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by the Colonial Secretary. Mr. Bird said that if such and such was the case— I regret I did not take a full note of his remarks-our views did not coin- cide. Well, I am afraid our views do not coincide. (Laughter.)
NEW TERRITORIES
With regard to the question of farms in the New Territories I am not less pleased than surprised to hear that there are thousands of acres in the New Ter- ritories suitable for extensive cultiva- tion. I can assure the honourable mem- ber that if he can find those thousands of acres which are not being put to the best possible use he will have accomplished a feat which the geological survey was not able to accomplish. I entirely agree with to the desirability of encouraging the inhabitants to grow fruit, vegetables, and SO on. Not long ago, being in the village of Kam Tin, I endea- voured to interest the Elders in these matters, and urged them to endeavour to develop their district so as to supply pigs and chickens especially for this Colony. I said the Government would be happy to consider any proposals or suggestions which they had to put for ward. The Elders listened to me with
him as
the customary politeness of Chinese
Elders, and since then I have heard no more. I can assure the hon. member that the Government will take a sym- pathetic view of any practical scheme. Owing to the smallness of the area it is not possible to do much, but I have had one or two instances before me in the last few weeks which suggest that some- thing might be done. For instance Mr. Soares interested me particularly in an excellent banana he is growing success- fully at Un Long and Mr. Alves has established a flourishing ginger plantation in the same neighbourhood. Now that the attention of the public is being grad- ually turned to the New Territories we inay see some development. If we do no one will be more pleased than I.
STREET NAMES
corners of streets as a necessity. After ali this is not such a very large place and even at times when the trams cease running I think most people know the The (Laughter.) street they are in.
names
exact connection between street and a geological survey escapes me. deprecate any suggestion that the money provided for the geological survey should be used for any other purposes.
TREES IN NATHAN ROAD
With regard to the trees in Nathan. Road, referred to by the Colonial Secre- tary, I quite agree with the hon. member that the banyan trees are most unsuit- able and I shall be glad to see them removed. At present they do not ap- pear to be doing any particular harm,
remove them now and if we
we shall have to spend a fairly considerable sum in replacing the road where the trees. have been and generally making things tidy. It would be a mistake to put this work in hand considering that in a year or two we shall be improving and streng- thening the roads. When the proper time comes I hope the D.P.W. will consider the advantage of planting artocarpus integrifolia.
desirability of widening the bridges on With regard to motor traffic and the
the Taipo Road, I deprecate the idea that every road in this Colony should. be of such a width as to encourage people to drive down them at the great- est possible speed. I suggest that a narrow bridge is only a danger if two people, driving at excessive speed, try to cross at the same time in opposite directions or the same direction. would exercise a reasonable amount of intelligence and forethought they would slow down naturally until one person had crossed the bridge. The practice of viden- ing and improving the roads of the Colony just for the sake of trying out the powers of motor cars is not one with which I am personally in sympathy.
A SUITABLE RESERVI
If drivers
With regard to the question of street The hon. member went on to suggest names I think last year I encouraged that economies could be carried too far, the hon. member to the extent of agreeing and said that in his opinion the financial that the provision of street names would be situation was not such as to necessit- useful, but I do not think we could possibly ate applying the
axe to works urgent- regard the placing of street names at allly required and remarked that
I sug-
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reserve.
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be possible to provide a chain of Chinese education from the vernacular schools University. I think I have dealt with for Chinese to a Chinese faculty in the all the points raised, but if there are desire me to dilate further I shall be pre- any other points on which hon. menibers
gested last year $5,000,000 as a suit- able figure for a
Speaking under the same conditions as last year I should repeat that, but speaking under the conditions as they exist I am by no means sure that I should. Five million dollars is a nice sum to have in hand for a rainy day when everythingpared to do so. (Applause).
going satisfactorily, and revenue meets expenditure but if your revenue HON. MR. HOLYOAK-I wish to reply to for reasons beyond your control is ex- some of the statements which have been tremely uncertain and may very likely made, but at the outset I should like come very far short of balancing your to say that the Unofficial Members did expenditure, I think it is desirable to not realise that this would be the last keep your reserve as high as you can occasion on which the Colonial Secretary by cutting out all work not absolutely would be present at the meeting of necessary. I trust and believe that in Council. If we had realised this we a few months, or a year's time at the should certainly had made some refer- latest, the Colony will be able to bring ence to it and should have associated forward a supplementary list of works urselves with the remarks which have which will enable the hon, member to see the streets properly named and the senior Chinese Member. I anticipated been made by you, Sir, and by the other things he has suggested carried that he would be present at a later meet- out, but at the present time I deprecateing and that we should have an oppor taking a too optimistic view of the situa-tunity of taking an official farewell then. tion which cannot be said to be entirely satisfactory.
EDUCATION
WATER SCHEMES
I have left to the last the question schemes I am glad to have the assurance With reference to the question of water of education, which was raised by the of the Director of Public Works that Attorney-General, and by the senior those schemes will be continued. I must Chinese member. I am afraid I was so confess, however, that I was somewhat wrapt up in the wonderful construction surprised to hear that Mechanical Fil- of my predecessor's last paragraph that tration system in Bowen Road had been I rather missed the exact meaning of the definitely settled without reference to Attorney-General's remarks. I think, the Public Works Committee, for the however, it must be admitted that some simple reason thing has gone wrong with education as
that the Director of applied to the Chinese from Western mittee went to the trouble of inspecting Public Works knows well that this Com- quarters, and that the part taken in re-
the Bell's Filtration system in use at cent events by students, who should be Taikoo Sugar Refinery, and from that supposed to have acquired an intelligence time on no report or reference has been beyond that of their uneducated country-made to it in connection with the matter. men, has shown that they possess less than the beasts which perish. I am inclined to
I learn now for the first time that the agree with what I know is the view of the Patterson system has been adopted. I Director of Education. Our mistake has happen to know that this system is not been in attaching too much import-in general use in England compared with ance to Western education, from which the system we advocated which has been. if you come to examine the matter, almost universally adopted at home and closely, it is not clear that all Occid- has given universal satisfaction. I sub- entals benefit very greatly. It is cer- mit that under the circumstances the re- tainly a mistake that we have not paid port of the Water Engineer sent home more attention to the vernacular educate investigate the matter should have tion of Chinese. I may tell you that the Director of Education is devoting much time to the discussion of this subject with my entire sympathy and support, and I hope that in due course it will
been submitted to the Public Works Committee before this system
was de- finitely embarked upon. The explanation of the Director of Public Works in con- nection with my remarks on · Other
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