227377-1936-Minutes-No-10 — Page 4

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, AUGUST 28, 1936.

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(II). The cesspool and matsheds are necessary for the cultivation of private agricultural land adjoining the beach. I am informed that the cesspool does not drain on to the beach, and therefore does not pollute the sea. The cultivator might be required to remove the cesspool and the matsheds to within the boundary of his adjacent land but this would not improve the bathing amenities of the beach. In the circum- stances Government does not propose to take action.

any

2. Government does not supply, nor has it ever supplied, duty free petrol to Civil Servants. Civil Servants may obtain petrol for their personal use from Government Stores on payment of the contract price together with the duty.

3.—(I). Government has long been aware of the existence in the Colony of a large number of opium divans. The main difficulty in the suppression of these divans is that in many cases their locations change from day to day and it is not possible to do more than is being done at present without a very material increase in the Preventive Staff of the Imports and Exports Department.

(II). The attention of the Honourable Member is invited to the Annual Administrative Reports of the Superintendent of Imports and Exports for the years 1933 and 1934. Steps are continually being taken to prosecute divan keepers and to check as far as possible the entry of illicit opium from which the divans draw their supplies. In 1935 the convic- tions obtained against divan keepers numbered 557.

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6. The Attorney General moved :--

MOTIONS.

That the amendment to the by-laws made by the Urban Council under section 3 of the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Ordinance, 1935, on the 26th day of May, 1936, be approved.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question--put and agreed to.

7. The Colonial Treasurer addressed the Council and moved the following

resolutions:- --

1.-RESOLVED pursuant to section 2 (4) of the Hong Kong Government Service (Levy on Salaries) Ordinance, 1936, that after deduction of the levy, if any, and of the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Contribution, if any, or of either, the remainder of the salaries of all public officers in the Hong Kong Government Service, which are expressed in terms of sterling, whatever their amount, shall be converted at the rate of one shilling and fourpence half-penny to the dollar for the months of July, August and September, 1936.

2.-RESOLVED pursuant to section 6 of the Hong Kong Government Service (Levy on Salaries) Ordinance, 1936, that with effect from the 1st day of January, 1936, until the 30th day of September, 1936, both days included, that one sixth of the salary, if expressed in terms of sterling, of every officer of the Hong Kong Government Service, who shall have a wife or a child under the age of twenty-one years dependent on him and resident in a sterling or gold-standard country, shall be exempt (after deduction of the levy, if any, and of the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Contribution, if any, or of either) from the operation of the special conversion rate provided for in section 2 (4) of the said Ordinance during the period in which such wife or child is so resident.