Enclosure 6.
200
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1937.
Shines Like Good Deed
In Naughty World"
Officer Administering Government's Tribute To Hong Kong
Legislative Council Meeting: Official Replies
Rent Restriction Legislation Not Favoured
The official replies to points raised by unofficial members were made by the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. Mr. R. A. C. North, and the Officer Administering the Government Mr. N. L. Smith, at a meeting of the Legislative Council held yesterday afternoon in the Council Chamber.
said:
In his speech the Hon. Mr. Smith, touching on the Sino-Japanese troubles as affecting this colony
"I am reminded of a sentence in one of Mazzini's essays on historical method. "The historian,” says he, "must always be impartial; but he should never be indifferent." The rights and wrongs of the present unhappy conflict can be safely left, I would suggest, to the appropriate international tri- bunals or even to the judgment of posterity; but, as with the ideal historian, it would be wrong for us to be indifferent to the sufferings of our near neighbours."
His Excellency paid tribute to the Inspector-General of Police and the people of this Colony for their good sense and steadiness during a most distressful summer.
"I venture to think that if certain spectators in Europe and in the Far East could see this Colony with our Japanese friends going about their business, quietly and unmolested, they might agree that, in this respect at least. Hong Kong "shines like a good deed in a naughty world,” concluded His Excel- lency.
The Colonial Secretary said:- In replying to the speeches which have been made on this mo- tion it will be convenient if I take the points raised in order, begin- ning with the speech of the Honourable the Senior Unofficial Member. If I am found to omit certain matters of importance, it is because these will be dealt with by Your Excellency later in the afternoon.
ECONOMY MEASURES
I can assure the Council that we regret as much as anyone the absence from the list of certain works which have been entered under the heading "Essential" for many years past.
The main reason for their omis- sion is, of course, economy. In normal times we might well have ventured a little further. and might even have hoped to accom-
without plish
increasing taxation; but, as things are, I doubt whether anyone will really blame the Government for decid- ing not to take the risk.
more
NOT FINANCIALLY SOUND The alternative to raising ad- ditional revenue however secured, that is to say the financing of il and sundry works by means of a loan is. I am advised, a proposi- tion that is not financially sound.
There is an essential difference between a market or a water sup- ply both of which bring in re- venue and say a Volunteer Head- quarters which is clearly a liabi- lity. It is true that the Hong Kong Prison was a loan work, but this was only approved for very special reasons.
The Queen Mary Hospital was built from revenue and a request for permission to finance it from a loan was refused by the Secre- tary of State for the Colonies.
HEROIN FIENDS "No Punishment Too Severe For Sub-Human Creatures" Although one may feel that no punishment can be too severe for those sub-human creatures who grow rich by poisoning men and women with heroin, it is doubtful the imposition of the There are in certain cases also whether subsidiary reasons. It is. I feel punishment of flogging would help much to lessen the traffic, and the sure. wise not to embark upon such projects as а new leper proposal has
obvious objections asylum, a new infectious diseases which have been pointed out by hospital, even a new mental hos- the Secretary of State. pital, during the interregnum be- tween the departure of one Direc- tor of Medical Services and the arrival of his successor.
doers. and, with this end in view, the Budget contains provision for the extension of investigation through the employment of better qualified detective officers and of an assistant to the Monopoly Analyst.
To the searcher after economy the proposals for the provision of an additional court at the Central Magistracy sound more alarming than they really are. ALWAYS THREE MAGISTRATES
Ever since I can remember, un-
til a year or SO ago, there have been three Magistrates at the Central Magistracy, the third be- ing known as the First Clerk and Magistrate.
It has always been the intention that a young cadet officer (as soon as one can be spared) shall take on the work as before in place of the present First Clerk who is a
member of the Senior Clerical and Accounting Staff; and for the convenience of everyone, including the Police and the Legal profes- sion, he will be given a Court in which he will hear minor cases.
The cost of fitting up the Court is not great; beyond that no ex- pansion is involved only a certain redistribution of duties.
I am glad to learn that the re- thecent street collection in aid of out Typhoon sufferers met with a gen- erous response. The question of a
It is. generally speaking. probability of being found rather than the severity of the punishment, which deters evil-