1841-1886
601
FOL
Number of trees required is, I take it, a very fair estimate. He says we would require over one million of trees, and if our planting operations were continued at their present tortoise speed take us eleven hundred years to complete the work. Therefore, the question arises, how to accomplish the really proper planting of this island within a reasonable time? Well Mr. Pratt with his usual skill and accuracy, sets that forth, and this important document of his has already been sent to the Finance Committee. It will be in print and in your hands very soon, and it will be seen that without any great increase of expenditure, we will be able to carry out his project of really planting the Colony of Hongkong. Therefore on this occasion I slightly increase the votes for Public Gardens. It was $6,000 last year; I propose to ask you to vote $8,000 this year, and with the addition of $2,000 a year to be expended on forming nurseries for seedlings and paying a regularly organised staff of tree planters, we shall be able, in a few years, to transform the appearance of this island, and permanently improve its sanitary conditions.
The Secretary of State refers to the question of the Hospital. You are aware that a considerable sum was contemplated for the Civil Hospital. The proposition which Sir ARTHUR KENNEDY made—which I think a wise proposal—was that the new Lock Hospital, which is far too large for its purpose, should be converted into a Civil Hospital, and that a new Lock Hospital, suitable for the number of patients as there are now, built. That I am prepared to support, and I ask you to support it by voting the sum of $17,000. When that is completed, and I hope it will be completed this year, we will be able to begin the Civil Hospital the following year. I cannot at this moment say what would be our estimates for that next year, but I should say that the cost of the new Civil Hospital would not be more than $40,000.
There is a large vote of $16,000 for Police Station extensions and improvements. Originally this sum was sent in, the sum was much larger, but one learns a good deal from one's neighbour and during a short visit to Macao of two days, when I was accompanied by my very efficient officer, Mr. McCREAGH, the Acting Superintendent of Police, we were struck with the fact that the Government of Macao employed for its water police several steam launches. You are all aware of the fact that robberies have been committed in this harbour by boat-people and the robbers have eluded the water police simply because they were able to pull their sampans quicker than our police can use their boat. The harbour thieves ought not to have quicker boats than the water police. It is not to be tolerated that a Government like this should not be in possession of the handiest steam launches for police purposes such that a reasonable sum of money can procure. Therefore I propose to consider the question of steam launches for the water police, and one result will be this, that it will enable us to reduce our police force. The reduction of the police force will render unnecessary the extensive project that was originally contemplated.
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