HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
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theatres and cinemas, 191 garages and 180 inflammable structures. The work is rapidly increasing as more and more attention is paid to this important matter, and the present Fire Brigade staff cannot cope with it except at the cost of other equally important duties.
The honourable the senior Chinese unofficial member took us to task over the form in which the Estimates are printed. I readily accept his suggestion that the totals of Personal Emoluments, Other Charges and Special Expenditure be shown separately in future, and have issued instructions accordingly. With all deference to his views I deprecate the reversion to the old practice of showing the clerical staff of each office separately under that office. It would be a retrograde step in so far as it introduces unnecessary complication, and I venture to hope that it will meet honourable members' requirements if we show the totals of the clerical staff, taken from the appendices, under each head and carry out a total for the whole of the expenditure under the head. I have duly noted the honourable member's criticism as regards the inadequacy of the notes in some departments and will endeavour to secure fuller notes in future years.
I now come to the remarks of the Hon. Mr. Shenton and desire to sympathize with him in the absence of his favourite schemes from the Budget. I am afraid his fears as regards the inadequacy of our financial resources are only too likely to be realised should we at- tempt to undertake most of the works he has mentioned. A new City Hall, desirable though it may be, must, as an item of Government expenditure, yield priority to many more urgent works.
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The Vehicular Ferry is a project which the Government hopes to undertaken by private enterprise. Various local business organisations have shown interest in the scheme and a call for tenders is only held up pending the final settlement of the designs to which the piers must conform.
The motor road to Canton is an undertaking for which this Government cannot accept liability. Our own motor roads already run close to the frontier and can be linked up with the Chinese road without much difficulty as soon as the latter is ready.
The Government feels that the provision of a Home for the Infirm is a subject for charitable rather than official enterprise. Much care is required in dealing with such a proposition lest we find ourselves asked to find asylum for all the infirm of Kwangtung.
As regards the Hon. Mr. Braga's remarks I have already referred to the Kowloon Tong market, the children's playgrounds and open spaces. The question of motor parking at Kowloon Point is mixed up with the very difficult question of the proper development of that area from a traffic point of view. Many schemes have been discussed and finality has not yet been reached, but it has been strongly borne in upon the Government that no permanent allevia- tion of the congestion is possible without the removal of unattended
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