Member, the Attorney General, has pointed out, the Ordinance, if passed, is intended as a temporary measure to tide us over an emergency, and I very much hope that I shall be able to submit before long a Bill repealing these few clauses, thus bringing us back to normal conditions: but that will not be possible until more normal economic conditions prevail in Hong Kong.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.-I rise to move the second reading of the Bill.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by
clause.
Upon Council resuming,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Bill had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
Objects and Reasons.
The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows:—
1. The influx of refugees from Canton as a result of recent air raids there has, despite administrative measures to cope with and restrict it, so increased a population already swollen by immigrants seeking safety from disturbance in China that the housing accommoda- tion of the Colony is no longer sufficient to contain the numbers of those who desire to occupy it and are in many cases willing to pay exorbitant prices for doing so.
2. The object of this Bill, which is based on sections 12 and 15 of the Rent, etc., Restrictions Act, 1923 (13 and 14 Geo. 5), reproduced in clauses 3 and 4 of the Bill, is, by restricting the landlord's right to possession in certain cases, to prevent hardship to tenants now in occupation.
3. The housing problem and prevalent charges for rent were the subject of inquiry by a Commission appointed on 9th March, 1938, and since the report of that Commission a careful watch has been kept upon the situation. It is now considered necessary to deal with that situation by the means contained in this Bill.
ADJOURNMENT.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR.-Council stands adjourned sine die.
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