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Hong Kong Leg. Co debake
Hon M.K.Lo.
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firewood into Hongkong. I feel that the Chinese community has
every reason to be dissatisfied with Gov- ernment's inactivity, over such lengthy period, in relieving the acute shortage of firewood, which has caused so much hardship to the com- munity, especially the poor.
Another matter, Sir, which has given rise to grave dissatisfaction, is the administration of the Immigration Ordinance. When I spoke in this Council on the Second Reading of the Bill I thought that the effect of this measure on the Colony depended very largely on how it would be adminis- tered by the Immigration Officer, and I then stated that my colleagues and I intended to maintain a close inter- est in the operation of this measure, and that we should have no hesita- tion in making to Government any representations which we might con- sider it our duty so to do.
Immigration
I know that the Immigration Offi- cer has not spared himself in the dis- charge of his very difficult duties. But I do say that whatever may be the explanation, the Chinese com- munity cannot be expected to acquiesce in the continued adminis- tration of a measure which compels people to wait for long hours outside the Immigration Office, herded to- gether like cattle, in order to get a permit or to get back a deposit.
Apart from the question of admin- istrative machinery there have been numerous complaints of sheer rude- ness and offensive conduct on the part of the officers of this Department. 'Civil Servants should be civil ser- vants' may be a familiar witticism, but I suggest that it embodies a wholesome admonition to which Civil Servants in Hongkong should pay serious heed. A most unfavourable! impression has already been created on visitors to the Colony. And I do seriously appeal to officers of the Im- migration Department to remember that they are being paid by local tax- payers to perform their duties and not to show off their own importance.
Sir, I do say deliberately that either the administration of the Im- migration measure is radically im- proved and I submit that it can, and should, be improved-or that measure should be dropped altogether.
Tribute to Governor
Sir, His Excellency assumed the ad- ministration of this Colony during a period which is one of the most critical periods of the British Empire. It is not surprising that the difficulty of the situation should have its re- percussions on the Colony. The Chi- nese community gratefully appre- ciates His Excellency's concern and labour for the well-being and security of the Colony, as exemplified by his initiative in providing the population with air raid shelters, in the con- struction of which he has taken such a keen personal interest. Since his arrival in the Colony the Chinese to of Councils have had Members
to make numerous representations him and on their behalf, and also on my own, I desire to tender to His Excellency an expression of our deep gratitude for the sympathetic manner in which he has invariably received those representations, and his ever- ready desire to give effect to them as far as possible.
to
20th Feb. 1941.
May 1, Sir, also tender our thanks
as you,
Colonial Secretary, for the invariable courtesy which you have shown to the Unofficial Mem- bers. My colleagues and I desire to pay warm tribute to you for the con-
which spicuous ability
you have shown as His Excellency's chief ad- viser, which is such a well known characteristic of our esteemed Colonial Secretary.
Views Concurred
My colleagues on this Council de- sire me to state that they wish to associate themselves with the tri- butes I have paid, and the views I have expressed. In due course the Honourable Mr Tam will speak on the question of removal of night-soil and the prevailing lawlessness and insecurity of the Colony, and the Honourable Mr Li will speak on primary education, and I desire to express my concurrence with their views on these subjects.
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Fully realising the true character of the struggle now being waged by Britain and her Empire, the Chinese in the Colony have willingly and, in- deed, enthusiastically co-operated with Government in all measures
deemed which Government has necessary to carry out in furthering Britain's war effort, whether by re- sponding to the calls made for ser- vice in the Volunteer Corps, Police Reserve, A.R.P., Fire Auxiliary Ser- vice, St John, etc., etc., or in other directions. In view of their deeds I trust, Sir, that it is not necessary for me to pledge to you once more the willing continuance of that co-opera- tion. (Applause).
INQUIRY URGED
HON. MR D'ALMADA ON MALADMINISTRATION
GOVERNMENT SHOULD PURGE ITS RANKS
GRAFT, CORRUPTION
The Hon. Mr Leo D'Almada, Jnr., said: Sir,-From the point of view of a Kowloon resident there is much in this Budget that is grati- fying. There is generous provision for resurfacing our roads, work which is long overdue; a new public mortuary and disinfecting station is budgetted for; the promise of a police station for Kowloon Tong raises a hope that that district and the Prince Edward Road area will enjoy some measure of police protection in the near future; and an agricultural sta- tion in the New Territories shows that here again Government is at last paying some heed to those who have constantly advocated the develop- ment of our resources for food pro- duction.
It is regrettable that the Unofficials in Select Committee have thought it expedient in the light of the present situation and of the Colony's finances
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to curtail to some extent the pro- posed public works expenditure both on the mainland and in Hongkong, but the majority will agree that in so doing the Committee has followed the dictates of commonsense and pru- dence.
This is all I have to say on the Budget.
Our annual Budget Debate, how- ever, has long been regarded as the proper occasion for the ventilation of of grievances and complaints, and these I have a few.
Little for Congratulation
I do not know what Government feels about its last twelve months' administration in this Colony. In my opinion, apart from revenue, there is little room for complacency, much less for congratulation.
I will mention only three matters as to which Government has laid it- self open to criticism.
First, a very late start was made to provide air raid shelters.
Next, a most lamentable lack of tact was displayed in the handling of evacuation. Government has al- ready been severely censured for this by the public, and I mention it here only because it should be included in any debate which involves the re- view of the past year's policy and activities.
Some months ago, it was deemed advisable to establish a department for the control of Immigration. Here again, it
appears to have beem thought necessary to lay emphasis on race distinction, for, if I remember rightly, in advertising for immigra- tion officers Government made it clear that these posts were open only to British subjects of pure European descent. Now, Sir, this might possi- bly have been excusable if these were positions of comparative im- portance or of a specialised nature, but this is not so. Immigration offi- cers have been recruited from every walk of life, and the fact that they are paid only $400 a month is an- other indication that the job is not one calling for any alleged superior- ity of blood or intelligence. More than once have I advocated that Gov- ernment should draw no invidious and totally unnecessary distinctions in engaging its employees. But I suppose the policy is so ingrained that only where it is impracticable to pursue it will Government reluc- tantly adopt another.
Inefficiency and Incivility
If this constant discrimination were productive of something of value, if for example, it made for a high stan- dard of efficiency, there might be something to be said for it. This however, is far from true, as Govern- ment knows from complaints in re- gard to administration brought to its attention by Unofficials and through other sources. My honourable friend, Mr M. K. Lo has already dealt
with the inefficiency and incivility to be met with in the Immigration De- partment. Complaints with regard Govern- to it are heard on all sides. ment's excuse so far as inefficiency is concerned will doubtless be the plea that this is a newly created de- partment with a heavy volume of work to cope with. Whether this is a valid excuse can only be ascer- tained on inquiry; and it is no answer to the charge of incivility.
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