CO129-489 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Sir Clementi - 1925 [8-12] — Page 418

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tion. I can assure him that if he cam find those thousands of acres which are not being put to the best possible use he will have accomplished a feat which the geological survey was not able to accomplish. I entirely agree with him as to the desirability of encouraging the inhabitants to grow fruit, vegetables, and SO on. Not long ago being in the village of Kam Tin, I endea- voured to interest the Elders in these matters, and urged them to endeavour to establish themselves so as to supply pigs and chickens especially for this Colony. I said the Government would be happy to consider any proposals or suggestions which they had to put for ward. The Elders listened to me with the customary politeness of Chinese Elders, and since then I have heard no more. I can

assure the hon. member that the Government will take a sym- pathetic view of any practical scheme. Owing to the smallness of the area it is not possible to do much, but I have had one or two instances before in the last few weeks which suggest that some- thing might be done. For instance Mr. Soares interested me particularly in an excellent banana he is growing success- fully and Mr. Alves has established a flourishing ginger plantation in the same neighbourhood. Now that the attention of the public is being gradually turned to the New Territories we may see some development. If we do no one will be more pleased than I shall.

STREET NAMES.

With regard to the question of street names I think last year I encouraged hon. members to the extent of suggest- ing that street names would be useful, but I do not think we could possibly regard the placing of street names at all corners of streets as a necessity. After all this is not such a very large place and even at times when the trams cease running I think most people know the street they are in. (Laughter.) The exact significance between street names and a geological survey escapes me.

I. deprecate any suggestion that the money provided for the geological survey should be used for any other purposes.

TREES IN NATHAN ROAD.

With regard to the trees in Nathan Road, referred to by the Colonial Secre- tary, I quite agree with the hon. member that the banyan trees are most unsuit- able and I shall be glad to see them removed. At the present they do not appear to be doing any particular harm, and if we remove them now we shall have to spend a fairly considerable sum in replacing the road where the trees have been and generally making things tidy. It would be a mistake to put this work in hand considering that in a year or two we shall be improving and streng- thening the roads.

With regard to motor traffic and the desirability of widening the bridges on the Taipo Road, I deprecate the idea that every road in this Colony should be of such a width as to encourage people to drive down them at the great- est possible speed. I suggest that a narrow bridge is only a danger if two people, driving at excessive speed, try to cross at the same time in opposite directions. If drivers would exercise a reasonable amount of intelligence and

forethought they would slow dowir naturally until one person had crossed the bridge. The practice of widening and improving the roads of the Colony just for the sake of trying out the powers of motor cars is not one with

hich I am personally in sympathy.

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