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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
assistance to ships in distress and steps are being taken to ensure that news received of disasters, other than that broad- cast by other shore stations or ships, will be broadcast in the future.
3. The Harbour Master has full authority to deal directly and promptly in such cases. On this occasion prompt action was taken in that as soon as the message was received stating that the "Hsin Wah" was aground, arrangements were made immediately to send out the tug "Taikoo" to the ship's assistance.
4. Police launches are built specially for Police work and it is not considered expedient to alter their design to that of deep-sea craft. The Officers in charge of these launches are competent in the handling of their launches.
5. It would be possible to keep the Rescue Tug "Kausing" continuously under steam at half an hour's notice but this would incur an additional expense of approximately $30,000 annually.
The "Hsin Wah," carrying W/T but not in working order, grounded on a clear night on an island on which there was a First Order Light burning brightly. A repetition of this disaster is so improbable that it is not considered that this extra recurrent expenditure would be justified.
HON. MR. J. P. BRAGA asked:-
-
Will the Honourable the Colonial Treasurer state, under separate heads, the amount of revenue collected by the Treasury on account of stamp duties in connexion with share transac- tions in respect of-
(i) Sharebrokers' memos. for cash transactions.
(ii) Sharebrokers' contract notes for forward transactions.
(iii) Instrument of Transfer for the following periods,
viz.:
(1) the year 1924,
(2) first and second half, respectively, of the year 1925,
(3) the year 1926,
(4) the year 1927,
(5) the year 1928, and separately for each month, from
January to April inclusive, of last year,
(6) January, 1929.
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