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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The draft Bill has been duly advertised in accordance with the Royal Instructions and the Standing Orders of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
Copies of the Bill have been forwarded to the Honourable the Attorney General and the Bill has been approved by him.
I move the first reading of the said Bill.
THE HON. MR. R. H. KOTEWALL seconded, and the Bill was read a first time.
Objects and Reasons.
The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows:
1. As a result of the increase in the number of His Majesty's Naval and Military Forces in Hong Kong in 1927 the Young Men's Christian Association of Hong Kong was requested by its Head Office in London to provide additional facilities for the entertainment and recreation of His Majesty's Forces in the Colony of Hong Kong.
2. As a result of such request the Young Men's Christian Association of Hong Kong with the help of a Committee of local ladies issued an appeal for funds with the result that premises were obtained for the purpose of providing recreational facilities for His Majesty's Forces.
3. The original Committee consisted of three Directors of the Young Men's Christian Association and three other members appointed by the General Public of Hong Kong assisted by a Ladies' Advisory Committee.
4. The premises first obtained were at the corner of Queen's Building in the premises formerly occupied by the Banque Franco Chinoise. Later the City Hall Committee granted accommodation in the City Hall and from that date until the City Hall was condemned as unsafe, facilities for dancing, writing, whist drives and other amusements were carried on under the name of the Cheero Club and proved of the greatest service in providing recreation of the above description for members of His Majesty's Forces.
5. On the closing of the City Hall the Club fell into abeyance for lack of accommodation and in the Autumn of 1933 an appeal was made for sufficient funds to enable new premises to be erected to carry on the work so successfully inaugurated by the Old Cheero Club under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association.
6. The appeal was successful in raising over $41,000 which was sufficient to pay for the erection and furnishing of a building on a site which had been granted by Government at the corner of
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