1940-12-19 — Page 1

170 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

19th December, 1940.

PRESENT:―

HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (LIEUT.- GENERAL E. F. NORTON, C.B., D.S.O., M.C.).

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING THE TROOPS, (MAJOR GENERAL A. E. GRASETT, C.B., D.S.O., M.C.).

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY (HON. MR. N. L. SMITH, C.M.G.).

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (HON. MR. C. G. ALABASTER, O.B.E., K.C.). THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS (HON. MR. R. A. C. NORTH). THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY (HON. MR. H. R. BUTTERS).

HON. DR. P. S. SELWYN-CLARKE, M.C., (Director of Medical Services). HON. MR. H. J. PEARCE, M.C. (Director of Public Works, Acting).

HON. MR. C. G. PERDUE (Commissioner of Police, Acting).

HON. MR. J. J. PATERSON.

HON. MR. S. H. DODWELL.

HON. MR. LO MAN-KAM.

HON. MR. LEO D'ALMADA E CASTRO, JNR.

HON. DR. LI SHU-FAN.

HON. MR. A. L. SHIELDS.

HON. MR. W. N. T. TAM.

HON. MR. T. E. PEARCE.

MR. C. B. BURGESS (Deputy Clerk of Councils).

ABSENT:―

HON. MR. W. J. CARRIE (Chairman of the Urban Council).

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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:―

The Trading with the Enemy (Specified Persons) (Amendment) (No. 10) Order, 1940, made by the Officer Administering the Government, with the prior approval of the Secretary of State, under section 3 (2) of the Trading with the Enemy Ordinance, 1914, Ordinance No. 25 of 1914, as amended by regulation 2 of the Trading with the Enemy Ordinance, 1914, Amendment Regulations, 1939, dated 22nd November, 1940.

Amendments made by the Governor in Council under section 6 of the Places of Public Entertainment Regulation Ordinance, 1919, Ordinance No. 22 of 1919, to the regulations, dated 25th November, 1940.

Amendments made by the Governor in Council under section 2 of the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, 1922, Ordinance No. 5 of 1922, to Regulation 37, dated 25th November, 1940.

Amendment made by the Governor in Council under section 3 of the Vehicles and Traffic Regulation Ordinance, 1912, Ordinance No. 40 of 1912, to the regulations, dated 27th November, 1940.

Amendments made by the Governor in Council under section 3 of the Watchmen Ordinance, 1928, Ordinance No. 6 of 1928, to the Watchmen Regulations, dated 27th November, 1940.

Order made by the Controller of Food under the Defence Regulations, 1940, with the consent of the Officer Administering the Government, fixing the maximum prices for certain articles of food, dated 29th November, 1940.

Order made by the Controller of Trade under the Defence Regulations, 1940, with the consent of the Officer Administering the Government, prohibiting the export, except by licence, of certain goods, dated 29th November, 1940.

Order made by the Controller of Food under the Defence Regulations, 1940, with the consent of the Officer Administering the Government, fixing the maximum prices for rice, dated 5th December, 1940.

172 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Order made by the Officer Administering the Government under regulation 37 of the Defence Regulations, 1940, prohibiting anchorage within portion of Taitam Wan, dated 27th November, 1940.

The Trading with the Enemy (Specified Persons) (Amendment) (No. 11) Order, 1940, made by the Officer Administering the Government, with the prior approval of the Secretary of State, under section 3 (2) of the Trading with the Enemy Ordinance, 1914, Ordinance No. 25 of 1914, as amended by regulation 2 of the Trading with the Enemy Ordinance, 1914, Amendment Regulations, 1939, dated 27th November, 1940.

Order made by the Officer Administering the Government under section 4 of the Public Revenue Protection Ordinance, 1927, Ordinance No. 9 of 1927, dated 7th December, 1940.

Order made by the Controller of Food under the Defence Regulations, 1940, with the consent of the Officer Administering the Government, fixing the maximum prices for rice, dated 10th December, 1940.

The Trading with the Enemy (Specified Territories) (No. 3) Order, 1940, made by the Officer Administering the Government under section 2 (1) (e) of the Trading with the Enemy Ordinance, 1914, Ordinance NO. 25 of 1914, as amended by regulation 2 of the Trading with the Enemy Ordinance, 1914, Amendment Regulations, 1940, dated 5th December, 1940.

