125
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Out of a total of 30 overseers we have 18.
With respect to the Imports and Ex- ports offices the sum provided covers the building on the Connaught Road front. It will be completed within 15 months from July 12th of this year. Respecting the query as to why the whole scheme could not be carried out at the same time, the job has been divided in this particular way in order that the work of the Imports and Exports Depart¡ ment may be disturbed 28 little XLS possible. If the whole scheme had been undertaken it would have been necessary to provide temporary accommodation for the whole staff elsewhere in addition to living quarters for many other employes. Another consideration was that by deal ing with the block on Connaught Road first we were able to push forward the work rapidly and at the same time were given an opportunity to proceed with the drawings for the main block. As a mat- ter of fact, therefore, the whole scheme will be completed more quickly in this way. The same argument applies to the method of constructing the Police Station. By the time the foundation was finished, the contracts were ready for the superstructure, and if the iron work had not been delayed in America the whole building would now be finished. With reference to the Sham-sui-po reclamation, the total area is 525 acres of which 280 acres are building land. It is esti- mated that under that scheme more than 5,000 houses can be built. The part being dealt with at the moment comprises 70.78 acres, with a building area of 38 acres. It is calculated that this will be completed in about three years. On the building area 36 to 40 houses will be built per acre. The total cost of this part of the scheme is estimated $730,000. The delay in proceeding with the Praya East reclamation is duo to the fact that certain negotiations with lot holders are incomplete and also, to a certain extent, to the absence of engi- neers for carrying on this work. Jaffe and Mr. Duncan, who are ciated with this work are returning soon to the Colony. Their leave is up at the beginning of next year. A question has been asked with reference to the
Mr.
asso-
telephones to the New Territory. If the telephones are connected direct with the telephone office, you will have to switch through to the Police Station and your line will be subsidiary to the Tele- phone Exchange, which does not appear
|
desirable. If you have two exchanges, you have to have two lots of wires, and it will be necessary to have a cross-switch somewhere. It might sometimes not be desirable that messages coming over on private wires should be available to those at the public switch-board. With refer ence to the carrying out of the plan of the Automobile Association a matter to which the bou. senior unofficial member
referred, and whom I would wish to thank for his compliments the matter is receiv- ing consideration. The plan is only a skeleton one, and some detailed surveys will be necessary before the whole thing сап be dealt with. At the present Government has more than it is able to moment, however, as I said before, the
do. H.E. will doubtless refer to the
to
Saivingpun school and to the question of placing those suffering from alcohol in the same wards with the insane in the Lunatic Asylum. With respect the Crematorium, it is partly Iv fault that the matter has not
the been
Public Works put before Committee. It was left to me to bring before the Committee and only the fact of extremely heavy pressure of other work kept me from doing what I should have done.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER I wish to make a remark in connection with the criticism regarding the form in which the accounts are presented. As a matter of fact, the reason for the form adopted was explained some years ago. Cash balances only are taken into account. The form is adopted from the regulations made by the Secretary of State. In connection with the loans, it was suggested that there is no information about the Sinking Funds. Every information with regard to the state of the Sinking Funds is given as on the 31st of December each year and a
statement is laid on the table with the annual accounts. That statement was laid on the table in May last.
With
HE. THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT The question whether we might make use of the high exchange value of the dollar,
Tas COLONIAL TREASURER That is another point. That is a suggestion which may be considered. I have no re m: to make at present on that.
+
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
2
92
Pension Tables prepared by Actuaries or orphans of contributors according to based upon the best mortality statistics available.
H.E. THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING | required to contribute 4 per cent. of their THE GOVERNMENT It should be remem salaries to the Fund. The Government bered that sterling securities are very much made in effect a large contribution to the depreciated.
Fund by agreeing to pay interest at the high rate of 6 per cent. on the monies THE COLONIAL TREASURER --Every belonging to the Fund which were deposit- thing will have to be taken into considerationed with it. Pensions were paid to widows Another important point to which refer- once has been made, is the Widows and Orphans Pension Fund, As a matter of fact, I quite agree with the statement pat forward by my hon. friend opposite that the time has now arrived for
Early in the present century it became fresh valuation of the Fund. It is very likely necessary to enable the pension system to evident that the Fund system, though that we shall find that the figures in the be started, was not altogether satisfactory, present schedule are much smaller than and the policy of successive Secretaries of the Fund could well afford, but it is State recently has been to get the Colonial absolutely impossible to say for certain Governments to take over the Funds and without a valuation by actuaries and to guarantee the pensions in return for experts in these matters. It is obvious that the six per cent., although it does not now form a book entry, must be in- cluded in the figures of the schedule; that is to say, the six per cent. is taken as the basis of interest on which all the tables are calculated, and the result must be embodied in the table. It is impossible, however, to say at present how the Fund stands without a real valuation. It is no good taking the Estimates and saying the balance is on one side or the balance is on
4 per cent. contributions. should take over the Fund was first placed'
The proposal that the Government before the Hongkong Government by the Secretary of State in July, 1902, and in February, 1903, your predecessor wrote stating that the Executive Council and the Directors of the Fund unanimously agreed to the adoption of that course. Correspondence followed--mainly whether the Pension Tables recently intro the other. Attention has also been called ed in Hongkong when the Fund was taken duced in Ceylon might properly be adopt- to the Controlled Ships Account. That account is kept quite distinct and separate forwarded a draft of an ordinance to over but in April, 1905, Mr. Lyttelton and is put as a liability of the Govern-effect the transfer of the Fund and asked that it might be introduced as soon as convenient.
ment.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY --The hon. member representing the Chamber of Commerce has asked for a full statement regarding the Widows and Orphans' Pension Fund, and the Treasurer has outlined the position, stating that a valua tion is required, but has not given the details which will enable hon. members to understand how the present position has come about. In 1908, when the Fund was taken over, a sessional paper was laid on the table which contained a sketch of the history of the Fund up to that date. As the hon. member has stated, the Fund was estab- lished in 1891. Using the words quoted in the sessional paper:
To prevent the possibility of widows and orphans of deceased Colonial officials being left destitute through the omission or inability of the latter to make proper provision for them, Funds were estab- lished during the eighties and early nineties in Ceylon, Mauritius, the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay States, Hongkong, Jamaica, Trinidad and British Gniana: and all permanent officers were
as
to
Servants,
That proposal was put before the Civil A Committee composed of Sir Henry Berkeley, Dr. F. Clark, Mr. L. A. M. Johnson, and myself, was appointed to enquire aand report upon the proposal. We reported in November, 1905:
:
(4) That the Service is unanimously opposed to the proposal that the Fund should be transferred to the Government.
(.) That a majority of contributors are in favour of a compulsory insur- anco scheme in place of the present Pon:tions Scheme.
(77.) That a minority prefer that the existing scheme should continue, but are of the opinion that the pens jons are insufficient in view of the large amount of the total annual contributions. They fur- ther suggest that the daughters of deceased officers should be support- ed from the Fund until marriage insterid of until the age of twenty- one years only.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.