CO129-463 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1920 [10-12] — Page 217

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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

takes the place of three separate grants aggregating $21,000. The Government has undertaken the responsibility for debts amounting to some $600,000 and it has has agreed to add $1,000,000 to the endowment fund, and to increase its yearly grant. Among the Financial Minutes which have been referred to the Finance Committee is on in which the Council is being asked to vote a sum of $1,000,000 on account. The $200,000 provided for next year will be used in the first place to meet deficit on current expenditure and as to the balance for increasing the endowment fund. I may mention that the Chamber of Com- merce have generously doubled their sub- scription, which was formerly $1,000 $1,000 yearly, for scholarships for Yunnan students, and the Government is setting aside a like sum, as part of this vote of $200,000, for the same purpose.

Small increases appear in the votes for the Imperial Bureau of Entomology and the Tropical Diseases Research Fund.

Other Miscellaneous Services have $65,000 allocated in place of $5,000, as the latter amount is in present circumstances quite inadequate.

on

The vote for Special Allowances Salaries is reduced from

from $465,000 to $100,000, the latter figure representing the sum which will probably be required in con. nection with the revision of the salaries of the non-European clerical service and certain others, which is not yet completed.

The vote for telegrams is reduced from $18,000 to $10,000. The volume of tele- grams sent by the Government is now much less than it was during and imme- diately after the war.

$100,000 is asked for in respect of the Transport of Government Servants, in place of the former $12,000 in consequence of the grant to all European officers of free passages to and from England. This concession is limited to a period of five years, when it may be cancelled or revised, according to the circumstances then obtain

ing.

$15,000 is asked for to cover expenses in connection with the census which is to be taken next year.

The votes in respect of Government Launches, and Government Buildings and Courts of Justice, have been transferred to the Harbour Master's and Public Works Departments respectively, where they belong more appropriately than they do to the Treasury, which administers the administers the Miscellaneous Services votes.

The District Officer, on page 40, has been provided with a sum of $5,000 to enable him to assist the villagers in

in the New Territories in the execution of small local works, such as path-making and building of bridges over streams.

Under Crown Solicitor, on page 42, $3,000 is provided in respect of the occa- sional engagement of outside assistance, rendered necessary by pressure of work in the department.

The Police Department

The Police Department votes, on page 43, have been generally revised. The establishment, exclusive of Officers and Water Police, has been increased from 1,047 to 1,100, six Europeans and ninety- four Chinese Police have been added, the numbers of the Indian contingent being at the same time reduced from 447 to 400. I am satisfied that this rearrangement will not result in any loss in efficiency, and there will be some saving in expense. establishment before the war was 947. The Chinese and Indian non-commissioned- officers' ranks are considerably augmented, in order to improve the prospects of pro- motion and so to add to the attractive- ness of the service.

The

The Police Training School, shown on new departure, its object Page 47, is a being that recruits may be properly grounded in their duties before they are taken on the strength. It is proposed eventually to place the school adjoining the new Gaol on the eastern end of the reclamation at Kowloon City.

It will be seen, on page 47, that the votes in connection with Police serving in other Government Departments are now administered by the Police Department; in order that the men may be in this respect under one control. These men are super- numerary to the establishment proper.

The vote for Passages, on page 49, is increased from $25,000 to $64,000, owing to heavy increase in cost of passages. Bonuses in lieu of passages have been abolished, it being considered undesirable to offer men an inducement not to take leave when due.

The vote of $37,500 for Rations for Indian Police is new, the grant of free new pay rations forming part of the

scheme.

Under Special Expenditure on page 53, provision is made for a motor ambulance, four motor cycles, and a patrol waggon.