ed member representing the Justices of the Peace referred to the form of the Estimates, especially as regards the abstract on pages 5 to 12, and asked that an extra column should be put in showing the revised estimate for the current year.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR: Page 5 contains information which the hon. member de- sires. The only question is whether it is worth while extending the system to pages 6 to 12. I am rather doubtful whether it will be so.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY: The second sug- gestion that was that a column showing the estimated cost of works should be placed under Public Works Extraordinary." It is sometimes possible to put in the estimated cost of works and sometimes it is not, and to put in an estimate which is quite inaccurace would probably be more mis- leading than having no estimate at all. The matter will be re-considered and it may be possible to put in a number of total estimates. Coming to the hon. mem- ber's remarks on the Wanchai tramway project and on the continuation of the road from Wanchai Gap to Victoria Gap, I would like to say, in the first place, that I suggested the making of the tram- way to Wanchai Gap and had had it in mind for years before making the sugges- tion. I realised then that it probably would not pay: it might prove an expense and would certainly yield no return on capital expenditure for a number of years. It would, however, be so useful in developing the district by carrying build- ing material up to the surrounding area and would also be of use to a large num-. ber of passengers who would use it for getting to such a central point as Wan- chai Gap and by visitors to the Colony that I now think we should get quite a good return from the beginning, and as development proceeded we should get some return on capital and be able to regulate the fares in the public interest. I realised that no private Company could be expect- ed to embark upon such a venture, which would probably cost about four lakhs. and that therefore it should be done by the Government. I put the project for- ward and it has got to the length of the routes having been surveyed and certain plans for its construction having been prepared. Although at the Finance Com- mittee it was omitted from the Esti mates for next year it may be possible. to finish the plans and to arrive at some estimate of the total cost. With regard to the Peak Road I can say that I personally had nothing to do with it. It was a pro- ject that never appealed to me, and I was with the hon. member in thinking it was wholly unnecessary. But I have become entirely converted, and I consider the road to the Peak and as far as Victoria Gap, and possibly in the future much farther than that, is an absolute neces- mity. I will refer to an answer given to