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DANGER ON PRAYA
Mr. Hughes' Remarks On Traffic Peril
MAINTENANCE OF ROADS
The Hon. Mr. A. W. Hughes said:- Sir, The Budget for 1937 is essenti- ally practical and in keeping with present day requirements. Necessary expenditure has been provided for and "luxuries" have been avoided The task of limiting expenditure must have been a difficult one, and I feel the community has every reason to be satisfied with the result.
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As I understand my Honourable friend Mr. Braga proposes to be specific in his comments upon the Roads Maintenance Vote, I will refer to it only upon broad lines. The Honourable Colonial Secretary has told us that the Government "cannot safely repeat in 1937 the pruning of such items as road maintenance votes which has helped the financial posi- tion in 1936," and he added "we are faced by heavy expenditure at some future date if we are to return to the high standards maintained in the past." I am pleased at this official recognition of the fact that our roads to-day are not what they have been in the past. They have not reached the stage of being definitely bad, but' both upon the Island and in the New Territories, it is evident in many places that without extensive repairs the "definitely bad" stage will soon be reached.
There are provisions in the present Budget for maintenance and exten- sion, but with all respect I submit this work is so important that its extent should not be dependent upon whether or not the necessary funds can be spared from General Revenue.
Petrol Tax Allocation The present Petrol Tax is 30 cents per gallon, and I am informed that the yearly consumption in the Colony is in excess of two and a half million gallons, thus providing a Revenue of some $750,000. I suggest that as a permanent policy a per- centage of this Tax should be allo- cated each
year to road require- ments. This system is in force elsewhere. In California there is a special Tax of, I believe, three cents a gallon and the proceeds of this Tax are applied solely to Roads. The California Roads are the envy of all the States in America, and of many countries outside.
In using the word "maintenance" above, I wish to include provision for greater safety than exists to- day. In particular, I refer to the
absence of kerbing in a great num- ber of places where the most rudimentary elements of safety de- mand them. There is a particularly bad stretch in front of the Hume Pipe Factory on the Castle Peak Road.
Praya Danger
The deep gutters on both sides were responsible for two very nasty accidents early this year, but the section that calls most loudly for attention is the Praya. At present there is no protection whatever and the needs of harbour craft while using the Praya must be studied, these should not be allowed to jeopardize the lives of our citizens. There have been cases of cars go- ing over the Praya into the Harbour with resultant loss of life. It is
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amazing there have not been many", more. Cars are in charge of drivers of varying driving ability, and in- numerable people are crossing at right angles to them. During times of poor visibility the danger is, of course, increased. respectfully
draw your Excellency's attention to this very serious need. That the danger is not equally grave in other parts of the Colony is due solely to the fact that the traffic-both vehicu- lar and pedestrian-is less in volume.
Anti-Malarial Work
The Budget provides a sum of $50,000 for anti-malarial work on the island and $10,000 in Kowloon. Presumably this is for a continua- tion of the unequal fight against this disease that is carried on by the Sanitary Department, but it is surely insufficient and when spent will pro- vide little improvement in the posi-. tion of to-day. The subject has been mentioned in this Chamber upon many previous occasions, but the great need for action is sufficient justification for this repetition.
The excellent work done in the
: Straits Settlements in eradicating malaria is undoubtedly known to your Excellency, and I urge that the problem in Hongkong be attacked upon the same lines and with the same vigour as was done by the Straits Government.
THE GOVERNMENT REPLY
Criticism Answered By Colonial Secretary
NEED FOR ECONOMY
Replying, the Colonial Secretary this said:-Sir,-We have followed year the procedure which has been usual in Hongkong on the occasion of the introduction of the Budget but . I understand that Your Excellency of two will reply to the criticism Honourable Members concerning it.
The Honourable the Senior Un- official Member has raised again the question of exchange. The official view of this matter has been very fully explained in this Council in the past and I do not think I need take up your time by paraphrasing it. I am afraid that this is one of the sub- jects on which we must agree to differ.
With regard to the Widows and Orphans Pension Scheme, a Com- mittee was appointed some time ago by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to investigate the matter generally with reference to all Colonies.
now
The Committee's report has been issued, but until the observa- tions of the Secretary of State have been received and considered, the Government will not be in a position to make a statement.
Two members have spoken on the question of salaries.
Record of Emoluments
The life history of most European Officials and a record of their emolu- ments since their arrival in Hong- kong can be seen by anyone who obtains a copy of the annual Civil Service List. Until a similar record. is available regarding the employees of our local firms I fear that satis- factory comparisons cannot easily be drawn.
What is being attempted, so far as the members of the various unified services are concerned, is to draw up a scale of remuneration which shall be commensurate with that which obtains in certain other Colonies.
The Honourable the Senior Chin- ese Member has referred to the pos- sibility of financing further public works from Loan funds. Generally speaking it is sound policy to finance by means of a loan only such under- takings as are likely to prove re- munerative, unless, as in the case of the Gaol, important works are im- peratively required which it is im- possible to finance otherwise. This policy covers the case of the Central Market, but not, as a rule, such things as roads and bridges.
The Government shares the regret of the Honourable Member that financial stringency has made it necessary to make a 10% reduction in the capitation Grants to English Grant Schools, and I can assure him that the matter will receive sympathetic consideration as soon as the situation appears to warrant it.
Higher Tariff Probable
The proposals now under consi- deration by Government for en- hanced motor taxation, involve an increase in the case of all private and public cars and lorries with the exception of buses operated by the two companies holding licences for public bus services in Hongkong and Kowloon, it may also be found necesssary to fix a higher tariff for vehicles propelled by heavy oil.
I am indebted to the Honourable Mr. Braga for a number of interest- ing criticisms and suggestions.
As I have already pointed out 1937 is a year of transition. We shall, before the year is out, have com- pleted a number of Public Works of the first importance, and shall be marking time to some extent until it is known how much we can afford to undertake in 1938. For the mo- ment, therefore, we shall probably be overstaffed with architects. Of the thirteen in Government Service three will be on leave, and two are required to act in the place of the
in Executive Engineers
the charge of
Architectural and Buildings Ordinance Offices who will also be on leave. Of the remainder four will be employed in the Build- ings Ordinance Office and four in the Architectural Office. The Director of Public Works has provided me with a list showing the works on which these last will be engaged. It includes the preparation of sketch plans for future buildings and work in connection with Town Planning.
The places of officers retiring on pension from the Public Works Department are not being filled, but apart from this I doubt whether it would be economical, even if it were practical, to make a further reduc- tion in staff at the moment.
Inspector of Furniture
The title Inspector of Furniture is perhaps somewhat misleading. This Officer is in charge not only of the upkeep of the very considerable quantity of furniture in government quarters and offices, but also of the construction of new furniture. Ex- penditure on this work under recur- rent votes amounted to $52,000 in 1935, to $62,000 in 1934 and to $76,- 000 in 1933. Special expenditure during 1936 on furniture for new buildings such as the Central British School, the new Gaol and the Queen Mary Hospital amounts to $127,000. The Inspector of Furni- ture is also in charge of the Work- shop at Hung Hom and the Repair shop at Wanchai where 100 work-
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