1932-06-30 — Page 1

88 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

30th June, 1932.

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PRESENT:―

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

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS (MAJOR-GENERAL J. W. SANDILANDS, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.).

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY (HON. MR. E. R. HALLIFAX, C.M.G., C.B.E.).

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (HON. MR. C. G. ALABASTER, K.C., O.B.E.).

THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS (HON. MR. A. E. WOOD).

THE COLONIAL TREASURER (HON. MR. E. TAYLOR).

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

HON. COMMANDER G. F. HOLE, R.N., (Retired) (Harbour Master).

HON. DR. A. R. WELLINGTON (Director of Medical and Sanitary Services). HON. MR. T. H. KING, (Inspector General of Police).

HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK, KT., K.C.

HON. MR. W. E. L. SHENTON.

HON. MR. R. H. KOTEWALL, C.M.G., LL.D.

HON. MR. J. P. BRAGA.

HON. MR. S. W. TS'O, O.B.E., LL.D.

HON. MR. J. J. PATERSON.

HON. MR. T. N. CHAU.

HON. MR. W. H. BELL.

MR. R. A. C. NORTH (Deputy Clerk of Councils).

MINUTES.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Council were confirmed with on slight amendment.

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PAPERS.

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

Report of the Head of the Sanitary Department for the year 1931.

Order made by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government under Ordinance No. 1 of 1903 (Public Health and Buildings) on 24th June, 1932.

Notification under Regulation 9 made under the provisions of the Wireless Telegraphy Ordinance, 1926.

Order made by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government under Ordinance No. 36 of 1931 (Liquors).

Notification under Section 3 of the Vehicles and Traffic Regulation Ordinance, 1912. Report of the assessment for the year 1932-1933.

Supplementary estimates of expenditure for the year 1932.

QUESTIONS.

HON. MR. SHENTON.―I rise, Sir, to ask the questions standing in my name.

1.―Will Government when calling for tenders in connexion with the construction of the Shing Mun Dam stipulate, as far as possible, for British Empire materials?

2.―Will Government, when accepting tenders in connexion with the construction of the Shing Mun Dam give preferential consideration to British Empire materials?

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY replied.―

1.―Subject to the concurrence of the Consulting Engineers the answer is in the affirmative.

2.―Subject as above to the concurrence of the Consulting Engineers other factors being approximately equal, preference will be given to British materials, but in the interests of the taxpayer no more far-reaching assurance can be given.

90 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MOTIONS.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER.―Honourable members will recollect that on the 22nd October last, H.E. the Governor, in concluding the debate on the Estimates which were framed on the basis of a shilling dollar, stated, "should the dollar rise, the position will be more favourable and I hope in that event to explore after a few months the possibility of reinforcing certain maintenance votes and providing for additional extraordinary works." The dollar has risen; the Treasury rates from January to June this year being from 1s/55/16d to 1s/3d. The object of this resolution, therefore, is to give effect to His Excellency's promise by placing further funds at the disposal of the Public Works Department for the current year. The proposals were laid unofficially before the Finance Committee of this Council in April last, approved by them and have now been sanctioned by the Secretary of State.

I therefore move:

"That this Council approves the recommendations made by the Director of Public Works and laid before Council and resolves that a sum of $746,950, distributed as follows:―

Head 35 P.W.D. ................................................................... $ 10,500

Head 36 P.W.R. ................................................................... 389,500

Head 37 P.W.E. ................................................................... 346,950

be charged upon the Revenue and other funds of the Colony in addition to the sums already provided in the Estimates for 1932 for the purpose of carrying out these recommendations."

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the resolution was agreed to. LIQUORS ORDINANCE, 1931.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER.―The only material change in the duties occurs in "Part IV Other Liquors" where the assessment is made in a more scientific manner―5 cents per gallon being charged for each one per cent. of alcohol with a minimum charge of $1.20 per gallon for Liquor containing 24% and less of alcohol. The rate of duty on 100% alcohol has therefore been halved from $10.00 to $5.00 per gallon as it was found that the old rate bore too heavily on cheap perfumes of the Florida Water type, which appears to have been a flourishing business prior to the new duties which came into force in September last.

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Part II Chinese Type Liquor and Part III Japanese Type Liquor have been amended by altering the minimum percentage of alcohol from 25% to 24% to bring them into line with Part IV.

I therefore move:

"Resolved pursuant to section 39 of the Liquors Ordinance, 1931, Ordinance No. 36 of 1931, as amended by the Liquors Amendment Ordinance, 1932, that the Liquor Duties Resolutions of the 26th February, 1931, and the 17th March, 1932 (published respectively by Notifications Nos. 122 and 168 of the Gazettes of the 27th February, 1931 and the 18th March 1932) be rescinded and that on and after the coming into operation of this Resolution the Liquor Duties to be paid upon intoxicating or spirituous liquors, as the case may be, heretofore or hereafter imported into, distilled, made or prepared in the Colony shall be assessed as in the following Table provided that, in the case of dutiable liquors heretofore or hereafter imported into the Colony the dollars and decimals thereof stated in the Table shall be conventional dollars reckoned as the equivalent of one shilling and eight pence sterling; and that consequently to arrive at the actual amount payable in Hong Kong currency the conventional dollar stated in the Table shall be multiplied by 20 and divided by a figure settled by the Colonial Treasurer from time to time representing the average opening selling rates for the previous month of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation for demand drafts on London and until so settled the figure shall be 16.10."

