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the matter. I should not like to commit myself at the present moment.
I am afraid I cannot agree with the hon. member's motion as it stands.
re-
HON. MR. POLLOCK-Sir, with ference to this motion I would point out that a good deal of the argument of the Hon. Colonial Secretary tends to show that instead of asking for three years' exemption we ought to have asked for six years, because he says it is a very low rate here, a very trivial thing. If that is so, then we are asking for something which is very moderate indeed ás a concession on the part of the Government, because we are asking the Government to agree to a comparatively small matter.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR No, that is hardly so. It is a small matter to the landlord, but to the Government in the aggregate it becomes large.
think
HON. MR. POLLOCK --I
muy friend, the senior unofficial Chinese member, made a very good point indeed. We have had experience of it at Hung- hom and Praya East that, when you develop in outlying places-and so far as I can see there is not much room for development except in outlying places it is difficult, as my hon. friend has pointed out, for the builder of houses to at once get tenants to occupy them, or if he can get tenants, to occupy them at an ade- quate rent. I think. Sir, that in view of fact that my hon. friend. who, of has a very long experience of this Colony, has been for so long a member of this Council. and is capable of speak- ing for the Chinese, I ought to press this motion to a division.
course,
The motion was then put by H.E. the Governor who declared it lost.
asked
for
HON. MR. POLLOCK
Five Unofficials voted in favour and seven Official members against.
names.
Facilities for Building
HON. MR. POLLOCK notice then moved:
EL
pursuant to
That a Committee of three Members of this Council be appointed for the purpose of considering what measures can be taken :
(.) To facilitate the prompt acquisi- tion by applicants of sites which they require :
(ii) To facilitate the prompt passing
of building plans.
at
He said: With reference to the first part of the resolution, 1 cannot help expressing my regret at the answer which the Government have given, to- day, to the question which was put by my hon. friend Mr. Bird, It is clear from that question that the hon member sites in non-urban districts, and I can was only asking in respect of building scarcely imagine that, in these cases, it 18 necessary to put up the land for auc- tion for the purpose of ascertaining the exact
which it will fetch sum auction. Another point I have to urge, in that connection, is that it is common knowledge that some months, as a rule, are expended from the time an applica- tion is sent in until the land is actually put up for auction. During these months the applicant is held up, possibly put to a great deal of inconvenience, and, in a case only mentioned to me this morn- ing. the applicant, because of the delay of six months which took place in put- ting up the land to public auction was put to a very considerable amount of expense by reason of the fact that the price of building went up very consider- ably in that six months. The experi- ence of that gentleman is not a solitary one. It is common knowledge that, during the past year, the price of build- ing has gone up, and has a tendency to of large business premises, one quite do so, and, therefore, in the building dreads to think what sum of money would be lost by such delays as have been experienced. The Colonial Secre- tary mentioned, just
that the Building Office was overflowing with plans for new buildings and the staff is working overtime and there iş not really sufficient staff to cope with it. With all deference to the Colonial Secretary, it seems to me that such શ state of affairs is a rather serious indictment to bring against the Hongkong Govern- ment, because, if the staff is inadequate to cope with the situation, then it ought to have been increased.
MOD
think that,
if a committee of this Council were ap- pointed, it is very likely that one of the points we should fix upon would be that the staff in the Building Office was
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inadequate, and the same opinion has up their minds how this particular dis- been expressed to me, as a matter of trict is to be dealt with, the application fact, by an architect to whom I have cannot be considered at present. I sub- spoken with reference to this motion. It mit that the Government ought to look is also very probable that we should find, round and find out suitable land, decide on enquiry, that the surveyor's staff was insufficient also. It is not only a ques- transport and
upon their lay-out, and what means of tion of surveying land; sometimes the afforded.
water supply can
be surveyor may have to go out to the New applications to come along before they They should not wait for Territories, and, though the job may begin to think about the matter. The not occupy half an hour, it will cut Attorney-General, when introducing the considerably into his day's work. I Rents Bill, remarked that he thought think the Government should very care- the lack of housing accommodation was fully consider whether they will not, in due, in some measure, to the lack of the case of non-urban sites, refrain from private enterprise. I entirely disagree putting the land up at public auction. with that suggestion. Private enterprise It occurs to me that perhaps there is has never been lacking in Hongkong and, not sufficient decentralisation in the if
given ย Public Works Department. We all of us
fair show, is 2 horse one can back without fear. appreciate the fact that, for many years perhaps, a little fretful and nervous, But he is, past, the Director of Public Works has and, if you keep him hanging about at been d very hard-worked, almost an the post, the chances are that he will over-worked, official, and it seems to me not start at all. An incident of this time to adopt some system of decentrali- nature occurred, recently, where an ap- sation in that department. Far too plicant, after waiting 3 months for a many things are referred to the Director reply from the Government lost interest of the Public Works which need not in the project and withdrew his appli- necessarily be so referred, and one of cation. As regards clause (2) of the the questions which may be considered resolution, if you should decide to ap- by a committee will be whether it is not point a committee I venture to suggest advisable to create a separate Building that the passing of the plans would be department and a separate Surveying greatly facilitated if some permanent department and make the heads of those committee were appointed, consisting of departments responsible for the speedy the Director of Public Works, two uu- carrying out of the work of this kind. official members (one European and one instead of the over-worked Director of Chinese) and
architects. Public Works being the party ultimately would relieve the building authority of responsible for everything. I have only the responsibility of thrown out a few general suggestions powers of modification and exemption, exercising his which I think the committee should look and I would suggest that a few more into and report upon. My honourable sections might be added to section 254 friend Mr. Bird, who will second, will│(b) of the rublie Health and Buildings no doubt be able from his expert know. ledge to pass a criticism on the present system,
HON. MR. H. W. BIRD-Sir, I trust this resolution will meet with your sym- pathetic consideration because there is no doubt that some steps should be taken to deal with the matters referred to therein. With regard to clause (1) of the resolution, the state of affairs that exists at present is most unsatis- factory. Three or four months, and is a general period that elapses before any reply is received from the Government and, when the reply arrives, it generally takes the following form.- that the Government, not having made
more.
two
That
Ordinance so as to free you, Sir, and the Executive Council, of the trouble and anxiety of having to decide whether a man should have a water closet in his house or a dog kennel in his backyard. If the applicant were dissatisfied "with the finding of the committee he could then refer the matter to the Executive Council. I feel sure that such a committee would be of great service and I believe the building authorities will welcome it. If such a committee were appointed, in order to render the good service 1 anti- cipate, it would be necessary that the machinery for bringing matters before the members should be better oiled than it is at present because, with regard to references of matters to the Executive
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