C. S.
M.F. 237.)
The first and most important poin see paragraph 54 of the Report) is the loss of $314,447.02 which the Government has suffer- ed on a sterling contract for re- mittances to the Crown Agents for the Colonies.
In connexion with this loss the Auditor reports:
"The Government has been re- quired by this Department to obtain the Secretary of State's covering approval for making for- ward sterling contracts, as this is a departure from the recognised Treasury practice. In connection with the loss on this contract, the Government has also been request- ed by this Department to ask the Treasurer how he has shown this loss in his account, but no reply has been received. Further, there does not appear to have been any notification to this Department of the signing of his contract.
The Unofficial Members would be glad if the Honourable the Colonial Treasurer would reply to he statements of the Acting Auditor.
Also, in connection with para- graph 53 of the Auditor's Report, we should be glad to know from the Honourable the Acting Director of Public Works why a penalty of only $1,820 was enforced against the contractor in question instead of the full penalty of $5,740.
Bus Services.
And, lastly, we come to the sub- ject of the Bus Service.
was
At first, no doubt, there every disposition on the part of the bus-using public to adopt rather a lenient view of the shortcomings of the new services on both sides of the Harbour, having regard to the fact that new companies were taking over these services and that it was only fair to give them sufficient time to get into their stride.
Such lenient considerations are, however, now no longer appli- cable seeing that these new bus services have already been cun- ning for four months.
At the commencement of the new services, constant break- downs of buses took place, especially when going up Garden Road, and, even recently, break- downs on Garden Road still occur, whereas such breakdowns under the regime of the Hongkong Hotel Company were practically unknown.
If such breakdowns are in any way attributable to the obtaining of less experienced drivers at lower wages, then such saving has been distinctly false economy, both from the point of view of the Company and also of the travell- ing public who have a right to expect a punctual and efficient service.
Another complaint which has been voiced in the columns of the local Press, and which is doubtless also due, in a measure, to drivers having insufficient experience, is the failure of the buses, especially
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on the Hongkong side of the Harbour, to keep to a proper re- gular schedule of times, thereby causing grave inconvenience to passengers going to and from their offices.
In Kowloon special grievances have recently been ventilated in the South China Morning Post, namely the insufficiency of buses on certain routes at certain hours.
We trust that the Government will fully investigate the above matters with a view to their being remedied, as it is so obviously necessary that the regularity and efficiency of public utility com- panies should, in the interests of the public, be fully maintained.
MR. GORDON MACKIE.
Trade Situation Worse Than In 1925-26.
SHIPPING OUTLOOK BAD.
The Hon. Mr. Gordon Mackie said: Your Excellency, my Hon- ourable friend, the Senior Un- official Member, has dealt very fully with the principal points in the Honourable the Colonial Secretary's speech and has covered most of the ground which call, for any comment.
There are one or two matters, however, which have not been touch- ed upon and on which I would like to make a few remarks.
I note with interest that the Harbour Survey is to be completed by 1935. The Colonial Secretary did not refer to the subject, but I see in the Estimates, Public Works Extraordinary, Item 91, that a sum of $224,000 has been budgeted to be spent next year on dredging the Harbour. It is satisfactory to know that this now long overdue work which has been pressed for by the Shipping and Commercial
interests is at last to be taken up seriously. I shall be glad if the Colonial Secretary, when he replies to this debate, will tell us what is the present position with regard to the contracts for putting this necessary and urgent work in hand.
It is a matter for regret that the already considerable expenditure on the vehicular ferry piers is to be increased by a lakh or more, but I trust that the advice of the Naval Dockyard expert will put things right. It would appear to the lay- man that some of the initial mis- takes might have been avoided if expert advice had been sought in the first instance.
Marine Surveys.
The application of the new Safe- ty and Load Line Conventions to one of the World's great ports is,
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of course, necessary, and the Colon- ial Secretary informed the Council. of the
of verdict of the Board Trade as to the minimum increase Marine Sur- in the Government veyor's staff which application of the Convention will call for. The Technical (Shipping) Committee of the Chamber of Commerce stressed the point that once exist- ing shipping has been surveyed and brought into line with the Con- vention requirements, the subse- quent periodical surveys will doubt- less occupy much the same time as before.
They therefore recommended that, until the amount of extra work has been ascertained in the light of practical experience, the Government should engage ad- ditional staff on temporary ap- pointments only in order to avoid expensive enlargement of the pen- sionable staff.
The Committee still hold the same view, notwithstanding the ruling of the Board of Trade, that i three additions to the permanent staff are necessary, and they ex- press the hope that any new ap- pointments made will be in the first instance for a fixed period on- ly, say 3 years.
I am afraid it is unlikely that there will be any large amount of new construction of ships in Hongkong in the next few years.
The proposed expenditure of $60,000 on making Magazine Gap Road accessible for motor vehicles will be welcomed by all Peak residents, as it will reduce con- siderably the distance from the Upper Levels to the centre of the town.
I would suggest, however, that, in the interests of public safety, the road be barred to motor lor- ries being used in connexion with building operations on Magazine Gap Road itself.
Government House.
I feel that the Government is wise in reverting to the scheme for re-building Government House on the site available at Magazine Gap which is so admirably suited to the purpose.
The new Residence, with the completion of the new Motor Road, will be almost as con- veniently situated as the present Government House and in much more pleasant surroundings. How- ever, for the convenience of pas- sers-through and residents on the lower levels might I suggest that Your Excellency arrange to have a Visitors' Book kept at the Govern- ment Offices?
Members naturally listened with interest to the Colonial Secretary's remarks on the subject of avia- tion. I agree that we must con- tinue to develop Hongkong as an air port in readiness for the time when China becomes a party to the International Air Convention and,