CO129-489 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Sir Clementi - 1925 [8-12] — Page 404

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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.

FOOT NOTES.

On page 11 there are large increases in rents of Government property, which are entirely unexplained by foot-notes. I 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.

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REFUSE DESTRUCTORS.

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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- ployment of refuse destructors. The experience of the last few months has confirmed the opinion which We have 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 nuisance. On Page 79, under the Public Works Department the item of $222,411 -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.

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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.

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I notice that on Page 83, under the heading of "Public Works Extraordin ary no revised estimated figures for 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, it occurs to me that some fairly reliable figures could and should have been put in for guidance.

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