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go into later on and the question
of staff can also be settled then.
The Colonial Secretary.-I may take it that the two machines are definitely approved?
Hon. Sir Henry Pollock-Yes, definitely.
The Sai Kung Road.
should spend the money on this road or not, and they were, and are still, with the exception of, I think, Mr. Braga, of the opinion that this money should not be spent. Governor's Reply.
H. E. The Governor. Then I am afraid we shall have to divide on the motion.
On a division, the Hon. Sir Henry Pollock's motion was lost, seven voting in favour and ten against. am
H. E. The Governor.-I afraid this is a matter on which I cannot accept the views express- ed by the Hon. Unofficial Member. In my opinion the time has now come when we must set to work and develop the hilly district above Kowloon. It will never be deve-
trict on the island was developed; it can only be developed by motor road. It is not to the point to say that houses have not yet been built along the Shek O Road or on the hills above Sai Wan. This is a question of providing hilly resi- dences for the dwellers in Kow- loon, and I think it is most im- portant that some
In connexion with the sum of $3,840,750 for Public Works, Extraordinary, Hon. Sir Henry Pollock said.-With regard to the question of making the road to Sai Kung, I think I may fairly claim to have even more know-loped by tramway as the Peak dis- ledge than Your Excellency of the country in question, because for 25 years I was cruising about in a cruising yacht in the waters of the New Territory and I quite ad- mit that this road would open up a very beautiful district, but, Sir, I cannot agree that with so much! expenditure held up on the Gov ernment Civil Hospital, the new prison, markets, improved system of broadcasting and even carry-, ing on imperfectly and incom-
road pletely with the
between Causeway Bay and Shaukiwan, that we should be any the wiser in starting off on a new road for Sai Kung or any portion of it.
With reference to the Taipo Road, it is quite true that the near part of the road is no doubt within the waterworks reservation area, but there is a very large stretch of the road before you get to Taipo which is more or less high up, in a pleasant position and which has not been built upon. The same may be said with regard to the road between the gap above Sai Wan Bay and the gap leading down to Shek O. As to the gap above Sai Wan Bay and Shaukiwan, there is a great deal of hilly country with pleasant pro- spects upon which people could, if they were so disposed, have built, but they have not in fact done so. Having regard to the important public works held up, I certainly do not think this is a time when we can afford to spend money on any portion of this Sai Kung Road. Therefore I beg to move
"That the item of $3,840,750 for Public Works Extraordinary be reduced to $3,640,750 by the omission from it of the sum of $200,000 for the proposed road to Sai Kung in the Estimates for 1930, being Item 110 on page 88 of those Estimates."
I may say again I have conferred with my Unofficial colleagues on the question as to whether we
opportunity
should now be afforded those who wish to live on the hilltops in Kow. loon to do so. They cannot do that along the Taipo Road, at least until they get to the hills beyona Taipo. When they get as far as that, then they are too distant from Kowloon to come in to their work by motor car. On the hills immediately above Kowloon be- tween Customs Pass and Lyemun they can drop down to Kowloon cer- tainly in twenty minutes. I may say that it rather prejudices the question, referring to this as the Sai Kung Road. The first section goes not from Kowloon City to Sai Kung but to Ma Yau Tong. That is the section of the road I think we ought not to postpone any longer. I think the time has now come when we ought to do more than we are doing for the development of the hilly districts of Kowloon. I visualise the time, perhaps in ten years, when the population of Kow- loon will be larger than that of the island. It has grown in a most phenomenal way. I gave you some figures in my address to you on the waterworks; and so far as I can recall 19,000 persons were resident in Kowloon Peninsula at the time we took over the New Territories 30 years ago, and now there are something like 300,000. These are reasons which prompt the Government that this work should be carried out, and I hope the members of the Council will reconsider their objections. As I have said, it is not a question of building a road to Sai Kung or anywhere near it at the present time, but of building a road to Ma Yau Tong.
The Unofficial members again conferred, following which Hon. Sir Henry Pollock said.-We are all against the commencement of the construction of this road.
Royal Naval Reserve.
On the vote of $25,433 for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, the Hon. Sir Henry Pollock said.- I am afraid I must ask for a division.
M
H. E. The Governor.-I would ask hon. members not to divide against this vote. The money will not be spent until the Imperial Government sanctions it. The Government will certainly vote for it if the motion is pressed to a division.
Hon. Sir Henry Pollock.-It is the only way we have of objecting to the vote, by dividing against it.
H. E. The Governor. I still urge you not to, if only on senti- mental grounds. Supposing the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve is created and remains one of the institutions of the Colony, it would unfortunately come into being after an adverse vote of the Un- official members of this Council. I should regret that very deeply. The fact that the Unofficial mem- bers unanimously opposed the vote would be represented by me in a despatch to the Secretary of State and I have no doubt he would take that into full consideration before deciding on the matter. Hon. members will remember that on one previous occasion when they voted a much larger sum for a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the Colony, the Secretary of State decided that the money should not be spent. I think it would be un- fortunate if we divided on a matter such as this. Perhaps it will be sufficient if the hon. members go on record in Hansard as objecting to this vote.
Hon. Sir Henry Pollock. We do object, all of us, to this vote. If it goes on record it will be sufficient without pressing for a division. 1 take it that will be noted as part of the record of the proceedings.
Third Reading.
The Council having resumed,
T
i
The Colonial Secretary moved. the third reading of the Bill. The Colonial Treasurer seconded and the Bill was read a third time and " passed.
H. E. The Governor.-I take this opportunity of thanking the members of the Council very sin- cerely for the provision they have made for the financial working of next year.
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