July 24, 1931)
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT
NO NEW TAXES FOR NEXT YEAR?
UNOFFICIALS PLEAD FOR CONSIDERATION:
H.E. THE GOVERNOR EXPLAINS.
CHINESE SPOKESMAN WANTS "PERIOD
OF RECUPERATIVE REST."
At the Legislative Council on July 16, when the Colonial Secretary proposed the second reading of the Bill to authorize the appropriation of a supplementary sum of $2,486,577.02 to defray the charges of the year 1930, the Hon. Mr. W. E. L. Shenton, speaking on behalf of the unofficial members, and the Hon. Mr. R. H. Kotewall speaking on behalf of the Chinese representatives, expressed appreciation of the administration of the Colony's
finances for 1930.
Both speakers voiced the hope that no further taxation would be introduced in the Budget for 1932. Knowing what a wise physician Your Excellency is,' said Mr. Kotewall, "the com- munity confidently looks to you for a period of recuperative rest, without further doses of physic."
H.E. the Governor, in the course of a brief speech, said that this year's revenue was coming in satisfactorily and, while it was difficult to see so far ahead, he echoed the hope that it would not be necessary to increase the taxation in connection with the Budget of 1932.
FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS DULY APPROVED.
His Excellency the Governor (Sir show that the anticipated expendi- William Peel, K.C.M.G., K.B.E.) ture on Public Works which was to presided, and there were also pre-be charged to the Surplus Balances sent:
The Hon. the Officer Commanding the Troops (Col. R. B. Cousens,
D.S.O.).
The Colonial Secretary (Hon. Mr. W. T. Southorn, C. M.G.).
The Attorney General (Hon. Mr. C. G. Alabaster, K.C., O.B.E.).
The Secretary for Chinese Affairs (Hon. Mr. E. R. Hallifax, C.M.G., C.B.E.).
The Colonial Treasurer (Hon. Mr. Edwin Taylor).
Hon. Mr. H. T. Creasy, C.B.E. (Director of Public Works).
of a further loan was as follows:- of the Colony pending the raising Shing Mun Valley Water
Scheme, 1st section $-235,000 Aerodrome Aberdeen Valley Water
Scheme
Shing Mun Valley Water
Scheme, 2nd section Vehicular Ferry
Total
200,000
895,000
230,000
650,000
.$2,210,000
These works have at various times Hon. Mr. E. D. C. Wolfe, C. M.G.,been approved by this Council and (Inspector General of Police). the proposed expenditure was re- Hon. Dr. W. B. A. Moore (Direc-ferred to in the discussion on the tor of Medical and Sanitary Ser- Budget for 1931, but no formal re- vices).
solution was taken to give Legis- Hon. Comdr. G. F. Hole, R.N.lative sanction to the expenditure (Harbour Master).
Hon. Mr. W. E. L. Shenton. Hon. Mr. R. H. Kotewall, C.M.G., LL.D.
Hon. Mr. C. G. S. Mackie. Hon. Mr. S. W. Tso, O.B.E., LL.D.
Hon. Mr. J. P. Braga.
Hon. Mr. J. J. Paterson.
Hon. Mr. W. H. Bell.
for the current year, although, as Hon. Members are aware, the work has been going on in the meantime. It is to regularize the position that these motions are being proposed to-day.
Revised Estimates.
Some nine months have clapsed since the printed estimates were Mr. R. A. C. North (Clerk of drawn up and it is therefore pos- Councils).
THE COLONIAL
SECRETARY.
In moving the first of the five financial resolutions on the agenda (details of which appear below), the Hon. Colonial Secretary said: "With the permission of the Coun- cil I should like to speak on this and the next four motions together. A reference to App. VI.B of the printed Estimates for 1931 will
sible to make a closer estimate of the amount likely to be required this year.
This explains the dif- ference between the amount now asked for and the amounts shown in the printed estimate. More money is asked for in connection with the Shing Mun scheme, 1st section, the Aerodrome and the Vehicular Ferry; less will be re quired for the Aberdeen Valley and Shing Mun 2nd Section schemes. The figures depend largely on the pace at which the various works proceed and to some extent on
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changes in design which are in- evitable in the carrying out of large works of this nature. The increase in the Aerodrome estimate
is largely due to an increase in the size of the hangar now under con- struction, of which the Air Minis- try has undertaken to bear half the cost.
The decrease in the Shing Mun Valley 2nd section estimate is due to the fact that the Secretary of State's sanction has so far been confined to the work on the filters, sanction of the whole scheme being held up for the present, pending ex pert consideration of the designs.
Satisfactory Balance.
The total amount asked for is $2,538,000 as against $2,210,000 in the printed estimates, but consider- ably less was spent from surplus balances in 1930 than was estimated for and, as Hon. members are aware from my remarks when in- troducing the Supplementary Sup- ply Bill at the last meeting, the state of the surplus balances is very much more satisfactory than could have been anticipated when the Estimates for 1931 were framed. This small increase need, therefore,
cause no concern.
I now formally move the first of the five financial resolutions stand- ing in my name, viz.:
That this Council approves of the expenditure of $350,000 on the Shing Mun Valley Water Supply scheme during the finan- cial year 1931 which sum shall be inet from a future loan and shall meanwhile be charged as an ad- vance from the surplus balances of the Colony.
The motion was seconded by the Hon. Colonial Treasurer and was duly passed.
All Motions Carried,
The other four financial motions wnich
were also passed were as follows:-
That this Council approves of the expenditure of $568,000 on the Kai Tak Aerodrome slipway and hangar during the financial year 1931, which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall mean- while be charged as an advance from the surplus balances of the Colony.
That this Council approves of the expenditure of $750,000 on the Aberdeen Valley Water Scheme during the financial year 1931, which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall meanwhile be charged as an advance from the surplus balances of the Colony.
That this Council approves of the expenditure of $140,000 on the filters in connection with the Shing Mun Valley Water Scheme during the financial year 1931, which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall meanwhile be charged as an advance from the surplus balances of the
Colony.
That this Council approves of the expenditure of $730,000 on the vehicular ferry during the finan cial year 1931, which sum shall be met from a future loan and shall weanwhile be charged as an advance from the surplus balances of the Colony,
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