594443-1939-Minutes--No-11 — Page 3

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, OCTOBER 13, 1939. 1087

Proclamation No. 9.---Letters Patent passed under the Great Seal of the Realm, amending the Letters Patent of the 14th of February, 1917, constituting the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hong Kong and its Dependencies, dated 29th June, 1939.

Proclamation No. 10.---The Ordinances of Hong Kong (1937 edition), Volume II, 1901-1914, and the Law Revision Ordinance, 1939, Ordinance No. 33 of 1939, to come into operation on the 2nd September, 1939.

Proclamation No. 11.-War broken out between His Majesty and Germany. Proclamation No. 12.-Certain members of the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer

Force called out for actual service.

Regulations of Hong Kong (1937 edition) Volume II, 1901-1914.

QUESTION.

5. The Hon. Sir HENRY EDWARD POLLOCK, Kt., K.C., LL.D., pursuant to notice,

asked the following question:---

What steps does the Government propose to take and when in regard to the unanimous wish of the Unofficial Members of this Council, as announced by me in the Legislative Council, on the 25th May, 1939, to the effect that the retiring age of Civil Servants be raised to the age of sixty?

The Colonial Secretary replied as follows :-

The present rule contemplating retirement normally at 55 was adopted in 1932 in the interests of economy and of the efficiency of the public service it is in line with the pension rules in other parts of the Colonial Empire. The change to that age limit was made with the support of the then unofficial members of Legislative Council and in accordance with the recommendation of the Retrenchment Commission of 1932. After full consideration Government has reached the conclusion that there are not sufficient grounds to warrant seeking the Secretary of State's approval for a reversal of that decision.

MOTIONS.

6. The Attorney General addressed the Council and moved the following

resolution:

RESOLVED that the Second Volume of the new edition of the Regulations of the Colony which has been prepared under the authority of the Ordin- ances and Regulations of Hong Kong (1937 edition) Ordinance, 1936, as amended by Ordinance No. 18 of 1939, and which has this day been laid before this Council for approval, be approved.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

7. The Attorney General addressed the Council and moved the following

resolution:

That the Order of the Chief Justice under section 74 of the Probates Ordin-

ance, 1897, dated the 13th day of September, 1939, be approved.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and agreed to.

8. Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Bill.-The Attorney General moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1934."