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one
ere is little to say about the general Budget, a very good under the circumstances, we think, though some of the Officials may not see eye to eye with us. Motorists have to face increased taxation, but they have been and are being given greater facilities. Nothing in what's been said higher up must be con- strued
as detracting from our gratitude for Civil Service sacrifices.
KOWLOON'S NEEDS
Mr. Braga Suggests Work On Roads
TERRITORY GARDENS
The Hon. Mr. J. P. Braga said:- Your
Excellency, I propose
to direct my remarks on a few sub- jects more as a matter of policy than in criticism of the Budget pro- posals. We are passing through ad- mittedly depressed times calling for sympathy and co-operative efforts in an earnest endeavour to provide a solution to real difficulties. I can- not recall past programmes of Public Works Extraordinary of major importance appearing with- out a single item, as is the case for 1937. The only item of conse- quence is scheduled under "Loan Works" for the commencement of a new Central Market. This being the case, attention is necessarily drawn to the question of the gen- eral staff of the Public Works De- partment. It may appear anomal- ous, however, that, without
any large-scale public works, the Bud- get should be burdened with archi- tects' salaries alone amounting to
$157,209 in 1937.
me
as
at
While inviting your Excellency's attention to what strikes more or less an unsatisfactory posi- tion, I would like to offer a sug- gestion. The eleven architects are technical officers with acquired ex- perience who are not easily re- placeable, and for that reason full advantage should be taken of their available professional services the present time in making pre- parations and plans for the future construction of major public works when funds
become eventually available, such as the Post Office and Government offices in Kow- loon. Both these are referred to in the report of the Director of Public Works for 1935. An important ex- tension of the Kowloon Hospital, viz., the maternity wards for Chin- ese patients, should not be further delayed.
I am making no reflection on the holder of the office designated as "Inspector of Furniture" on p. 97 of! the draft Estimates; but, it seems
open to question if it is really necessary that an officer such as described should be paid a sterling salary equivalent to $8,560 next year. If in the discharge of his duties no special technical qualifica- tions are called for, then in the in- terest of economy the present post is one that should be transferred to the dollar grade as soon as pos- sible.
Roads Maintenance
in
I still regard the Roads Mainten- ance Vote as wholly insufficient. To neglect roads so that they fall into a state of such serious dis- repair as can be pointed out Kowloon and the New Territories during the current year, is a policy that works out much more expen- sively in the long run. On this subject I would like to state that the Kowloon Residents' Association
has requested me publicly to bring this question to the notice of your Excellency and this Council.
I would like to go even further and state that Government should immediately take in hand what I might describe as essential road works. In this connection, I would urge the completion of the road from Argyle Street to Tam Kung Road. It only requires the widen- ing and surfacing of the path from the approach road to the new Cen- tral British School to the Riding School-a length of about 300 or 400 yards to provide the logical connection by road between Kow- loon Tong, Mongkok, Kowloon Hos- pital, etc., on the one hand, and Hunghom and Tokwawan
on the other. Does it not appear strange that the Kowloon Hospital cannot be reached from anywhere at To- kwawan by car without having to travel the circuitous road round to Kowloon City?
Another path which should be similarly treated is the one running parallel with the railway between Waterloo Road and King's Park, thereby providing a through motor road from Waterloo Road to Gas- coigne Road, and considerably shortening the distance from Kow- loon Tong and Homuntin to King's Park and Chatham Road.
I submit that the cost of these. two very necessary improvements would be inconsiderable and would be fully justified. The saving time which would be effected and from the Star Ferry wharf would be of great benefit.
of to
Government is to be commended for having widened the junction of Waterloo Road and Argyle Street. This used to be a danger spot for traffic, but where Waterloo Road should be at its widest (viz., at its junction with Nathan Road) it is actually at its narrowest. The dan- gerous bend at this point should be eliminated and thus make more room for the daily growing traffic flowing into Nathan Road.
