375
376
63
62
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
for a Health Inspector to be sent out from Victoria to Aberdeen every day, and it would be much more satisfactory if he could reside near his work.
Under Sub-head 43, provision has been made for the com- mencement of work on a new block of central Government offices. Departments are now scattered all over the city and a sum of approximately $750,000 is expended in rents. It is estimated that a central block of offices can be built for a sum of about $8 million, so the interest represents a great deal less than is now being paid in rents. Such a scheme would there- fore be a sound investment and it would also effect considerable economies in staff and recurrent expenditure. Moreover there would be a greater degree of co-ordination in Government work, as instead of sometimes inadequate telephone conversations, officers would, without loss of time, be able to discuss problems face to face with representatives of the department concerned. The building of the new offices will meet a need which has long been felt. The block will stretch across the present Secretariat site from the Defence Force Headquarters on Garden Road, right through to Ice House Street. The offices will be built in sections, so that as the buildings now on the site are demolished, alternative accommodation will be available. The preliminary design for the new block is a pleasing one, but of course final drawings have not yet been made. The present proposal is that offices to which the public require most frequent access should be at the Ice House Street end, and that lifts should be installed to give access along the corridors to the offices at the Garden Road end.
Under Sub-head 45 a sum of $250,000 has been provided for domestic appliances for Government quarters. The newer quarters are provided with electric cookers and water heaters from Government stocks, but when the bulk of the quarters were rehabilitated such stocks were not available. The appliances in the quarters which were reconstructed at an earlier date are therefore hired from the Electric Companies. The position has thus arisen where officers in the newer quarters pay no rent for such appliances while those in the older quarters do. This has given rise to a certain degree of discontent and it has been decided to purchase a sufficient stock of electric appliances for all Government quarters.
Provision has also been included under Sub-head 46 for further Government quarters in the shape of a block of twelve flats, consisting of a living room with dining alcove, and one bedroom. A number of Government officers are still accom- modated in hotels and, while the demand for the bigger type of flat has been more or less met, there is a very definite need for a smaller flat of the type now proposed. Indeed the Civil Service Association have pressed very strongly for accommoda- tion of this type.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The sum of $14,172,300 has been provided under the Sub- ventions Head, as compared with $13 million last year. Of this $7,985,800 is paid in grants to Grant-aided and Vernacular schools while $1,550,000 goes to the University. This year a contribution of $500,000 to the General Officer Commanding-in- Chief's fund for welfare activities among the troops has been included. A grant of $250,000 was made by supplementary vote in respect of the last six months of the year just ending. It will, I am sure, be generally agreed that it is only proper for the Government to make some contribution towards the cost of welfare activities among the garrison, and it is considered that it is better to do so in this way, than by a reduction in the duty on beer for Service personnel, as was at one time sug- gested. Under the grant system the money can be used in a variety of ways, whereas under the latter system no-one would benefit to any appreciable extent and some would not benefit at all. It has proved necessary, owing to the general rise in costs, to increase the subsidy to the Tung Wah Group of Hos- pitals by just over half a million, and the cost of the subsidy to Vernacular schools has also risen by the same amount.
In addition to the expenditure provided for in the Appro- priation Bill, we are continuing our expenditure from Loan funds. Up to the 31st March, 1949, expenditure from this source amounted to $87,652,668 and it is estimated that by the 31st March, 1950, this figure may have been increased to $113,851,730 which of course is largely financed from surplus balances. Over $12,000,000 was originally earmarked for new rolling stock for the Kowloon-Canton Railway but as a result of recent developments and the interruption of through traffic to Canton, certain orders, including dining cars, have been cancelled. This has released substantial Loan funds for re- allocation. $8,000,000 is earmarked for the new Airport, and some preliminary charges have already been incurred, as a survey party has been sent out to consider the lay-out of the site. When work starts in earnest, it will be necessary to draw on the interest free Loan of £3,000,000 which His Majesty's Government agreed to grant under the general War Expenditure settlement. $3,888,500 from Loan funds has been provided for the completion of a number of Police stations and a further $2,045,000 will be expended on new schools during the coming year.
In conclusion I should like to point out that we are not only endeavouring to maintain the facilities provided by Government departments at their normal level, but we have set aside funds for some expansion in our educational and health services. We have done this at a time when we have to face heavy security commitments of all sorts, and to find very large sums to ensure the maintenance of law and order on which so much— indeed the whole structure of this Colony-depends. To expect this to be done on the existing basis of taxation is to ask for the impossible, and it is for this reason and not for any
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