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considered inadvisable to continue the scheme, there would be no commitments which would affect a decision to disband the force. The organization would, however, be such that it could expand in keeping with the requirements and resources of the Colony. The Admiralty is assisting these proposals by lending to the Colony, free of charge, the latest form of mine-sweeping equipment and a gun, which will be mounted in the Colony's rescue tug "Kau Sing." The Admiralty has also agreed that naval officers and instructors should for the present assist in the training of the volunteers.
It is intended that the year 1930 should be regarded as an experi- mental period, during which enlistment will be for one year only and the main objects will be to try out the scheme and select individuals from those volunteering for posts as instructors.
In the first year we shall be prepared to enrol up to thirty volunteers. Training will include lectures, gun drill, instruction in signals and in the use of small arms. Mine-sweeping and gun practice will be carried out from the "Kau Sing," which will make a series of week-end cruises within the waters of the Colony. Volunteers will undertake to serve when called out in emergency in the colonial waters. They will not be required to serve away from Hong Kong, unless they specially elect to do so.
It is obvious that the scheme, which have outlined, is on so small a scale that it will not interfere with enlistment for the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. Nor are the volunteers, who are likely to enlist in the Hong Kong division of the Royal Naval Volun- teer Reserve, men who would be likely to join the Volunteer Defence Corps. The Government carefully considered whether the formation of this unit would be likely in any way to prejudice recruitment for the existing Volunteer Defence Corps and decided that there was no such risk. Nor is there any prospect of the scheme committing the Colony to increasing expenditure in future years. As honourable members will observe from the description of the scheme, which I have given, it is concerned simply and solely with the defence of the shipping of this Colony in time of emergency and at a time when the Royal Navy might not be able itself to engage in mine-sweeping operations round the waters of this Colony. The scheme is purely one of defence, and there need be no fear that it will in any way militate against the growing spirit of international concord and fraternity.
The next matter, upon which I wish to touch, is the proposal for a road through the Saikung district of the New Territories.
The unofficial members, with the exception of the honourable Mr. Braga, criticize this proposal as premature. They must have overlooked the fact that the Saikung district has now formed part of the New Territories of this Colony for thirty years, and that during those thirty years nothing whatever has been done for the development of the district beyond the construction of a police station at Saikung in 1900. Honourable members, of course, represent in this Council the interests of taxpayers in the Saikung district no less than in
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