1929-09-20 — Page 9

"

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1929.

HON MR. W. E. L. SHENTON CRITICISES POLICY.

CRUMBLING CITY HALL AND NEEDS OF UNIVERSITY.

HONG KONG NOT CONFORMING TO THE TIMES.

A strongly ritical speech was! delivered by the Hon. Mr. W. E. L. Shenton who said he had listened with great interest to the Honour- able Colonial Secretary's review of

The Inte Sir C. P. Chater, for; University serves most useful many years a number of this Conu-purpose not only as an educating cil left a very interesting and valu. able collection of pictures depicting the Colony's history from the car. lient times and also a collection of china representing a life work but the Colony's finances. Hong Kong.we have nowhere to house these gen- the great Emperiam of the Far

Surely the time has erous gilts, East has, as it were, completed its Come when a suitable City Hall annual stock-taking and is now ablo Theatre and Assembly Rooms raust to take a review of the past, con- be provided. sider its presena financial position and enter into arrangements for its

future.

"I notice that we contribute the sum of 81,200 per annum to the City Ha item 2 on page 101, a very small contribution.

Vehicular Ferry.

tno

A surplus of 87,712,283 assets över liabilities is on the free of it a most satisfactory position and one which any Board of Dietors * Year after year the Hong Kong would go before their shareholders ¦ General Chamber of Commerce refer with unmixed feelings of pride and in their annual report to the need confidence.

of a Vehicular Ferry 'between the On the spur of the moment, asigland and Kowloon. The public had similar feelings, but would they Press constantly refer to it. Are we any nearer the acquisition of stand searching inquiries! Could

such a feas of communication the Government go before the tax. payers at the Colony and say the which appears to be only

obvious and which mast have a #nauces of the Colony have in the

most beneficial effect on the whole pant en adininistered to the best

Peninsula! What is our position? advantage" or is the Colony rather

it appears to me to be a disgrace in the position of our who has year

to the Community that it is im by year sold his wares, spent most of his profits, kept the balance but possible to get a motor vehicle from is without sulfelent wares to do the Island to the mainland or rice rerea between the hours of 7 p.m. future successful trading! In other words, have the Government in the and 9 n.m. and then only by very past so operated the Colony's fin. antiquated means and laborious anees as to keep up with the times methedsa mere sop to the public. and the progress of the Colony or are we now faced with large capi tal expenditure which we shall have difficulty in meeting is our stock in trade or some of it either out of date or beyond repair?

am

On a caroful retrospect of the position, he went on, "I convinced that the matter is one for most serious consideration. In fact, I-go so far as to say that to bring our stock in trade ap-to-date will require the expenditure of very How are we going to large sums. provide for this?

"Sessional papers have been issued but we seem ng nearer a solution. Is it that Government's terms are too exacting or is it that no cut and dried policy has yet been formulated? l it a Govern ment obligation like a road or is u madter for private enterprise 1

Road to Canton, "How many more years shall we be talking of the motor road, to Canton Rumour bas it that the contret for the construction of the motor road in Chinese Territory to our boundary has already been given out and I have myself seen the pegging out, close to our own boundary. We are however almost entirely in the dark as to the position.

The Honourable, the Colonial Secretary tells us that the Govern ment has adopted a forward policy in its Budget for 1930 admittedly he says in services rather than in material works. I have sennned the

Home for the Inärm. draft Estimates and the Publie Works. Extraordinary. Report for

"Hong Kong is a great inter- support of this forward policy and national port and as such there is can only say I can find bittle supa constant stream of individuals pert for his statement.

Teoking for employment. Some are Taking the draft Estimates as Bitracted by the prospects of pos n whole I describe the general posisible work-some because they are tion to be, that nothing more than only ordinary current expenditure und usual development work has bern provided for. Nothing more than one would ordinarily expect to Bec in any normal year. Certain minor public, works ure provided for but they would occur in zay normal year; many of the great crying needs of the Colony are not even mentioned.

unable to get work elsewhere.

"There is also another clars who crase to become employable. The able bodied. are found employment by the General Charities "Organisa- tion, the Hong Kong Benevolent Association and other charities but it is of the last class I now speak. It is impossible to find work for them. They wander between the Sailors Home and the Hong Kong Bene

and Association "In fact, I find in the words of volent the Honourable Colonial Secretary through no fault of their own be- that none of my favourite schemes come a charge on the Colony. They have been included. I omit öf are of various nationalities. As far course the water question because as possible they should be repatriat that is a matter which must be put led but there is still

often

residue for

In a category by itself and has alwhom a refuge, should be provided. ready been fully dealt with. It We have no old age pensions or in, reeds no further comment from me, surance. They are, nevertheless, an save that no effort can be too great obligation of the Colony.. to avert a recurrence of the crisis we experienced this year.

factor but in providing the Colony with useful citizens. I am some- times inclined to wander, whether either this Government or the Coin- mercial concerns of this Colony avail themselves sufficiently of the which our university facilities provides. It appears to me there must be many positions which our University graduates could All with ease and possibly distinction.

"My personal opinion is that our contribution to the University is wholly insufficient.

