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provisions of the Bill are finally submitted for the approval of
the Secretary of State.
The Committee remains emphatically of opinion that a
general Bill of this nature should in no case confer powers upon
the Government to carry out large scale public works of the nature
indicated in paragraph 5 hereof, since the nature of such schemes
would not be known until they had already been decided upon by
the Government.
Each scheme of this nature should be made the subject of
a separate Bill.
7.
The Committee is therefore of opinion that the present
Bill should be redrafted on the lines indicated in the first
portion of the preceding paragraph.
8. At the interview above referred to Mr. Cowell suggested
that the Committee should submit a draft clause embodying the view
it entertains. This suggestion has had the careful consideration
of the Committee but, in the absence of any definite knowledge of
the exact nature of the minor works it is desired to carry out as
indicated in the Governor's despatch and the answers of the Secre-
tary of State, it has not found it possible to frame any clause
which would be likely to meet the end in view. It should, however,
be well within the competence of the Government's Draftsman, with
an exact knowledge of what the Government has in mind, a knowledge
the Government should have no difficulty in furmishing, to draft
a clause to which no reasonable objections could be made.
9.
Apart from this major question of the scope of the Bill
there are certain amendments of a minor nature which, in the
opinion of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce and of the
Committee are necessary in order adequately to protect the private
interests which may, under any circumstances, be affected by any
public works which may be carried out.