132
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
I have
section of the vote. Under the head Im- ports and Exports Department your Ex- cellency mentioned (page 3) an increase of about $35,000, but you only refer to an increase of $14,000. As a matter of fact, the increase this year, as opposed to last year, is really $85,000, because there is $50,000, or, to be more correct, $49,800, less asked for the purchase of opium. gone through the papers, but they are not very clear, therefore I won't labour this question for the moment, but I will In Miscellaneous refer to it later on. Services there is an entry of $1,575. That, of course, although a small thing, the unofficial members welcome, because we think too much cannot be done to encourage interpreters and translators in the Government Service, and any reason- able sum asked for will be gladly voted. We cannot but regret the very great charge for loss on subsidiary coin, and this, your Excellency, without wishing to of cast aspersions on Governors who have gone before you, s entirely due to want of foresight on the part of some of your Excellency's pre- decessors and their advisers. The total amount of subsidiary coin imported into Hongkong to meet the demand in China amounted to something like $40,000,000. Careful estimates made of the subsidiary coin we require show that we require about two to two and a half million dollars' worth. The whole of the rest of the money has been sold and the Govern- ment, I am very sorry to say, did not
the
memory
4 buoy, or whatever the number might be, when he is working his way through Lyemun Pass into a crowded harbour full of native craft and shipping, look up the chart and try to find out the buoy to which he is supposed to make fast? The alternative made by you is to employ pilots, but shipping companies for years We have always stood out against that. will not have compulsory pilots here: we don't want them. An effort was made some time ago for an association to start As here, but it died a natural death. far as I can make out, although we have had no particulars of the moorings, the revenue is estimated at $30,000 a year. Basing my calculation on the fact that I have so many moorings in this harbour, I say that the Government charge is an extreme advance on the prices we are now paying for our moorings. If you can satisfy the shipping community, the Chamber of Commerce and the unofficial members that this change is really neces- sary, I would then beg to suggest that we might make a counter offer. The moor- ings have been two or three times relaid to my knowledge to meet the increased length and size of modern ships, and if a scheme could be carried out by an ami- cable arrangement between the Govern- ment and the shipping companies, no doubt those companies which are going to be affected by the change will be prepared to bear part of the cost, but I would ask your Excellency to consider my counter proposal, that we be allowed to buy or rent our own moorings. That is, from any own experience in Hongkong, a very great advantage to shipping. I tell my own captains on their outward voyage that when they return six weeks hence they will have to go to a certain buoy, and that stands, and when they come in it is not necessary for them to employ a pilot. I have never employed a pilot, and will not unless my ships go to the wharf, because there very strong currents are running. What amount of coin has already been If you insist on this scheme, it seems to me withdrawn by the Government from cir- that with the change of moorings and culation, at what we know to be a very compulsory pilotage you are imposing a heavy loss, and what, roughly speaking, is great tax on shipping which can be ill estimated to be the further loss likely to borne under existing conditions, and we
this Colony be entailed on strongly oppose the scheme your Excel account?" We realise we have to face lency put before us in your letter to the this loss, and do not quarrel with the Secretary of State on the subject. I present policy of the Government, but speak with the full concurrence of the entirely endorse it. We realise very much members of the Chamber of Commerce, the sacrifice that is now being made by and trust you will make the Secretary of the Colony, and we can only express the State equally aware of our opposition to hope that the sacrifice will be substantial- your scheme, and I merely now gively utilised in rehabilitating the coin we Reverting notice that when the time comes I shall must keep for our daily use. move the rejection of that particular to what I said just now about the Import
realise that the chickens would come home to roost, but they have come home to roost with
Eu vengeance.
Of that
$40,000,000 possibly about one-third bas been absorbed in making jewellery, bul- lion and so on, or otherwise disposed of. Two-thirds of that amount is likely to come back on us, and I have given the Colonial Secretary notice of a question to which I will ask him to reply, which is,
ft
on this
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
133
and Export Department, I now come to Society of £200 we thoroughly approve, the question of accounts. It is not the because Wo realise the necessity of first time I have had to refer to the way guarding against the danger of the in which the accounts were rendered. On importation of yellow fever in the Colony, page 19 we have the actual expenditure and if your Excellency comes forward at for 1913, the approved estimates for 1914,
any time for more we shall be glad to the revised estimates for 1914 and the consider and support a vote to further estimates for 1915. Now, a casual glance help that very laudable object. There is down that table will show a very startling
a very heavy increase in the Police and difference between the approved estimates
Fire Brigade votes, but under present and the revised estimates. That is only
conditions we cannot do anything else B summary, and we have to look to
but approve, particularly as regards the further pages for the detailed account,
With regard to the and that is where we are handicapped. Fire Brigade. You merely have two columns instead of Medical Department, we are glad indeed three. You have the approved estimate that your Excellency, in pursuance of a for 1914, and the estimate for 1915, and promise made some time ago, has increased At the time we did not when you get to compare those figures, the nursing staff. all that you know from page 19 is that consider the increase was likely to prove the difference is very startling. I sufficient. We trust it will, but if that the will quote two cases. On page 19 Mis practical experience shows cellaneous Services, approved for 1914, 8 increase is not sufficient, we trust your placed at $257,128. The amended estimate Excellency will immediately come to us, for 1914 is $748,000, or nearly three times and we will be only too pleased to agree the amount. The estimate for 1915 is
to any further increase and charge you $912,262. Of course, I know the bulk
ask for. The next item I propose to deal of that amount is made up by the with is the Volunteers. Of course at the increased amount of subsidiary coin present moment the Volunteers bulk very purchased. Then on page 19, against largely in view. The Hongkong Volunteer Imports and Exports, the approved Corps numbers 469 officers, non-commis- estimate for 1914 was $1,017,233. Thesioned officers and men. The Reserves amended e-timate was $949,300, while the number 350, making a total of 819. estimate for next year is 2984,519. The The Reserves, I believe. are supposed point I wish to make is that if you give
to be composed of men of over 35 us in the summary on page 19 the draft
years of age. Now, I happened to be and revised estimates, these figures ought somewhat interested in the Shanghai to be carried out in the body of the Volunteer Force at the time of the Boxer account. Then, and not till then, can we trouble in 1900. Out of a community adjust them. I have raised this question somewhat smaller than Hongkong we I was civil com- before, when I was told in a most curt raised a force of 1.200. manner by the then Colonial Secretary, mandant of the corns. The Reserve there that the accounts were arranged did not include men of the age of s-me accordance with instructions from the of the present Reserve in Hongkong, and Secretary of State, and therefore nothing the only conclusion I can come to in that more could be done. I submit, however, we have not got in the main body of the that when unofficial members, as business Volunteer corps the number of men we We have only got the are called upon to discuss the ought to have.
I think I accounts of the Colony once in a year, the contemptible number of 400. accounts should be rendered in such a
am justified in the remarks I make. way that business men can intelligently because the order is that all the Volun- teurs have to wear uniform all the time. and quickly grasp the details, because we are all busy men and have not time to and as I go about the streets. I see a large spend weeks over the accounts. I submit umber of men of English nationality not They are not in the wearing uniform. that if you are tied down here by the red- Volunteers, but they ought to be. A large tape of an ancient despatch from the umber of young fellows ought to join the Secretary of State, it is worth while Volunteers in the days in which we are considering whether we should ask the
now living, and in view of the encourage- Secretary of State to change his attitude ment riven by the Government, but, to and render his accounts in such a way their disgrace, they are not in the corps. that they will be intelligible to the man Coming to the question of education. in in the street. The grant to the Royal your Excellency's address you remarked
men,
in
+
614
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