These are outstanding road works not involving a great deal of money calling for immediate attention in Kowloon. I shall now deal with road requirements in the New Ter- ritories.
Thanks, I feel, are due for the construction of a new motor road through splendidly wooded country full of wild bird life from upper Shatin Road leading to the Shing Mun Valley.
Tsun Wan's Growth With the completion of Tsun Wan Market, this district is gradual- ly assuming the air of a growing township. The motor highway in the vicinity of the village is now much too narrow for the daily in- creasing traffic, and when it is re- membered that the open ground by the roadside is utilised by the en- terprising owners of the pineapple plantations as an open market for retailing the luscious fruit with the harvesting of the midsummer crop, the roads office of the P.W.D. might usefully consider the provision of a very necessary road improvement in this district. In particular, I trust Government will immediately widen the dangerous bend in the road just before Tsun Wan is reached.
Again, there are still several sharp hairpin bends near the Kow- loon Reservoir which are a positive danger to traffic. The Roads En- gineer probably finds his limitations in the indispensable provision of funds. The restriction need not be carried to the point of continuing a condition that is considered un- safe for speedy wheeled traffic. The bridge at the Reservoir and another in Shatin Valley at Tai! Wa village just before reaching the railroad tracks, both require to be replaced. They are too narrow for two cars to pass abreast and, fur- thermore, were not designed, I am
I
sure, to take the heavy loads now carried over them daily. Shatin village road is also capable of widening. The motorist, especially in view of the higher taxation on petrol and motor car licences, has a right to expect that these mat- ters should receive prompt atten- tion.
Without great expense also cer- tain parts of the Castle Peak and Taipo Roads could be widened to give more room for pedestrians and people carrying bulky loads where they might be clear of motor traffic. Trees at present along the road need not be removed, but could mark the boundary for motor traffic, and behind the trees an extra stretch could be added to the road for use by pedestrians only.
Typhoon Damage
In speaking of trees, I feel that attention need only be drawn for the Botanical and Forestry Depart- 'ment to see that those up-rooted by the recent typhoon on the roads in the New Territories as well as in Kowloon will soon be replaced. Some information might be use- fully given on the question of the water supply to the Castle Peak district. Beyond the bare official statement that a small supply scheme was investigated in the Colony last year, some indication of the intention of the Government re- garding the prosecution of this scheme should be forthcoming.
I
For the benefit of many residents in various parts of the Peninsula I should like to urge, for the seri-
ous consideration of the Medical and Sanitary Department, that mar- ket gardens situated in the imme- diate vicinity of residential places should be completely done away with. Complaints are constantly made that the gardeners are in the habit of freely using nightsoil as a fertiliser, and no number of warn- ings deters them from carrying on serious the nuisance, which is a menace to public health.
Much can be said regarding the unsatisfactory condition of the Ho- muntin Cemetery. It is a serious- ly debateable question whether the shutting down of this cemetery for more burials and its transfer out of a central residential area has not now become imperative.
At any
rate, the matter is one that should be looked into by the President of the Urban Council.
The
health of the community should also be catered to by al- locating more 'open spaces and play- grounds, especially in congested areas. This is notoriously lacking in the Homuntin district. Children in this locality can be seen in large numbers daily making use of the public roadways for games.
Bathing and Broadcasting
are
It has been truthfully said that we have the sea on almost every side of us and yet the majority of the citizens of this Colony denied the amenities of its bathing beaches. It is the duty of the Gov- ernment to make ample provision at least for the better health of its people, and a special point should be made to provide more public bathing beaches, especially on the Peninsula, with proper facilities for dressing, which should be made easily accessible to the residents of the Colony next summer. The minority class of the well-to-do can afford their well-appointed glorified pavilions and shacks. What about the majority of the middle class who are as little provided with an abundance of money and as badly off for a lot of time after office hours to indulge in this most popu- lar form of healthful and beneficial recreation? Government may take a timely hint in earmarking de- finite large beach areas in Hebe Haven with the completion of the Customs Pass Road extension. A
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