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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
who may revert to it but more often will be required to serve else- where on their return and are therefore not a proper charge on that department.
As regards the general question of increased cost of administration, I must remind Honourable Unofficial Members that the Government of this Colony is continually receiving demands from all directions including themselves, to increase its public services. We are pressed to provide new and larger schools, new and larger hospitals, new health services, new factory legislation, first class port status, larger legal staff, and many other similar improvements and expansions. All these involve not only increases in technical staff but parallel increases in secretarial and clerical staff. The best instance I can give is that just provided by the Honourable Member himself and so strongly supported by his colleague. If the property owners want assessment by separate flats, we shall have to treble the collection staff of the Treasury and more than treble the Assessor's Office. In ordering new houses one must not forget that the straw in the bricks though low-priced still costs money. Furthermore I would remind the Honourable Member that the ex- change rates adopted for the 1926 Estimates were 1s. 8d. for sterling salaries and 2s. 2d. for other sterling charges. (Applause).
H.E. THE GOVERNOR.-Honourable Members,-The Budget has been dealt with in such detail by both Officials and Unofficials that there appears little left me to say except as regards the general position.
In the first place, I wish to congratulate my Honourable friend the Colonial Secretary on the clearness and lucidity of his first Budget speech, and to thank him and his officers for the great help which they have given me in the final preparation of it. I also thank the Honourable Colonial Treasurer and Honourable Director of Public Works for their useful memoranda. Further, I wish to express my great appreciation of the work done by Mr. Grantham in connection with the Budget. He has had a lot of spade work to do; and from my own experience, many years ago, I can appreciate the care and patience which are necessary in carrying out a work of this kind in which constant changes in items and figures almost Mr. bring a feeling of despair to the officer in direct charge. Grantham has carried out his duties most efficiently.
I thank the Honourable Senior Chinese Member for his kindly reference to myself.
I am indebted to the Honourable Members for their careful consideration of the Budget and for their helpful comments and criticisms. If we
If we exclude
exclude certain comments which are scarcely relevant to the Budget itself, the criticisms have been gratifyingly few. It is noteworthy and somewhat unusual that some of the suggestions involve increases in staff and expenditure. That was stressed just now by the Colonial Secretary.
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