1913-10-30 — Page 1

HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 95 30TH OCTOBER, 1913.

PRESENT:―

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT, HON. MR. CLAUD SEVERN.

H.E. MAJOR-GENERAL F. H. KELLY, C.B.

HON. MR. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Secretary).

HON. MR. J. A. S. BUCKNILL, K.C. (Attorney General).

HON. MR. A. G. M. FLETCHER (Colonial Treasurer).

HON. MR. W. CHATHAM. C.M.G. (Director of Public Works).

HON. MR. E. R. HALLIFAX (Secretary for Chinese Affairs).

HON. MR. C. MCI. MESSER (Captain Superintendent of Police).

HON. MR. WEI YUK, C.M.G.

HON. MR. E. A. HEWETT, C.M.G.

HON. MR. C. MONTAGUE EDE.

HON. MR. E. SHELLIM.

HON. MR. D. LANDALE.

HON. MR. LAU CHU PAK.

MR. R. H. CROFTON (Clerk of Councils). Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed.

Financial Minutes

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 68 to 69, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded.

HIS EXCELLENCY―With regard to Financial Minute No. 69 members will see that the amount of

the damage caused by two typhoons of the 17th August and the 18th September has been very considerable. The largest item is the damage to important roads in Victoria. That was caused chiefly because the typhoon synchronised with a very high tide and the whole of the front of the Praya was swept by heavy seas for some hours. If it had not been for that the damage would not have been anything like so large. The damage by the typhoon of the 18th September, of course, was nothing like so great, but there was an unfortunate accident to a steam barge and a lighter belonging to the Sanitary Department. Another big item in the former typhoon was the wash-out of certain parts of the railway embankment between Shatin and Taipo. I am afraid the expenditure is inevitable. It amounts to more than three times the amount which is put in the estimates every year as typhoon damage. $24,000 is the amount put in every year, and we have had several years in which we have been practically immune, so that this is really only paying up what is the average.

The motion was agreed to.

Financial

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee (No. 15), and moved its adoption.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

The Estimates

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved that Council go into Committee on the Bill entitled, "An Ordinance to apply a sum not exceeding eight million one hundred and sixty-seven thousand one hundred and two dollars to the Public Service of the Year 1914." In doing so he said―As we have already read the Ordinance

96 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

clause by clause in the Finance Committee I propose that we dispense with reading it again, and move the amendments suggested, which were unanimously recommended by the Committee.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

On Council resuming,

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the third reading of the Bill.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.

HIS EXCELLENCY―Council stands adjourned sine die.

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FINANCE COMMITTEE.

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A meeting of the Finance Committee was then held, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding. The following votes were passed:―

Public Works

The Officer Administering the Government recommended the Council to vote a sum of $9,000 in aid of the vote Public Works:―

Public Works, Recurrent.

Maintenance of Buildings (Kowloon) $5,000 Maintenance of Buildings (New

Territories), Mainland and Islands

in Northern District .......................... 2,000 Public Works, Extraordinary.

Miscellaneous Works (Kowloon) ...... 2,000 ———

Total .................................... $9,000

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THE CHAIRMAN asked the Director of Public Works to explain this minute.

THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS ―The first item is to some extent due to the contract for such work for the present year being higher by seven per cent. than that for last year, and part is for extraordinary expenditure on a number of houses which the Government acquired some years ago with

a view to future road construction. These houses were of the common Chinese type, and were let to tenants. They got into such a condition that they required considerable repairs to make them safe. This entailed an expenditure of $3,500. "Buildings in the New Territories" is due partially to the excess on the cost of certain items of work which were to be carried out during the year. On the Ping Shan Police Station the excess was $637 and on the Au Tau Police Station $828; also, as there is a vote under the New Territories heading for repairs to piers, some repairs to a pier which was constructed at Tsün Wan were charged to this vote. These entailed an expenditure of $134. These are the principal items which caused the excess. With regard to Miscellaneous Works, $2,000, that is simply because the vote already provided has become exhausted. There are always demands for small works of a miscellaneous nature coming in, and this is to cover the estimated expenditure up to the end of the year, but it is not possible to give any particulars of what these works will be.

Miscellaneous

The Officer Administering the Government also recommended the Council to vote a sum of $95,581 in aid of the votes:―

Harbour Master's Department.

A.―Harbour Office, Other Charges, Oil and Sundry Stores ............................................. $ 155 E. ― Steam Launches, Other Charges, Repairs ......................................................... 300

Sanitary Department, Other

Charges.

Sanitary Staff, Launch, Steam Barges and Lighters, Repairs ........................................ 2,500

Botanical and Forestry Department,

Other Charges.

Forestry, New Territories ................................ 180 Maintenance of Gardens and Grounds ......... 1,006

Public Works, Recurrent.

Hongkong, Miscellaneous, Typhoon and Rainstorm Damages .................................. 53,700

New Territories, Miscellaneous:―

Typhoon and Rainstorm Damages, Islands in Southern District .................. 6,400

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Typhoon and Rainstorm Damages, Mainland and Islands in Northern

District .................................................... 19,800

Kowloon-Canton Railway, Details

of Expenditure.

Main Line, Maintenance of Way, Works and Stations ................................................ 10,770 Fanling Branch, Maintenance of Way and Works .......................................................... 770 ———

Total .............................................. $95,581 ———

THE CHAIRMAN―The Governor has already explained to the Council that these votes are on account of typhoon damages.

HON. MR. HEWETT―I suppose his Excellency is sending Home the debate on the Military Contribution to the Secretary of State, and I hope he will draw particular attention to the fact that we have got to spend a lakh in one year on typhoon damage. That is one of the things I previously referred to, and one of the unknown figures. It may be $4,000 one year, and $100,000 the next, and there is no reason why the Home Government should want to rob us to the extent they do on the Military Contribution.

THE CHAIRMAN―The connection is rather obscure.

HON. MR. HEWETT―I do not think so.

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