1950-05-31 — Page 1

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 187

31st May, 1950.

PRESENT: —

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR ALEXANDER WILLIAM GEORGE HERDER GRANTHAM, K.C.M.G.).

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY (HON. R. R. TODD, Acting).

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (HON. J. B. GRIFFIN, K.C.).

THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS (HON. J. C. MCDOUALL, Acting). THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY (HON. C. G. S. FOLLOWS, C.M.G.).

DR. HON. I. NEWTON (Director of Medical and Health Services). HON. A. P. WEIR (Acting Director of Public Works).

HON. CHAU TSUN NIN, C.B.E.

DR. HON. CHAU SIK NIN.

HON. M. M. WATSON.

HON. P. S. CASSIDY.

MR. G. C. HAMILTON (Clerk of Councils).

ABSENT: —

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING IN CHIEF (MAJOR-GENERAL G. G. EVANS, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., Acting).

DR. HON. J. P. FEHILY, O.B.E. (Chairman, Urban Council).

HON. SIR MAN KAM LO, KT., C.B.E.

HON. LEO D'ALMADA E CASTRO, K.C.

HON. C. E. M. TERRY.

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 188

MINUTES.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 24th May, 1950 were confirmed.

PAPERS.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers: —

Proclamation No. 1—Amendment to Article XIII of the Letters Patent of 1917. (G.N. No. A. 111 of 1950).

The Public Health (Sanitary Provisions) Regulations, 1948, —Declaration under Regulation 2(10)(a). (G.N. No. A. 117 of 1950).

Removal of quarantine restrictions imposed against Tokyo on account of typhus. (G.N. No. A. 118 of 1950).

Removal of quarantine restrictions imposed against Yokohama on account of typhus. (G.N. No. A. 119 of 1950).

The Price Control Order, 1946, —Amendments to the Schedule. (G.N. No. A. 121 of 1950).

Annual Report on the Vegetable Wholesale Marketing Organization for the year 1948-49.

MOTIONS.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the following Resolution: —

WHEREAS by section 4 of the Hotels Ordinance, 1949, it is provided that the Quartering Authority may make regulations;

AND WHEREAS by section 4(3)(a) of the said Ordinance all regulations made by the Quartering Authority shall be submitted to the Governor and shall not come into force until they have been approved by Resolution of Legislative Council;

AND WHEREAS regulations entitled the Hotel (Amendment) Regulations, 1950, published as Notification A. 120 in Supplement No. 2 to the Gazette dated the 26th May, 1950, have been made by the Quartering Authority and submitted to the Governor amending the Hotel Regulations, 1949, the said regulations being set out in the Schedule to the Ordinance aforesaid;

NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby resolved that the Hotel (Amendment) Regulations, 1950, be and are hereby approved by this Council.

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 189

He said: Sir, Honourable Members will recall that the Hotels Ordinance, 1949, when enacted, included in a Schedule to the Ordinance regulations which were made to apply to some twenty-four hotels which were listed in a Schedule to those Regulations.

Regulation 12 of the Regulations requires that a Hong Kong resident, as defined, shall be entitled to be provided, according to a residents' menu, with breakfast, lunch and dinner for a total weekly charge not exceeding $38.50. The Regulations came into force in February, 1949.

Sir, towards the end of last year representations were received by the Quartering Authority who, under the legislation, is entrusted with the administration of the Hotels Ordinance and Regulations. The representations were to the effect that having regard to the increase in the price of food and the rise in the Rehabilitation Allowance payable to staff, it was not possible to provide a menu for Hong Kong residents at the price of $38.50 a week, such menu to be of a type acceptable to guests and of a type which the Hotels themselves would wish to offer. The consequence has been, in the case of the Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels group—the main hotels affected—that to provide a residents' menu for $38.50 entails doing so at a loss.

Sir, the representations to which I have referred were given very careful consideration and the full co-operation of the hotels was forthcoming in the necessary examination of facts and figures. As a result, Government is satisfied that a case has been made out for the increase of the weekly charge for a residents' menu from $38.50 a week to $45.50 a week.

Sir, accordingly Regulations amending the Hotel Regulations, 1949, have been made by the Quartering Authority and these Regulations were published in the last Gazette of Friday, 26th May. However, under section 4(3) of the Ordinance, Regulations made by the Quartering Authority require not only submission to Your Excellency, but also requires that the Regulations shall not come into force until they have been approved by resolution of this Council. The purpose therefore of the resolution which I am moving is to seek the approval of this Council to the amending Regulations which, as I have said, have been published in the Gazette of last Friday, so that those Regulations may come into force with effect from the 1st June and as in force operate so as to alter the weekly charge for a residents' menu from $38.50 to $45.50.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Motion was carried.

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 190

VOLUNTEER AND NAVAL VOLUNTEER

PENSIONS BILL, 1950.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to validate payments of pensions, gratuities, and other grants in respect of the death, disablement or sickness of officers and volunteers of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps and members of the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force who were called out on actual military service or actual service during the 1939 World War."

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

Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Council then resumed.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Volunteer and Naval Volunteer Pensions Bill, 1950, 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 into law.

ARMS AND AMMUNITION (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1950.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Arms and Ammunition Ordinance, 1933."

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

Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Council then resumed.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Arms and Ammunition (Amendment) Bill, 1950, 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 into law.

KOWLOON TONG CHURCH OF THE CHINESE

CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE

INCORPORATION BILL, 1950.

HON. M. M. WATSON moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to provide for the incorporation of the Kowloon Tong Church of the Chinese Christian and Missionary Alliance."

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 191

HON. CHAU TSUN-NIN seconded, and the Bill was read a Second time. Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.

H.E. THE GOVERNOR: —I suggest, Gentlemen, that we take these clauses in blocks of fives.

Council then resumed.

HON. M. M. WATSON reported that the Kowloon Tong Church of the Chinese Christian and Missionary Alliance Incorporation Bill, 1950, had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the Third reading.

HON. CHAU TSUN-NIN seconded, and the Bill was read a Third time and passed into law.

ADJOURNMENT.

H.E. THE GOVERNOR: —That concludes the business, Gentlemen. When is it your pleasure that we should meet again?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL: —I propose that we adjourn to this day fortnight.

H.E. THE GOVERNOR: —Council will adjourn to this day fortnight.