CO129-519-2 Estimates for 1930 19-9-1929 - 19-9-1929 — Page 228

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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

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THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.-On a point of order, Sir, I think the hon. senior unofficial member has 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 would submit that the mere fact that this item for a printing shop on a much smaller scale appeared in last year's Estimates is really not relevant to the present discus- sion, inasmuch as I was careful to ascertain from my hon. friend, the Director of Public Works, that in fact no work whatever has been done on any printing shop, small or large, in Victoria Gaol, and we therefore have a clean sheet at the present moment in dealing with this matter.

With regard to this expenditure, I listened very carefully to what has been said on the matter and I must say I am not at all enamoured of the idea that this gaol of ours, with all its defects, should be stated by a high Government official to be capable of doing duty for a further period of ten years. This period the Hon. Colonial Secretary puts down as a minimum. I think, and I am sure my hon, unofficial colleagues are of the same opinion, that we ought not to put this new printing office into an old gaol. Were we to agree to this, we might be told in a few years time that the Government could not spend money on a new gaol because they already had expended a considerable sum on a new printing shop in the old gaol, We certainly do not feel that we should spend a considerable sum of money in putting a new printing shop into this old building. With all due deference to the Hon. Colonial Secretary, we are against putting a new printing shop in this old and inadequate gaol with all its faults and defects. Therefore, Sir, beg to move that the item be reduced to $547,114. That is leaving out the $100,000 to be dealt with under Public Works Extraordinary.

I sug-

H.E. THE GOVERNOR.—Even that is not quite correct. gest that the hon. member should move first of all in regard to the linotype machine, $14,200. The Prisons Department is one head and the Public Works Department another.

HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK.-I quite see that, Sir. now to strike out $100,000.

I propose

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 accordingly.

HON. MR. J. P. BRAGA seconded.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.-The item, Sir, is put in by the Government entirely as a matter of economy. The Government-and