1928-07-12 — Page 1

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 51

July 12th, 1928.

PRESENT:―

H.E. THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (HON. MR. W. T. SOUTHORN, C.M.G.).

THE HON. THE OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS (COLONEL R.B. SKINNER, O.B.E.). THE COLONIAL SECRETARY (HON. MR. E. R. HALLIFAX, C.M.G., C.B.E.).

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (HON. SIR HENRY EDWARD POLLOCK, K.T., K.C.). THE COLONIAL TREASURER (HON. MR. C. MCI. MESSER, O.B.E.).

HON. MR. H. T. CREASY, C.B.E. (Director of Public Works).

HON. MR. E. D. C. WOLFE, C.M.G. (Captain Superintendent of Police).

HON. MR. R. A. C. NORTH (Secretary for Chinese Affairs).

HON. DR. R. H. KOTEWALL, C.M.G.

HON. MR. A. C. HYNES.

HON. MR. C. G. S. MACKIE.

HON. MR. B. D. F. BEITH.

MR. H. R. BUTTERS (Deputy Clerk of Councils).

ABSENT:―

HON SIR SHOU-SON CHOW, KT.

HON. MR. J. OWEN HUGHES.

MINUTES.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Council were confirmed.

PAPERS.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. The Officer Administering the Government, laid upon the table the following papers:―

Regulation under section 3 of the Licensing Ordinance, 1887, on May 3rd, 1928. The Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1899, declaring Pakhoi to be an infected place.

Order and Regulation under sections 37 and 53 of the Telephone Ordinance, 1925, on May 25th, 1928.

Order under sub-section (8) of section 14 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1899, on July 5th, 1928.

Resolution under section 167 of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance, 1903-1923, on June 28th, 1928.

52 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Report on Sanitary Department for 1927.

Report on the Police Department and Fire Brigade for 1927.

Report on the Public Works Department for 1927.

FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of H.E. The Officer Administering the Government, laid upon the table the report of the Finance Committee No. 7 of 28th June, 1928, and moved that it be adopted.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and this was agreed to.

COMPANIES AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1928.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend further the Companies Ordinance, 1911." He said―The object of this Ordinance is to reduce the annual China Companies fee from 4 cents to 1 cent per hundred dollars of paid up capital in the case of private companies substantially all the shares in which are held by a parent company.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a first time. WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS' PENSION AMENDMENT

ORDINANCE, 1927.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Ordinance, 1908." He said―As hon. members will see from the "Objects and Reasons" attached to the end of the Bill, the Bill has been introduced under instructions received from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The tables contained in the Schedule to the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Ordinance, 1908, are all worked out on the 6 per cent. basis, on the assumption that the contributions are earning interest at the rate of 6 per cent. By this Bill new tables have been approved, which assume a rate of 8 per cent. and these new tables are substituted for the present tables in schedule A to the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Ordinance, 1908, by section 3 and the schedule of this Ordinance. Section 2 of this Ordinance provides that all future pensions shall be calculated on the basis of the new tables and that all existing pensions shall be recalculated on that basis. This will mean a certain increase in existing pensions and in the calculation of future pensions, but the increase will not be so great as might be imagined because a temporary increase of 25 per cent. has been made during recent years. That increase of 25 per cent. will cease when this present Bill becomes law.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a first time.

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 53

DISTRESS FOR RENT ORDINANCE.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend the Distress for Rent Ordinance, 1883."

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.

Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. No amendment was made in Committee, and upon Council resuming,

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading of the Bill.

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

DENTISTRY ORDINANCE.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend the Dentistry Ordinance, 1914."

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.

Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. No amendment was made in Committee, and upon Council resuming,

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading of the Bill.

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

PATENTS ORDINANCE.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend the Registration of United Kingdom Patents Ordinance, 1925, and to make certain provisions with regard to letters patent granted under the Patents Ordinance, 1892.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time.

Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. No amendment was made in Committee, and upon Council resuming,

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the third reading of the Bill.

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

54 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the second reading of the Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to authorise the appropriation of a supplementary sum of $387,599.33 to defray the charges of the year 1927."

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded.

HON. DR. R. H. KOTEWALL―Sir,―On behalf of the unofficial members I beg to tender the Government our congratulations on the satisfactory financial position of the Colony at the end of 1927. The fact that they have been able to turn an estimated deficit of $1,300,000 into an actual surplus of nearly half a million dollars is evidence of the care and skill exercised by them in the administration of the Colony's finance. Since the various items in the Appropriation Account have received the approval of the Finance Committee and have been adopted by this Council, we have no comment to offer on the Bill.

The Bill was read a second time.

Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. No amendment was made in Committee, and upon 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.

Council adjourned sine die.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Finance Committee followed, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding.

The items totalling $69,250 contained in message No. 8 to the Finance Committee from H.E. The Officer Administering the Government were considered. All the items were approved.