SI
*
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The Budget
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the An second reading of the Bill intituled ordinance to apply a sum nót exceeding ten million six hundred and five thousand three hundred and forty-five dollars to the Publie Service of the year 1919."
cost of a work should appear in such statements and not. as at present, be entirely lost sight of.
It is a laborious business to extract from the estimates as now presented the cost of the working of many Government departments and undertakings, and it would almost seem that the purpose is to
him. Some comments in the Press the other day illustrate what I mean. Owing to the figures of the Public Works De- partment and the Water Works being mixed up it is very difficult to say what the cost to the Colony of either Depart- uent is.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. befog the enquirer rather than to assist
Hos. MR. DLANDALF I propose to follow the usual procedure and, as the senior Unofficial Member for the time being, to address the Council on behalf of all Unofficial members. There are one or two matters to which I wish to refer on my own behalf which I will indicate later, and other Unofficial members have some matters they also wish to speak about.
I need hardly say that we all endorse your expressions of sympathy with Sir Henry and Lady May, and sincerely hope that the improvement in their daughter's
health will continue and that the Gov- ernor will be able to enjoy a much-needed rest and holiday.
1 think the Government are to be con- gratulated on the very satisfactory state of the Colony's finance. There has been a great improvement in this respect dur. ing recent years and much credit is due to those responsible for the administra- tion. It should not, however, be lost ight of that some of our revenue is not derived from a permanent source and that taxation which is permissible in war-time will have to cease as soon the war ends.
as
The first matter to which I wish to draw attention is the form in which the estimates are presented and to ask that radical alterations be made in this form. I do not think it can be contended that it is either businesslike
or clear. As an instance, I would ask you to refer to the third item on page 8 which reads: -Assessed taxes, Ordinance 6 of 1901. approved estimate 1918, $1.857,400. esti- mate 1919, $2.010,340." This amount in cludes the earnings of certain Govern ment undertakings such as waterworks and should be detailed in such a way that the working result of any one of them could be seen. It is important that proper statements of individual works be shown, particularly so as Government undertakings tend to increase. The first
|
I feel quite sure that our able Colonial Treasurer could greatly improve matters were he allowed a free hand; if not, let expert chartered accountants be ployed.
em-
The monthly financial statements of assets and liabilities are very difficult to For instance, the shipping understand. control account is shewn on the 30th June as a liability of $81.509.47 when it is well known the result will be a very profitable one to the Government. It is difficult to say where the sinking funds of the two loans are and we should like to know and to be assured that the sinking fund for the Sterling Loan is invested in that currency.
The value of property purchased by the Government for staff occupation or other purposes is not shewn as an asset, which. I think, is wrong, and the position would be more correctly set out by including valuation of such property. I do not think it is right that the value, for in- stance, of quarters which amounts to a very large sum should be lost sight of The rents charged for the recent Govern- ment purchases of house property at the Peak show a return of about 5 per cent. on the capital only without pro- We are in viding for any depreciation. favour of providing quarters, but would like a record of the cost kept.
IIA
We presume that the Government have considered the question of the conversion of the Sterling Loan into one of local currency at the existing high rate of exchange, a financial transaction which should not be beyond the powers of the Government's bankers. A redemption by purchase at a considerable discount could no doubt, be effected as regards a large portion of this Loan. There would be no loss in interest by investments of the
:
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
balance in 5 per cent, War Loan pending complete redemption. The saving to the Colony comparing recent rates with that of 2 to the dollar would be in the neigh bourhood of $5/6,000,000.
120
82
tory and I would like to point out that we do not think the best results in the interests of shipping will be obtained by the Hongkong Observatory having a dif- Levent Storm Signal Code from that in ase at the Coast Ports of China, Before this new Code was adopted, the matter was not sufficiently clearly explained to those who represent shipping here. With- out going into the merits of the dispute between the Royal Observatory and the Coast Inspector in Shanghai I may say that I think they both disregarded the interests of those who have to pay if accidents result from the confusion they have created. An Observatory is of little use unless it is working in harmony with neighbouring stations, and we wish the Government to take up this question of Storm Signals with the authorities in China and arrange for the use of iden- tical codes. Every precaution should be taken to avoid typhoon disasters and a heavy responsibility rests upon both the Royal Observatory here and the Meteoro- logical Authorities in respect.
I notice that it has been estimated that receipts from land sales will amount to $200,000 during the year not a very large sum, for which, in my opinion, the land policy of the Government is to blame. The result of the present policy of short leases. for which a high premium is de- manded, and a high Crown Rent imposed, in addition to onerous terms for road making and drainage, is the present shortage of better-class houses. This policy was no doubt inaugurated in the interest of the community as a whole, and to prevent, as far as possible, profit being made in land transactions. While a very small annual benefit, as shewn by the estimated figure of $200,000, may have been secured to the community it has been done at very great inconvenience to those who wish to live in better-class houses, and the effect upon land transac tions, as far as existing leased property is concerned, has been exactly the op-
It is a matter for regret that so many posite of what was intended, for, the supply of new houses having been inter-conditions and distinctions have been fered with the value of house property attached to the War allowance, to the has been forced up both from a rental
payment of which we had previously and sale point of view by the ordinary agreed and, upon further consideration rule of supply and demand,
of the subject, we wish the whole question referred back to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and a recommendation sent from us that the War Bonus as from 1st January, 1918, should be 10 per cent. on the present amount received by each member of the Civil Service, whether per- manently or temporarily employed, with- In the or distinction. out condition meantime we propose to move in Com- wittees a supplementary vote of a suf- ficient sum for this purpose.
The Government's policy having check- ed the natural supply of houses it is for them to undertake the laying out of sites and the leasing of these prepared sites at low Crown Rents to those who desire
immediately to build. In what I have said regarding land sales I am speaking! entirely for myself; it is a matter which I have not discussed with the other Un official members. There is another point which requires consideration. Very large properties situated in the centre of both the City of Victoria and Kowloon are in occupation of the War Department. Many of these sites must be quite un- suitable for military purposes or for military quarters and the whole matter requires looking into with a view to an exchange of property whereby the Garri- son would find more suitable quarters and the business community more space for development.
We shall be glad to hear that the Gov- ernment intend to take this matter up.
Storm Signals. On page 40 we have the estimated cost of the Royal Observa-
China in this
We consider that a Committee should be appointed to enquire into and revise, where necessary, the scale of pay drawn This by the entire Government Service. should be done without any further delay, as it is a matter that will probably take some consideratble time to go into. The same Committee might also enquire into the working of the Widows and Orphans Fund, regarding which we are not at all satisfied that the contributors are being fairly dealt with, but my hon. friend who represents the Chamber of Commerca proposes to ask for some information on this subject.
:
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.