405
No. 1914.
SIR,
(10)
Appendix A.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 20th September, 1895.
I am directed by the Governor to enquire when the report of the Committee appointed by His Excellency the Governor in September of last year to consider the question of new Government Offices may be expected.
2. His Excellency's attention has been directed to certain references to the proceedings of the Committee which have appeared at intervals in the Local Press, but is not aware how far the views therein attributed to the Committee are correctly stated.
3. As the matter is a pressing one and an early decision in regard to the preliminaries is desirable, I am to request that the Committee will be good enough to report at its early convenience, and, in view of the recent statements in the Press, with special reference to the following points:-
(1) Whether the Committee is in favour of the plans, &c. being prepared by the Director of Public Works, and, if so, whether it will be sufficient for such plans to be approved in the first instance by the Committee and subsequently by the Public Works Committee of the Legislative Council, or whether they should be submitted to a competent authority at home, or
(2) Whether the Committee is in favour of inviting public competition, and awarding a premium for the most suitable plans and designs for the proposed new buildings.
4. Should the Committee be in favour of the latter course it will be necessary to consider
(a) The amount of the premium to be offered.
(b) The terms of competition.
(c) The appointment of an Umpire at home, or of a local Committee to adjudge upon the competitive designs, and I am to request that the Committee will bear these points in mind in drawing up their report.
5. I am further to invite the attention of the Committee to the financial side of the question. It will not be possible at present to defray any large expenditure on the proposed new buildings from current revenue, and if the work is not to be delayed it will apparently be necessary to raise funds from some independent source.
His Excellency the Governor would therefore be obliged if the Committee would further consider and report on the desirability and practicability of disposing of the sites, buildings, &c. of the present Government Offices in Queen's Road at as early a date as possible, the Government to remain in occupation as tenants until the completion of the new buildings.
I have the honour to be,
The Secretary,
GOVERNMENT OFFICES COMMITTEE.
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
(11)
HONGKONG, 28th September, 1895.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No.1914 of the 20th instant, and to inform you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, that it was the subject of discussion at a meeting of the Public Office Committee held on the 24th instant.
2. The Committee were unanimous in the opinion that it could not accept any responsibility whatever in connection with the references to its proceedings that have appeared in the public press, and that they would not for a moment think of adopting the local press as a medium of communicating its proceedings to His Excellency the Governor.
I am further to add that the Committee expressed itself very strongly on the necessity of members abstaining from disclosing any of its proceedings in future.
3. In reply to the questions asked in paragraphs 3 and 4 I enclose an extract from the proceedings.
4. As regards the financial side of the question, the Committee are of opinion that it is premature to advise on any definite course pending the receipt of plans and estimates and further information as to the probable annual expenditure to be met and the balances available for such a purpose from current revenue.
5. The Committee were, however, unanimously of opinion that it was undesirable to dispose of the existing Government buildings and sites at present, and that such a course should be avoided pending the completion of the new buildings, if possible.
6. It will be observed from the enclosed extract of the proceedings that the majority of the Committee are in favour of a competition and that the rules and regulations affecting such competition should be prepared by the Director of Public Works for the consideration of the Committee.
7. On receipt of such draft rules and regulations the Committee hope to be able to report on its proceedings as a whole at an early date.
Honourable COLONIAL SECRETARY,
&c.,
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
J. G. T. BUCKLE,
Secretary.
Note. Mr. McCONACHIE suggested that the words "in future" in the second half of the second paragraph of the Secretary's letter of the 28th September should be omitted, as they might imply that the Committee had disclosed its proceedings in the past. The majority of the Committee approved the draft with the words included.
405
No. 1914.
SIR,
( 10 )
Appendix A.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
SIR,
HONGKONG, 20th September, 1895.
I am directed by the Governor to enquire when the report of the Committee appointed by His Excellency the Governor in September of last year to consider the question of new Government Offices may be expected.
2. His Excellency's attention has been directed to certain references to the proceedings of the Committee which have appeared at intervals in the Local Press, but is not aware how far the views therein attributed to the Committee are correctly stated.
3. As the matter is a pressing one and an early decison in regard to the pre- liminaries is desirable, I am to request that the Committee will be good enough to report at its early convenience, and, in view of the recent statements in the Press, with special reference to the following points :-
(1) Whether the Committee is in favour of the plans, &c. being prepared by the Director of Public Works, and, if so, whether it will be sufficient for such plans to be approved in the first instance by the Committee and subsequently by the Public Works Committee of the Legislative Council, or whether they should be submitted to a competent authority at home, or
(2) Whether the Committee is in favour of inviting public competition, and awarding a premium for the most suitable plans and designs for the proposed new buildings.
4. Should the Committee be in favour of the latter course it will be necessary to consider
(a) The amount of the premium to be offered.
(b) The terms of competition.
(c) The appointment of an Umpire at home, or of a local Committee to adjudge upon the competitive designs, and I am to request that the Committee will hear these points in mind in drawing up their report.
5. I am further to invite the attention of the Committee to the financial side of the question. It will not be possible at present to defray any large expenditure on the proposed new buildings from current revenue, and if the work is not to be delayed it will apparently be necessary to raise funds from some independent
source.
His Excellency the Governor would therefore be obliged if the Committee would further consider and report on the desirability and practicability of disposing of the sites, buildings, &e. of the present Government Offices in Queen's Road at as early a date as possible, the Government to remain in occupation as tenants until the completion of the new buildings.
I have the honour to be,
The Secretary,
GOVERNMENT OFFICES COMMITTEE.
Sir.
Your most obedient Servant,
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
(11)
HONGKONG, 28th September, 1895.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1914 of the 20th instant, and to inform you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, that it was the subject of discussion at a meeting of the Public Office Committee held on the 24th instant.
2. The Committee were unanimons in the opinion that it could not accept any responsibility whatever in connection with the references to its proceedings that have appeared in the public press, and that they would not for a moment think of adopting the local press as a medium of communicating its proceedings to His Excellency the Governor.
I am further to add that the Committee expressed itself very strongly on the necessity of members abstaining from disclosing any of its proceedings in future.
3. In reply to the questions asked in paragraphs 3 and 4 I enclose an extract from the proceedings.
4. As regards the financial side of the question, the Committee are of opinion that it is premature to advise on any definite course pending the receipt of plans and estimates and farther information as to the probable annual expenditure to be met and the balances available for such a purpose from current revenue.
5. The Committee were, however, unanimously of opinion that it was undesir- able to dispose of the existing Government buildings and sites at present, and that such a course should be avoided pending the completion of the new buildings, if possible.
6. It will be observed from the enclosed extract of the proceedings that the majority of the Committee are in favour of a competition aud that the rules and regulations affecting such competition should be prepared by the Director of Public Works for the consideration of the Committee.
7. On receipt of such draft rules and regulations the Committee hope to be able to report on its proceedings as a whole at an early date.
Honourable COLONIAL SECRETARY,
d'e.
Jc.,
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
J. G. T. BUCKLE,
Secretary.
Note. Mr. McCONACHIE suggested that the words in future" in the second half of the second paragraph of the Secretary's letter of the 28th September should be omitted, as they might imply that the Com- mittee had disclosed its proceedings in the past. The majority of the Committee approved the draft with the words included.
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