14
LATER TRAMS AND FERRIES.
and
With regard to the question the hon. member has raised concerning late hours for the ferry service
trams, the Western ferry service is run under con- tract and I am pertectly certain that if the successful tenderer for that service considered it would pay to run to a later hour he would do it at once. Even if he would not do it merely for the comfort and convenience of those who liked to stay up very late at night, no doubt special fares could be arranged. Two o'clock in the morning was given as a suitable hour, but I really think that people who can afford habitually to stay out until that time for reasons of their own might be expected to be able to afford a motor boat. Trams stop at an early hour. I do not know and have never known the reasons. But the same remark applies to those people on the island who wish to remain up to such late hours for reasons into which we need not enquire-they might be expected to pay for a motor car. However, the companies might be ap- proached to see if they would run later services. The ferry runs until one o'clock but that is only for Kowloon. The Peak trams run until 12 o'clock and it is always possible to arrange for a late car. Only the low level trams, therefore, have to be considered. I am surprised that they stop at some extraordinary early hour-- 10.30 I think. That is a matter for negotiation with the Company.
LAND SALES.
As regards land sales and the Building Covenant the Government recognises the dithcult circumstances and wherever a man is obviously trying to carry out his covenant he will be treated leniently Circumstances differ in different cases and it is sometimes difficult to know how to deal with these matters. Every case is considered very carefully and certainly there is no intention of imposing heavy fines and penalties at present unless there is an absolute disregard of the building covenant altogether.
FIRE BRIGADE.
The personnel of the Fire Brigade is certainly rather a serious thing. The pre- sent renumeration does not appear to attract and it has been decided to raise it with a view to bringing up the Asiatic portion of the staff. Whether it will be necessary to increase that of the Euro- pean officers has to be seen.
The ques tion of station officers has been gone into very carefully and it was not considered necessary to increase the number. The only reason given for an increase of station officers is that one might fall sick. But the senior Chinese members of the staff are very efficient and have shown themselves so on many occasions.
BANYAN TREES.
It is very sad to think that these ban- yan trees in Nathan Road will have to go sometime. It is recognised that they will have to go when the service of 'buses is started. They have been carefully counted by the Superintendent of the Botanical and Forestry Department and they will have to come down. They were planted when the road was narrow and are now all over the place. No one dis- likes seeing the trees removed more than I do but they constitute a danger. If the branches are lopped on one side and not on the other it makes them unstable and it might mean an accident. There are 200 of them and they will have to go, but not at present. Their time will come when we start strengthening the road and the 'bus service commences. I thank hon. inembers for their comments on the esti- mates. I am speaking for the last time in a Budget debate. We are all more or less in unity as regards the future pro- sperity of the Colony. (Applause.)
410