CO129-469 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1921 [9-12] — Page 404

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The average Peak resident in this Colony lives in a five-roomed house with- out any tennis court, but the Govern- inent Servant, who has taken his chance of housing with the average resident for many years past, is apparently to be placed in a much better position than the average resident.

Sir, I am not making these remarks in any niggardly spirit.-In fact a few moments reflection will suffice to show that the Unofficial members of this Council are disposed to treat the Civil Servants in a very liberal spirit. Only a few years ago a system was brought in by which Government Servants could enjoy, when on leave, a much longer period of full pay than formerly. Then a payment of return passages scheme was made generally applicable, involving the Colony in considerable expenditure. Then a considerable percentage was added to the salaries of Civil Servants, in pursuance of the reports of a Com- mission, to make up for the increased cost of living. Next there is the payment of Government Servants at the very favourable rate of 12 dollars to the £, when the dollar is at 2s. 6d. or under, and although it may be that the sliding scale is not much more favourable than the old rate of four-fifths at 1s. 9d. and one-fifth at the rate of the day, it is more favourable than 10 dollars to the £ in- serted in mercantile agreements. If, on the top of that, we are to house all our officers in superfine houses at vast ex- pense, and at a very inadequate rental In return, I think, Sir, that that would prove to be too heavy a charge upon our future revenue. That is the point at which I think we must draw the line as regards committing ourselves further, more especially as, with a lower ex- change, the charge for Personal Emolu- ments of Government servants will fall heavily upon our Revenue.

5. The last point which shall criticize on my own behalf is in connection with the following remarks of Your Excellency in introducing the Budget. You then said:

"Under 'communications' the first five items are for works already in pro- gress, and it is expected that all ex- cept the first item will prove remun- erative undertakings. I may mention that one piece of land opened up by the new road to the Peak sold a few days ago for $80,000, which is exactly the estimated cost of completing the road to Victoria Gap."

I regret, Sir, that I must criticize these remarks because I think they have been made under a misapprehension of my personal position in this matter. I was in favour of a road being carried up to the Peak, as far as Wanchai Gap, because I was under the impression that in connection with it, and, as a most important feature of that road and some- thing absolutely necessary for the develop- ment of the Mount Cameron district, that a tramway should be run up the Wanchai Gap. I have been a consistent opponent of the road being carried from Wanchai Gap up towards the Peak.

H.E. THE GOVERNOR: The road? The Hon. Mr. POLLOCK : I mean the road from Wanchai Gap to the Peak. The cost of carrying on a road from Wanchai Gap to the Peak comes to a sum of roughly $275,000-slightly more, and I may remind you in connection with that, that the estimated cost of a tramway from Queen's Road East to Wanchai Gap was $150,000 only-in fact from the re- port of the Director of Public Works for 1920 recently laid on the table, page 47, item 101, we see that a survey and longitudinal section were made and also the necessary working drawings for the

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