TABLE.

Part I.

European Type Liquor.

Per gallon.

On all liquors, and on all champagnes and other sparkling wines ................................. $10.00 On all brandy, gin, rum, whisky and other spirituous liquors ......................................... 6.00 On all port, sherry and madeira ........................................................................................ 4.00 On all other still wines ....................................................................................................... 3.00 On beer, porter, cider, perry and stout .............................................................................. 0.60

On all intoxicating liquors above the strength of 18 degrees under proof, for every degree above such strength, in addition to the appropriate duty as above ........... 0.07

92 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Part II.

Chinese Type Liquor.

On all Chinese type spirits containing not more than 24 per cent. of alcohol by weight ....................................................................................................................... 1.20

For every one per cent. of additional alcoholic strength by weight ............................... 0.05 Part III.

Japanese Type Liquor.

On all sake containing not more than 24 per cent. of alcohol by weight ...................... 1.20 For every one per cent. of additional alcoholic strength by weight ............................... 0.05 Part IV.

Other Liquors.

On all spirituous liquors other than intoxicating liquors, but including spirits of wine or arrack, containing not more than 24 per cent. of alcohol by weight ................ 1.20

For every one per cent. of additional alcoholic strength by weight ............................... 0.05

Provided that it shall be lawful for the Superintendent of Imports and Exports, in his discretion, to assess the duty on any intoxicating liquor not specifically mentioned in Parts I, II, and III above at such rate as is provided in such parts for the liquor which the Superintendent shall deem to approximate most nearly to such intoxicating liquor; and provided also that it shall be lawful for the said Superintendent, in his discretion, to assess the duty on any spirituous liquors imported in a consignment of less than two gallons at one time at $5.00 per gallon.

MERCHANT SHIPPING AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1932.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1899."

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time. Council went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.

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Clause 22:

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved that the word "for" be substituted for "of" in the marginal note.

Upon Council resuming,

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Bill had passed through the Committee with an immaterial amendment and moved the third reading.

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

CROWN SOLICITORS AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1932.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend further the Crown Solicitors Ordinance, 1912."

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a second time. Council went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.

Upon Council resuming,

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Bill had passed through Committee without amendment, and moved the third reading.

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

FAREWELL TO HON. MR. CREASY.

H.E. THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT.―

Honourable Members of the Legislative Council:

Before we meet again we shall have lost the service of one of our most distinguished members, and I feel I must take this opportunity to say farewell to the Hon. Mr. H. T. Creasy, C.B.E., the Director of Public Works.

After a distinguished career of over twenty-six years in Ceylon, during a large part of which I had the pleasure of being associated with Mr. Creasy in his work, Mr. Creasy arrived in Hong Kong in June, 1923, and for over nine years, with only one break for home leave, he has administered the largest of our departments with unswerving loyalty to the Government, with satisfaction to the public, and with distinction to himself.

94 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

He had early experience of the difficulties in store for him here, for he arrived only a day or two after the great typhoon of 1923 to find five vessels sunk in the harbour, several vessels ashore and immense damage to property on land. I was not in Hong Kong at the time, but I have no doubt he tackled the difficult situation which faced him with that calm and imperturbable efficiency which has been one of his greatest assets in the difficult times through which Hong Kong has passed in the last few years.

Mr. Creasy arrived at a moment of expansion when the Treasury was overflowing and new schemes were being projected in every direction. He passed through alternate periods of contraction due to the strike and boycott, and the fall of the dollar, and of expansion as the Colony recovered after each depression, factors which have added very considerably to the difficulties of his position.

But throughout his whole time, in spite of the periodic depressions, rapid development, both public and private, has been going on in the Colony, and Mr. Creasy leaves a very different Victoria and a still more different Kowloon from those which greeted him in August 1923.

It would weary this Council were I to attempt to refer in any detail to the many large public works which have been carried out under Mr. Creasy's supervision; they may be found summarized in the statistical abstract, a new edition of which, carried down to 1930, has recently been published, and they make very interesting and instructive reading. But it comes as a shock to a newcomer who sees the stream of cars on Stubbs Road to realize that there was no motor road to the Peak when Mr. Creasy arrived, and no direct motor road via Wong Nei Chong to Repulse Bay. These roads have become a part of our daily life, and we can hardly picture the Colony without them. Wherever one turns there is evidence of material progress to which Mr. Creasy and his department have contributed. Kowloon has grown from a small town into a large city and is still growing. Wireless communication has developed almost beyond belief, new buildings, new roads, new piers and new reclamations are visible on every side, while on the less spectacular side of his work much progress has been made in the enforcement of better building construction, especially in the matter of tenement houses.

