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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
ably reviewed the speech of the Hon. Colonial Secretary in introducing the Estimates for 1931, and has presented the joint views of the unofficial members to this Council, but, as he has already indicated, his colleagues will as customary make their own observations. As Senior of the European members present, it is my privilege now to make some further observations. I do not propose to address the Council at great length, as my colleagues will also desire to take part in the discussion.
I would like first of all to associate myself and my European colleagues in the reference made by the Hon. Senior unofficial member to this, Your Excellency's first Budget, and further, if I may be permitted, to express our admiration of the manner in which you have dealt with the many important matters that have been brought before you since assuming the duties of your high office.
Personal Emoluments.
On the first occasion of your presiding over this Council just four months ago, my unofficial colleagues and I did our utmost to persuade the Government to cut its coat according to the cloth available, and pleaded for the appointment of a Committee to consider whether the Colony could afford the elaborate garment recommended by the Salaries Commission in view of the unprecedented fall in the value of the dollar. Our arguments and pleadings were of no avail against the Official majority vote, nor was the almost unanimous voice of public opinion behind us allowed to weigh in the balance, and we were overwhelmed.
The "Account" is now rendered, and a bill for no less than $9,421,405 for Personal Emoluments is presented for payment on account of 1930, whilst it is estimated that under this heading alone, no less than $12,854,727 for 1931 has now to be budgetted for at the very uncertain Exchange figures of 1/4d.
It is a first duty of Government to balance its Budget for the coming year, and we are asked to-day to approve the method by which it is proposed to do so-a most difficult task, as all must admit.
No good purpose can be achieved by making more reference than is absolutely necessary to what has been done in the past in respect of salaries: but the result of the revision looms so large on every page of the Draft Estimates for 1931 that reference to them cannot well be avoided, nor to the astounding increase in charges occasioned by the unprecedented fall in exchange. The Hon. Colonial Secretary at the outset of his speech refers to the above two considerations as seriously influencing the Government in their consideration of the Budget.
In percentage as compared with last year's heading, the figures disclose the following increases:
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