to her with France and the United States, that the success of the above policy is linked with the develop- ment of international trade. In particular, the greatest importance is attached to action being taken with- out delay to relax the present sys- tem of quotas and exchange controls
with a view to their abolition. The British Government, in common with the United States and French Gov- ernments, invites the co-operation of other nations to realise the policy laid down in the present declara- tion".
I venture to believe that the Colony's present relations with our great and friendly neighbour, China, which your Excellency has already done much to foster, are such as will place no obstacle, so far as we are concerned, in the way of the realisa- tion of this declaration of policy on the part of the British Government.
Medical Services
Turning now to the departmental estimates, I observe with growing alarm the enormous increase in the. expenses of the medical department, particularly so as I am still con- vinced that by the use of part-tin.e services of our local medical prar- titioners, some of this extra expense could be avoided. I can well under- stand how the professional instincts and ideals of my honourable friend, the Director of Medical Services, in- cline him towards operating with his own medical assistants, on a self- contained basis, but the gratification of those ideals appears to me to be, not only very costly, but to seri- ously endanger the livelihood of the medical profession practising in the Colony.
Physicians Affected
A well-known non-medical resid- ent, who shares my views in this matter, went so far as to express the opinion that, even if the Govern- ment did not put our nursing homes and our medical fraternity entirely out of action, they would certainly so adversely affect the earnings of the latter, that they would be unable to afford to keep themselves up to date in modern medicine and sur- He went even further than gery.
SO disastrous that, suggesting sequel, that I hardly like to repeat He pic- it to honourable members. tured this policy, if carried to ex- tremes, resulting in the gradual an- nihilation of the commercial com- of the munity and the survival
first class Government servant in shape to enjoy for a maximum num- ber of years a pension, which, pre- sumably, in view of the extinction of the Colony's traders, would have to fall like manna from heaven.
a
While this undoubtedly is going a bit too far, it does illustrate in an exaggerated way the menace to our local medical efficiency threatened by The real the Government's policy. menace, however, is to the liveli- hood of a section of the community, many members of which have served the Colony well for a long period of years. In fact place this self- contained system of dispensing our medical services in the same cate- gory, so far as the medical profession is concerned, as that other organisa- tion which is the bete noire of us merchants, "The Crown Agents for the Colonies", in itself no doubt a most estimable institution, theore- tically sound, but one which the mer- chants consider deprives those who originally built up the prosperity of the Crown Colonies and have always shouldered a considerable portion of the burden of taxation of the oppor-: tunity to compete for so much of the Government's requirements.
8
Street Cleaning
I further notice with extreme re- gret, that while there is this large increase in the expense of curing disease, there is no provision in either the Public Works or Sanitary De- partment estimates for the preven- tion of it by a much more thorough cleansing of our streets than is car- ried out at present, though we should surely now have enough water for the purpose.
When recently in Shanghai, I had occasion to visit some of the poorer districts of the International Settle- ment and my amazement at the clean and wholesome appearance of their streets as compared with ours, was excelled only by my amazement at the reason given for this welcome change. I was assured that it was entirely due to the zeal with which our Chinese friends had taken up
Life the New
Movement. Shop- keepers and householders are made responsible for their respective sections of the paths and roads, and if they don't do their job to the satisfaction of their neighbours, they are seized and paraded through the streets with their hands tied behind their backs carrying a broom.
Possibly the Government is wait- ing for the New Life Movement to catch on in the Colony in a similar effective way and so save them con- it siderable outlay. If, however, does not, I consider that our tuber- culosis record alone makes the in- curring of this expense an absolute necessity.
Road Maintenance
While I am in sympathy with some of the proposals for new roads made by the honourable Mr. Braga, who has a much more intimate knowledge of the requirements of Kowloon than I have, I am, generally speaking, in favour of spending our restricted re- venue on properly maintaining our present roads rather than on building new ones. I have a vivid recollec- tion of the state of the Taipo and Castle
roads before the Governor's bungalow was built at Fanling. New roads through beautiful scenery are undoubtedly a great acquisition to the Colony, but it is very difficult indeed for the motorist to
beautiful enjoy the scenery through which he is passing when he is incessantly dodging potholes and in constant danger of being shot through the roof of his
car.
Peak
our
In conclusion, Sir, I should like to wholeheartedly support the hon- ourable Mr. Paterson's request that unofficial members may in future be given the opportunity of considering and discussing the various depart-
the mental estimates before
first reading of the Budget Bill, in the same way as they are permitted to discuss the Public Works estimates.
Unofficial members of this Council, I am sure, greatly appreciate the dis- position which your Excellency has shown since you came to the Colony to consult them on so many matters of public interest, and as I believe Hongkong is one of the few Colonies where the estimates are not referred at an early stage to a select com- mittee composed partly of unofficial members, I venture to hope that the proposal will find favour with your Excellency.
75
MARINE SURVEYORS
Mr. Johnson Queries Cost Of Development
HONGKONG STATISTICS
The Hon. Mr. M. T. Johnson said: -Your Excellency,-I desire to as- sociate myself with the congratula- tions voiced by my Honourable friend the Senior Unofficial Member upon the manner in
the which Budget has been presented and to express my
your sympathy with Excellency that your first Budget for the Colony should be one in which so much has had inevitably to be sacrificed to economy.
I would like to refer to one sub- ject which has come particularly to my notice as a
the Member of Harbour Advisory Committee and that is the cost of maintaining the! Government Marine Surveyor's De- partment. I wish to preface my re- marks by saying that the last thing intended in these is any reflection on the personnel of the Department ! in question. On the contrary, in my opinion and experience we are ex- tremely well served by the Govern- ment Marine Surveyor's Department. The Surveyors are both highly com- petent and reasonable and courteous to deal with but it does seem to me, and I know to others interested in shipping also, that the cost of main- taining the Department is extra- ordinarily high and out of proportion to the needs of the Colony.
According to a statement circulat- ed to the Harbour Advisory Com- mittee this year the total annual cost of the Department in round figures is £15,435. Included in this amount, in addition to salaries totalling £10,804, the statement shows Pen- sions £859, Rent Allowances £825, Conveyance Allowances £297, Over- time Allowances £55 and Passages £1,433. The last mentioned item, I may mention, represents more than 8.8, nearly 9, full-rate First-Class
London to
per return passages annum for a staff of 16 Europeans and their families. The greater part of the balance of the £15,435 is ac- counted for by maintenance of a fleet of three launches costing £943 per
annum.
Misleading Comparison
I understand from my Honourable friend the Harbour Master that, in comparison with London and other places, on the basis of tonnage visit- ing the port, we are by no means of over-staffed, but such a basis
very comparison may easily prove misleading. In Hongkong, statistics of tonnage visiting the port swollen by the frequent calls coasting and river craft and I submit that these figures are not therefore a reliable indication of the amount of work which the Marine Surveyors may be called upon to do.
are of
on
Com- The Technical (Shipping) mittee of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce urged upon Government three years ago that the additional staff then considered necessary in view of the application of the new Safety and Load Line Conventions should be engaged temporary appointments only. The Committee's advice, I believe, was not taken, but now that the addition- al work entailed by the adoption of those Conventions and of the Simla Rules is drawing to an end it would, I suggest, be a suitable opportunity to consider reorganisation of the De- partment and gradual reduction of staff as may best be done without the infliction of any undue hardship.
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