Administration Reports, 1939:―

Part I.―General Administration:―

Report to the Director of Colonial Audit on the Audit of the Accounts of Hong Kong, 1939, with copy of forwarding despatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

MOTIONS.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.―I rise to move the following resolution:―

Resolved pursuant to section 3 of the Public Officers (Changes of Style) Ordinance, 1937, that the style of the office of "Divisional Superintendent of Police" be changed to that of "Senior Superintendent

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of Police" for all purposes and that the following addition be made to the Schedule to the said Ordinance:―

Old style of officer,

office or department.

Divisional Superintendent of Police.

New style of officer, office or department.

Senior Superintendent of Police.

This is necessary as they are changing the title of the Divisional Superintendent of Police to Senior Superintendent of Police for administrative reasons.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and this was agreed to.

HOLIDAYS AMENDMENT BILL, 1940.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Holidays Ordinance, 1912." He said: The objects and reasons for this Bill are fully set out in the memorandum attached to the Bill.

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

The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows:―

1. Hitherto Empire Day has been a statutory holiday to be observed by educational establishments, public offices and Government departments. It is not however a bank holiday and, as business houses usually follow the lead of banks, it is in effect a holiday for public servants and not for the public generally.

2. The object of the amendments proposed in clauses 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of this Bill is to preserve Empire Day as a holiday for Government schools, military schools and registered schools; but to restore it, unless it falls on a Sunday, as a working day for other educational establishments, public offices and Government departments.

3. The amendment proposed in clause 3 of the Bill is the abolition of the General holiday on the first Monday in September and the substitution therefor of a General holiday on the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival day, or if that day should be a Sunday then the following day.

174 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

4. This arrangement will suit the local Banks and business houses as the Festival is observed by Banks and business houses in Shanghai whilst the first Monday in September is not. It is a lunar festival, which during the next ten years will fall on various dates between the 10th September and the 6th October.

ADJOURNMENT.

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

FINANCE COMMITTEE.

Following the Council, a meeting of the Finance Committee was held, the Colonial Secretary presiding.

Votes totalling $3,258,557 contained in Message No. 11 from H.E. the Officer Administering the Government, were considered.

Item 222.―11, Harbour Department and Air Services. A.―Harbour Department:― Special Expenditure: "Beckwith Fog Bell," $5,100.

HON. MR. SHIELDS.―Is it necessary to have watchmen?

THE CHAIRMAN.―I have raised that question but they think it is.

HON. MR. SHIELDS.―There are all sorts of important works round the city which are protected by barbed wire and gadgets of that kind.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY.―We are having watchmen because the last Bell was stolen.

HON. MR. PATERSON.―How many bells for the cost of one watchman?

THE CHAIRMAN.―I should have thought it would be possible to prevent this purloining by some sort of unscaleable sub-structure.

HON. MR. SHIELDS.―If we have men out there it may mean hard-lying allowances, food, and other comforts.

THE CHAIRMAN.―The report of the Harbour Master says that they know of no practical method of preventing thefts without interfering with diffusion of the sound, if the Bell is left unwatched, and that metal of this kind is at a premium. That is about all there is on the subject. I will take the question up.

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HON. MR. SHIELDS.―I would like to have an independent opinion on that.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY.―The question of substituting an oscillator in the future and putting the Bell in some other position has been suggested. There has been correspondence with the Chamber of Commerce on this subject.

HON. MR. SHIELDS. ―Is it only a temporary arrangement until permanent arrangements are made?

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY.―It is a substitution for the previous arrangement. It is a temporary arrangement and when the war is over it is recommended that we should replace the Bell by an oscillator and use the Bell in a different place.

HON. MR. PATERSON.―If we don't have someone there for the time being we may lose a lot of bells.

HON. MR. LO.―I quite agree. I don't see what we can do by way of sub-water structure or barbed wiring which will prevent a thief from getting it if given say three or four months to make his preparations.

THE CHAIRMAN.―I will take up the question once more. It is a considerable expense.

HON. MR. SHIELDS.―It is expensive. It is not the cost of the Bell but the running expenditure.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY.―I think there is some small corresponding saving in having watchmen there but what it is I cannot say.

THE CHAIRMAN.―I will take the matter up again.

Item 224.―16, Medical Department:―36, Disinfecting and Fumigating Bureau, Running Expenses, $5,300.

HON. MR. SHIELDS.―Is this Bureau showing a profit?

THE CHAIRMAN.―I cannot tell you off-hand. There is nothing here on the subject. I will let you have information on the subject.

All the votes were approved.