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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
will the Government, in fairness to the applicant who has frequently been put to considerable trouble and expense in selecting his site, consider the advis ability of disposing of such sites by private treaty instead of by public auction!
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied Sales by private treaty are not infre- quently effected in special cases, but the Government is not prepared to abandon the general principle of sale by auction, that being as a rule the only method which ensures that the community obtains the full value of the land.
Sea-Water for Flushing HON. MR. POLLOCK, K.C. asked --
Is not the Report of the Committee appointed to go into the question of the use of sea-water for flushing pur poses now ready? If not, when will it be ready? When will such Report be published?
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied--- The report is printed and has been laid before Council to-day.
Improvement of the Harbour
HON. MR. POLLOCK asked-
What information can the Govern- ment give to the Council with regard to Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice's Report on the Improvement of the Harbour? Cannot the Government take steps to expedite the obtaining of such Report?
The Removal of the Military Establishments
HON. MR. POLLOCK in accordance with notice previously given, moved the
following resolution:-
That, in view of the shortage of Euro- pean office and business accommodation in this Colony and in view of the short- age of sites for Chinese business pre- mises in this Colony, it is imperative that the Military Establishments along the Queen's Road should be transferred from their present site in the centre of the City to some other site or sites at the earliest possible date,
Hos. MR. POLLOCK said Sir, at the outset of my speech I desire to remind your Excellency and the Council that brought up this matter before the Council on the 29th of January last year. that occasion I moved the following
resolution:
J
On
That, with a view to giving facilities for commercial expansion a Committee of the Legislative Council be appointed, consisting of His Excellency the Gen- eral Officer Commanding, and two official and three unofficial members of the Legislative Council, for the purpose of considering and reporting to this Council upon the resumption by the Hongkong Government of the Military Establishments on the Queen's Road, and the terms and comlition of such resumption."
On that orcasion I pointed out the great shortage of office accommodation that then THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied-existed and, as is well known to the mem- It is anticipated that no complete report bers of this Council, the shortage of office can be received until the detailed in-accommodation which then existed has formation asked for by Sir Maurice Fitz-been since very much accentuated: and I maurice has been obtained and forward-think it is a matter of common know- ed to his firm.
This information, which entails:-
(a)–A considerable number of borings in the bed of the Harbour.
(4) --Additional soundings,
(C) - Extended tidal observations has rendered it necessary to engage additional staff and to indent for the necessary additional gear,
One of the Assistant Engineers engaged for this work arrived on the 28th of August and another is ex- pected at an early date. The gear has not yet arrived.
|
ledge that since the beginning of this year the rents of European office accommoda- tion have gone up considerably in this Colony, As regards ('hinese business premises. I think. sir, that it is equally a matter of common knowledge that such business premises are being keenly com- peted for. In order to satisfy ourselves of that fact we need do no more than read from day to day the accounts of the cases which are now being tried before the Puisne Judge, which accounts show that there is great competition between busi- nuss men for the possession of business premises. The landlord on the one side
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
is trying to get rid of the tenant and the tenant on the other side is extremely anxious to remain where he is.
From the motion which I have just read, which I made on the 29th January, 1920, it will be seen that the desire was to have a strong Committee appointed, consisting both of official and unofficial members of this Council and I cannot help thinking that perhaps we should have got further on than we are at the present moment if such a Committee had been appointed. Owing to the purely technical reason that some application would have to be made to the War Office for His Excellency, the then General Officer Commanding, to serve on that Committee a plea which. pointed out, was rather a belated one having regard to the fact that I had given my notice of motion on the 23rd Decem- ber. 1919, and there had been plenty of time to telegraph in the interval-the Government could not accept the resolu- tion which was then put forward.
Well, sir, the next stage so far as I was concerned, that happened in the matter, was that I was informed on my return from Canada in the middle of October last year that the War Office bad accepted generally the principle of a removal of the military establishments. | Then, on the 17th February this year, in view of the increased shortage of office accommodation which I referred to, I put the following question to the Govern.
ment:-
In view of the pressing need of room for further office accommodation in this Colony, will the Government ap- proach the Military Authorities with a view to the Murray parade ground being handed over to the Government at an early date ?"
100
That, in view of the shortage of Euro- pean office and business accommodation in this Colony and in view of the short- age of sites for Chinese business pre- mises in this Colony, it is imperative that the Military Establishments should be transferred from their present site in or sites at the earliest possible date." I think, Sir, that I have said enough to show that this matter is a very pressing and urgent one, and I believe that my honourable friend, the member for the this resolution presently, will fully con- Chamber of Commerce, who will second
say that there is an
firm me when
extremely strong wish on the part of the inhabitants of this Colony-the civil inhabitants of this Colony-that this removal which we are asking for should take place at the earliest possible date in order to give room for commer- cial expansion. I am in hopes that be fore the Council closes this afternoon, the honouracle and gallant member on my left (H.E. the General) will be able to give us some information with regard to what has been and is about to take place with regard to this important question. I think that everybody in this Colony who is interested in the business welfare of the Colony will be anxious to think generally, that it is very necessary hear what is being done. It is felt. I in this matter that we should hurry up with all speed. The demand for office accommodation in this Colony has over- taken the supply, and it is very neces- sary indeed. at a very early date, to have these sites for commercial expansion put Colony. I do not think, Sir. 1 need say in possession of the Government of this
the rules, and if I want to supplement more now. I have a right of reply under
my present remarks I will do so then. I will now call upon my honourable friend to second this resolution.
The answer was: "The Government is in correspondence with the Military authorities on the subject." Well, Sir. from that day to this we have received the honour of seconding the resolution HON. MR. HOLYOAK-Sir,, I have no information or intimation in this Council as to the effect of that corressenting the Justices of the Peace. Had it proposed by the honourable member repre- pondence, or whether it has had any been effect at all. That being the state of Government of the public feeling on this necessary, sir. to convince the affairs at the beginning of last month. on the 6th August over 13 months hav-strated by calling a public meeting, when matter, it could have been amply demon- ing elapsed since I made my motion of the feeling would have been shown in a the 29th January, 1920-I gave notice
of this motion which is now before the convinced that the Government is fully in very marked manner: but we are Council. I have slightly amended the agreement with the object of this resolu- motion since, but not in any very mate- rial respect.
tion and therefore needs no convincing in My present motion is: the matter. One naturally feels diffident
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