DO

The conception that the University is a luxurious append- age to the ordinary educational course still lingers here, though if has been entirely abandoned in England. Universities are longer the preserves of the intel leztual rich but are accepted as an integral part of the community's life. They are expected to perform. a social, service for the whole sur- rounding district by maintaining. and improving the cultural standards, by providing a steady stream of highly educated men and women for the various professions And

commerce and by increasing the sum of human knowledge.

There also seems to be an im pression abroad that because a University accepts Government ne sistance it must of necessity sacri- fice its dignity and lose its inde pendence. If that were so then. there is not a University in Great Britain that can command respect. They have had to ask for a sub- stantial dole which has been, the more readily granted because of the very important part the modern University must play. This Gov. ernment aid too has been given without imperilling the autonomy of these institutions in England for there has been no interference of any kind on the part of the Gov- ernment as appeara from the very interesting Speech of the Right Honourable H.A.L. Fisher in his centenary address at University College London in April 1927.

Up to the conclusion of the Great War the Oxford and Cam- bridge Universities did not require Government financial assistance, but at the conclusion of the War it was found that they would not be able to continue their activities as in the past unless substantial Government, Snancial atsistance was granted, and this applied even more to the other Universities.

A Royal Commission was ap- pointed, presided over by the Right Honourable Mr. Asquith in the year 1010-ms a result of which very large Government grants were made, and to-day roughly, the Gov- crament. provides, either direct or through local authorities, 60 per revenue of Oxford cent, of the University, 45 per cent. of the re- venue of Cambridge University, 50.

of the revenue

per cent,

of

Birmingham University, 70 per cent of the revenue of Bristol University, and 50 per cent. of the revenue of Leeds University. In fact out of the total income of the of Great Britain Universities. about 50 per cent. is contributed by either Government or local authorities.

"The conclusion that follows Factory Legislation.

from an examination of these facts "The Colony is slowly but surely is that this Colony must accept the The Honourable the Colonial becoming, for various reasons. Iong Kong University as an in Secretary consols us with the fact manufacturing centre. The pro-tegral and essential part of its that we can finance the contemplatbabilities are that it will substan- education scheme and must give it ed increases in the Estimates with tially increase in the not distant that adequate support which would out recourse to increased taxation,future. This carries with it in justify us in continuing to call it very satisfactory state of affairs, these days certain Government, obn University on the English model. but it certainly appears to me ligations to see that the factorice having regard to the general tenor are conducted according to modera be the position much longer. I will hygienic methods and operated on.

of the Estimates that such cannot

not dwell on the water question, Government Civil Hospital, the

proper lines.

The minimum annual sum which the Government should contribute

Conclusion

to the University is $200,000

"I hope your Excellency's efforts, The report of the Inspector of

on behalf of the University to ob gao, the playing grounds, port Factories (Annex B) to the report tain an allocation of part of the facilitics, markets, the uncompleted of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs Boxer Indemnity moneys may yet part of the 70 feet road between for last year is illuminating and be successful. In the field of educa Causeway Bay and Taikoo Sugar clearly indientes a case for further tion what better cause could be Factory, aviation and broadcasting. invavigation. The time is not far found 1

aff when mor advanced factory They have already been dealt with legislation and largely increased by the Honourable the Senior Mem ber, but I have in addition 2 num-factory inspection wit have to be ber of my favourite schemes, and taken in hand but this possibly the I will now deal with what I regard already received your Excellency's as some of our most pressing needs in this the most porgrossive and up-to-date Colony of the British Empire."

Our City Hall. "Are we proud of our City Hall! True, it was an appropriate build- ing 40 to 50 years ago and the Colony must still be grateful to a generous Government and public spirited men who provided the site and building. Is it at all in keep-

consideration.

Widows and Orphans Pensions, "I cannot help mentioning the financial position of the Widows and Orphans Pension Fund.

"As far as I can find no fund has been set apart to meet these liabilities. We collect the subscri- ptions and pay them into our car- rent account and nee them as the revenue of the Colony. I find on page 11 of the Estimates the sum of 8180,000 is expected to be receiv

ing with the present requirements ed next year. of the Colony Recently, His Royal Highness the Duke of Glou- A provident fund of this na cester visited the Colony and the ture should in my opinion be Theatre being the most central por ahsolutely secure and should be tion was chosen for his official re-kept separate and apart as a Trust ception. Unfortunately, the pace Account. I believe there was a is, so limited that many were time when there was a separate unable to receive invitations, al fund for the widows and orphans but this has long since been merged

most to the extent of causing gen-

自力

eral dissatisfaction on such in the Colony's general funds. auspicious occasion.

"The Colony may at some future

The floors of the reception halle time be called upon to make a have to be shored up whenever a capital provision for these liabili public reception or entertainment ties.

ja given, The public library and museum must be the cause of die appointment to any visitor who happens to be passing through the Colony.

University.

"I see there are two grants to the University one of $50,000 and the other $40,000, items 25 and 201 on page 102 of the Estimates. The

Such being the vista we have

before us, can it be wandered that one is appalled at the large expch- diture of money that lies before

ua-nil mortalibus ardui est-some of the propositions call for imme diate adoption they can no longer be delayed-some may possibly be held in abeyance for a little longer but as surely as night follows day all must eventually be taken in hand."

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