It is perhaps in the matter of the water supply that Mr. Creasy will find the greatest satisfaction when he looks back over his career in Hong Kong. The Shing Mun first section, including the Cross-harbour Pipe, the Aberdeen Reservoir and the Kowloon Byewash Reservoir have all been completed by him, and above all he has the great pleasure of knowing that the second section of the Shing Mun scheme, for which he has worked so hard, has been approved and is now being commenced. He must also find

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much satisfaction in the completion of the long-drawn out Praya East reclamation, in the commencement of the long-delayed new Gaol, and in the rapid progress of the Vehicular Ferry Scheme which he just fails to see completed.

I have mentioned but a very few of the works undertaken during Mr. Creasy's regime. Many more will occur to you. It is a record of which any Engineer may justly be proud, and I congratulate Mr. Creasy on his achievements. Moreover, with high technical efficiency, Mr. Creasy has combined an attractive personality which has made service with him a pleasure to us all. I take this opportunity of recording my deep personal obligation to him for his loyal service and unfailing help during our six years' service together in Hong Kong.

Gentlemen, my remarks would be incomplete if I did not refer also to the regret with which we shall say goodbye to Mrs. Creasy. By her enthusiastic work in every good cause, by her unfailing generosity and hospitality she has endeared herself to the whole community, and her departure will leave a gap which it will be difficult to fill.

We shall miss Mr. and Mrs. Creasy very much indeed both officially and socially, and I now in the name of this Council wish them long life, good health and happiness in the freedom of a retirement which has never been better earned. (Applause).

HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK.―

Sir,―While the unofficial members of this Council associate themselves with your remarks they desire to add their tribute to the departing Director of Public Works.

Perhaps the most outstanding characteristics of the Hon. Mr. Creasy, apart from the ability with which he has tackled his heavy and responsible work, are his good-natured and cheerful readiness and willingness, at all times, both in and outside of this Council, to explain the details of any pending public works, and his general accessibility to the granting of interviews.

The Hon. Mr. Creasy has not been D.P.W. here for so long as some of his predecessors, but it may confidently be stated that, during his term of office, his Department has had to deal with matters of greater magnitude and complexity than during any previous consecutive period of 9 years in the history of the Colony.

In the Kowloon Peninsula alone the expansion has been phenomenal.

96 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Nor have the Hon. Mr. Creasy's labours been confined to those public works which we have seen actually completed during his time, for he must have put in much hard work in connexion with various large schemes which we hope to see completed during the next few years, such, for instance, (to name only a few of them) as the new Government Gaol, the new Government Civil Hospital, the further extensions to the Kowloon Hospital, a new Government House, and a new City Hall, and, above all, and of outstanding importance, the new big dam at Shing Mun.

In conclusion I would express, on behalf of myself and my colleagues, our best wishes for the health, happiness and prosperity of the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Creasy in their retirement.

They will both of them be much missed by a large circle of friends. (Applause). HON. MR. CREASY.―

Your Excellency, Sir Henry Pollock and Honourable members of the Legislative Council.

It is indeed a great reward and satisfaction on the termination of a long career in the Government service to receive from you, Sir, and the Senior Unofficial Member of this Council such appreciation of the efforts made by the Department which I have the honour to direct to keep pace with the rapid development that has taken place since my arrival in the Colony.

Though the water situation has lagged behind, it is well to know that such works as have already been completed will all prove to be steps in the natural sequence of the waterworks extensions of the Colony, so that the 2nd Section of the Shing Mun Scheme, now sanctioned by the Secretary of State, will permit of a fuller use being made of existing works and thus will hasten to make up the leeway that has occurred.

Your Excellency has mentioned the improvement effected in the construction of the new tenement buildings of the Colony which are in some measure due to the desire of the people themselves for better living conditions. The introduction of the new Buildings Ordinance, recently submitted in draft form, will help in the maintenance of these improvements and will make it more difficult for slum property to continue to exist.

It is difficult to realise what the future has in store for Hong Kong, but there is little doubt that its expansion will continue and under the wise guidance of this Council its future prosperity should be assured.

The kind allusions made to my wife in regard to her endeavours to assist in social welfare work will be very gratifying to her and on our departure from Hong Kong your good wishes and appreciations are a great encouragement and satisfaction.

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Any successes that may be attributed to my efforts have only been made possible by the ever ready help and assistance at all times freely given by the hon. members representing the Chinese community in addition to that always received from you, sir, and my other colleagues.

It has been a great pleasure and honour to have been associated with this Council during my period of service in Hong Kong. (Applause).

ADJOURNMENT.

H.E. THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT.― Council stands adjourned sine die.

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