386
92
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
equally delayed Saiyingpun School is within sight of being opened. With re- gard to the postponement of squne portion of the public works which it was intend- ed to carry on, and more especially road improvements and developments, whilst fully appreciating the wisdom of " going slow for the time being, it is our opinion that too drastic cuts are not advisable or necessary and that sufficient work should anyhow be continued to justify the carrying on of your present staffs. unless there are élear indications of Departments being seriously over-staffed. Whilst upon this subject I may add that we are in agreement with the principle of staff reductions where possible, but not at the expense of sending Home qualified Staff Officers, who, within 12 months, might have to be indented for again, and we are sufficiently optimistic of the future of this Colony to believe that you are justified in taking a risk in this connec tion. We should like to be assured that the water schemes in view will be pressed forward and especially that the mechanic al filters at Bowen Road will not be
dropped but installed at the earliest possible moment, in order that we may have the benefit of proved experience similar to that already gained in the Taikoo Sugar Refinery. And we shall be glad to know whether they have been definitely ordered and, if so, what system has been adopted.
MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS
was
We have noted both from the estimates and from your own speech, Sir, that no provision has been made in connection with reprovisioning the Military Establish- ments and that you have reluctantly been obliged to notify the Secretary of State for the Colonies that we cannot take any further steps in the matter. We presume from this that the Oakley Award not definitely accepted by the War Office and that there is, therefore, no obligation upon the Colony. Certainly, in view of the tremendous fall in land value, should the necessity arise at a later period, we may be able to come to more satisfactory terms than were possible at the time of Sir John Oakley's visit which coincided with the biggest land boom the Colony has ever known.
PORT DEVELOPMENT
We have been impressed with the heavy cost of the "Port Development Depart- in comparison with the amount ment " of work to be carried out, but it is the unanimous opinion of my colleagues that it would be an economy again to merge this Department with General Public Works Department, with the Director of Public Works in charge. We should fur- ther be interested in hearing whether the Government has yet formed any clear opinion as to a definite scheme for port development.
QUESTION OF LOANS
We are glad to find that Your Excel- lency is so whole-heartedly in favour of financing Public Works Extraordinary by separate short term loans a policy which has been consistently advocated by Un- official Members of this Council, especially by myself, for several years past. Never- theless we agree with you, Sir, that the times are not propitious for raising money for Port Development or for Public Works Extraordinary by loans at the present time, but this should certainly be kept in mind.
It is fitting I should here refer to the generous and prompt response of His Majesty's Government to the appeal for financial assistance by this Colony, and to the very excellent effect it immediately had in restoring confidence and further our high appreciation of the neighbourly assistance offered by the Straits Govern- ment in this connection, which has pro- foundly impressed the entire community of this Colony.
HAWKERS' LICENCES
I pass now to more detailed reference and discussion of the Draft Estimates " and in the first place I note that Hawkers' Licences have been reduced by $10,000— and trust that this does not mean that fewer licences are being issued, more especially in view of the services which hawkers rendered to us during the earlier days of the strike. If a policy of reduc- tion has been adopted I take this opportu- nity of placing on record the disagree- ment of the Unofficial Members.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
FOOT NOTES
On page 11 there are large increases in rents of Government property, which are entirely unexplained by foot-notes.
may add that throughout the esti- mates this year there is, in relation to large sums budgetted for, a want of foot- notes, which in the past have been freely given.
REFUSE DESTRUCTORS
93
1925 are given, either on that page or succeeding pages, making any criticisms of comparative figures impossible, and difficult as I can understand it is to esti mate at present, is occurs to me that some fairly reliable figures could and should have been put in for guidance.
CHARITABLE SERVICES
Under the head of "Charitable Ser- vices" and the sub-head "Grants in aid of Charitable Institutions," Page 107, my colleagues and I are unanimously of the opinion that a supplementary vote of $3,000-increasing it from $2,000 to $5,000 -annually, might fittingly be made to the
Alice Memorial and its Affiliated Hos pitals," which are doing, as your Excel-
knows, we have lency well
magnificent work amongst the poorer Chinese, and have done for many years past, and more especially do I venture to appeal for this because this Hospital has been more seri- ously hit than many other institutions by the financial conditions in the Colony and the unfortunate death of our lament- ed colleague Mr. Chau Siu Ki, who was one of it's most ardent and generous sup- porters. I understand it was the inten- tion of the hospital to increase its accom- modation to cope with the growing need for additional beds but this has had to be abandoned for the present. I need scarcely remind you, Sir, that the institu tion provides an excellent training school for midwives for Government purposes. As Chairman of the Hospital for many years I can assure you that the unanimous recommendations of my colleagues are worthy of the Government's support.
Under the heading of "Sanitary De- partment" Page 32, there is an item for an additional "refuse barge "at a cost of $10,000. We have before this, and on more than one occasion, advocated em- The ployment of refuse destructors. experience of the last few months has confirmed the opinion which advocated formerly, and we are un- animously of the opinion that three refuse destructors should be ordered, one for use at each end of the town and one for Kowloon. With regard to the removal of nightsoil, we would draw attention to the complaints which have been made from Wanchai and enquire how much longer the disturbed conditions of the Praya Road are likely to continue and whether temporary arrangements cannot be improved, so that sanitary work may be carried on without causing a serious niusance. On Page 79, under the Public Works Department the item of $222,41 -showing an increase of $44,311-for "total other charges seems to call for some further explanation, and is another instance of want of sufficient foot-notes.
UPKEEP OF CARS
We should also like to know why the upkeep of motor lorries and cars has increased from $11,000 to $25,000 and at the same time we would enquire whether in view of the number of motor cars and transport lorries now being used by the Government Departments, there is, in the employ of the Government, a qualified Garage Manager and Mechanic who is responsible for overseeing this work, and whether the Government has considered an organised repair shop in view of the large capital sums now invested in these vehicles and the Fire Department.
We congratulate you on the very satis- factory arrangements made in connection with the John G. Kerr Hospital, Canton, for the treatment of mental cases. The fine work of this institution is unanimous- ly and highly appreciated by us all and for many years past has been of immense service to this Government.
PREVENT.ON OF PIRACY
Whilst regretting it has been necessary to abandon the four armed Patrol launches which were manned by the Navy, we realise the necessity for this I notice that on Page 83, under the and have always considered that this pro- heading of Public Works Extraordin-tection should have been afforded by and
ary
no revised estimated figures for is rightly chargeable to the Admiralty.
388
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.