89
the Hospital, the Gaol, broadcasting and the 100 foot road between Causeway Bay and Shaukiwan, and the further work to be done in con- nexion with the road from Quarry Bay to Shaukiwan, to which your Excellency referred just now, await- ing attention. The time has come now when we must scrutinise the expenditure very carefully. I therefore beg to move that the ques- tion of the necessity of incurring this expenditure in items 23 and 28 which I have referred to in my notice of motion, be referred to the Harbour Board. That would be by way of amendment to the vote put before us. The Harbour Board is a competent body to decide this matter and I think we might leave it to them.
Hon. Mr. W. E. L. Shenton seconded.
Government Offer.
The Colonial Secretary.-If, Sir, the Hon. members are not prepared to accept the advice of the Harbour Master in this matter, I quite agree with the Hon. Senior Unofficial Member that this Council is not the proper place in which to debate the details of the number of launches required by the Government Marine Surveyors' branch of the Harbour Master's department. The Government is quite prepared to meet the wishes of the hon. Un- official members in this matter up to a certain point.
his
item, I have to move:
sum
}
The Gaol.
new printing shop into this old. In connexion with the sum of building. Therefore, with all due
the Hon. Colonial, $585,684 for the Prisons Depart-deference to ment, the Hon. Sir Henry Pollock Secretary, we are against putting
reference said. With
to this a new printing shop in this old and inadequate gaol with all its and defects. Therefore, "That the proposed vote of faults $585,684 for the Prisons Depart- Sir, I beg to move that the item be That is leav- ment be reduced to $547,114 by reduced to $547,114. the omission of the
of ing out the $100,000 to be dealt $120,750 consisting of the fol-with under Public Works Extraor- lowing three items appearing indinary.
H. E. The Governor.-Even that the Estimates for 1930, namely:
Item 22 on page 45 Lino-is not quite correct. I suggest the type Composing Machine Hon. Member should move first of
all in regard $14,200.
the linotype Item 23 on page 45 Rota machine, $14,200. The Prisons Department is one head and the Public Works Department other.
Print Machine $6,550. Item 4 on page 84 Victoria Gaol New Printing Shop $100,000.
and also by the omission of the sum of $17,820 being the pro- posed personal emoluments of six Officers (new posts) in the said new Printing Shop, as set forth on page 46 of the Estima- tes."
The Colonial Secretary.-On a point of order, Sir, I think the Hon. Senior Unofficial Member mixed up the figures under two heads.
H. E. The Governor.-I have no objection to the hon. member speaking on the whole subject at one time.
Hon. Sir Henry Pollock.-I I venture to ask the Hon. Senior would submit that the mere fact Unofficial Member if it will meet that this item for a printing shop wishes if the vote is passed on a much smaller scale appeared without alteration but if the Gov- in last year's Estimates is really ernment gives him an undertaking not relevant to the present dis- that the money will not be expend-cussion, inasmuch as I was care- ed until the question of the launches ful to ascertain from my hon. has been submitted to the newly friend, the Director of Public constituted Harbour Board and the Works, that in fact no work what- report of the Harbour Board has
ever has been done on any print- been considered by the Finance ing shop, small or large, in Vic- Committee. That is an undertak-toria Gaol, and we therefore have ing of a kind which I gave last a clean sheet at the present year on a certain other point which moment in dealing with this mat- was in dispute between hon. mem-ter. bers and the Government, and hon. members
under-
know that the
official members.
New and Old.
am
:
to
an-
Hon. Sir Henry Pollock. I quite see that, Sir. I propose now to strike out $100,000.
The Colonial Secretary.-The figure you want, Sir Henry, is $557,554.
Hon. Sir Henry Pollock-My figure is $547,114 and I beg to move that the item be reduced ac- cordingly.
Hon. Mr. J. P. Braga seconded. Matter of Economy.
as
The Colonial Secretary. This item, Sir, is put in by the Govern- ment entirely as a matter of The Government—and I economy. speak even more for myself an individual than as a member of the Government-does not like the gaol any more than Sir Henry and the Unofficial members, and if we had the money to build a new one, I would be ready to pro- pose starting to build it to-morrow. On the other hand, it is just as Council to face the facts of the well for the Government and this
position.
We on the Government
side think that the first big work in the matter of building to be
mem- propose
undertaken is a new Government Civil
as Hospital, and bers are aware we to start it as soon as we can. If we are not able to take up both taking was very carefully carried With regard to this expenditure of these works together, you have out, with results which were satis-I listened very carefully to what to consider first that we are not factory, at any rate to the Un-has been said on the matter and yet quite in a position to begin
I must say I
not at all the hospital; secondly, we shall Hon. Sir Henry Pollock-The enamoured of the idea that this be very lucky if we see the hos- in three to four Government will, of course, abide gaol of ours, with all its defects, pital finished
to by the decision given.
should be stated by a high Go-years; thirdly, we have also
gaol, H. E. The Governor.-The pro-vernment official to be capable of make preparations for the posal is that this item be referred doing duty for a further period of and when that has been started you to the Harbour Board and that it ten years. This period the Hon. have to allow three to four years
for the building of the gaol. will stand as part of the Estimates. Colonial Secretary puts down as a
I stand by my figure that we If the Harbour Board recommends minimum. I shall think, and I am it, then the item will go to the sure my hon. Unofficial colleagues shall be lucky if we see the gaol Finance Committee, and if the are of the same opinion, that we ready for occupation ten Finance Committee recommends ought not to put this new printing from to-day. Nobody dislikes the delay more than myself. That be- it to this Council it will then be office into an old gaol. Were we passed. If the Harbour Board to agree to this, we might be tolding so, the Government thinks it does not recommend it then I am in a few years time that the Go- is a sensible plan to give the pre- willing not to incur further ex-
vernment could not spend money
sent Superintendent of Prisons a penditure without prior reference on a new gaol because they already suitable place in which to carry to this Council.
had a new printing shop in the out the printing work of the Go- I have it from the old gaol. We certainly do not feel vernment.
he that we should spend a consider- Superintendent that in 1927
reckoned the Government saved able sum of money in putting a
Hon. Sir Henry Pollock. That is very satisfactory, Sir.
t
years
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