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OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
Meeting of 15th April, 1953.
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PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR
SIR ALEXANDER WILLIAM GEORGE HERDER GRANTHAM,
G.C.M.G.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR TERENCE AIREY, K.C.M.G., C.B., C.B.E. THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR. ROBERT BROWN BLACK, C.M.G., O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR. ARTHUR RIDEHALGH, Q.C.
THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS MR. RONALD RUSKIN TODD.
THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MR. ARTHUR GRENFELL CLARKE.
THE HONOURABLE DOUGLAS JAMES SMYTH CROZIER
(Director of Education).
DR. THE HONOURABLE YEO KOK CHEANG
{Director of Medical and Health Services).
THE HONOURABLE KENNETH MYER ARTHUR BARNETT, E.D. (Chairman, Urban Council).
THE HONOURABLE ALEXANDER PROVAN WEIR
(Acting Director of Public Works).
THE HONOURABLE CHAU TSUN-NIN, C.B.E.
DR. THE HONOURABLE CHAU SIK-NIN, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE LEO D’ALMADA E CASTRO, C.B.E., Q.C.
THE HONOURABLE CHARLES EDWARD MICHAEL TERRY.
THE HONOURABLE LO MAN WAI, O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE NGAN SHING-KWAN
THE HONOURABLE DHUN JEHANGIR RUTTONJEE.
MR. R. W. PRIMROSE (Deputy Clerk of Councils).
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MINUTES.
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 26th March, 1953, were confirmed. PAPERS.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers:—
Subject G.N. No.
Telegram of 1st April, 1953 from Secretary of State.
Report of the Hong Kong War Memorial Fund Committee, 1952.
Report of the Director General of Colonial Audit on the Accounts of Hong Kong for the year ended the 31st of March, 1952.
Sessional Papers, 1953:—
No. 13—Annual Report by the Chairman, Urban Council for the year 1951-52. No. 14—Report of the Rent Control Committee, 1952.
The Emergency (Requisition) Regulations, 1949.
Emergency (Requisition) (Use of Land by Her
Majesty’s Military Forces) Order, 1953 ............................................... A. 60. The Public Order Ordinance, Chapter 245.
Military Installations Closed Areas (Amendment)
Order, 1953 ....................................................................................... A. 61. The Public Order Ordinance, Chapter 245.
Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Closed Area (Amendment)
Order, 1953 ......................................................................................... A. 62. The Urban Council Ordinance, Chapter 101.
Urban Council Election (Amendment) Rules, 1953 .................................. A. 63. The Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 1899.
Merchant Shipping (Embarkation, Disembarkation, Loading and
Off-loading) (Amendment) Regulations, 1953 ................................... A. 67.
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The Post Office Ordinance, Chapter 98.
Determination by Postmaster General under section 4 .................................... A. 68. The Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, Chapter 134.
Dangerous Drugs (Amendment of Schedule) Order, 1953 .............................. A. 70. The Defence Regulation 50 of the Defence Regulations, 1940.
Amendments to Schedule to Price Control Order, 1946 ................................... A. 72.
He said: Sir, I should like to draw the attention of Honourable Members particularly to the Report of the Rent Control Committee and, in connexion with it, to say that Government accepts its main recommendations on the decontrol of business premises and on the increase in the permitted rent of both business and domestic premises. Government accepts in principle the remaining recommendations of the Report subject to their administrative practicability, and a Bill to give effect to these recommendations will be introduced into this Council at an early date.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY addressed the Council. He said: I crave the indulgence of Council under Standing Order 20 to make an explanation about a statement in my speech during the budget debate in Council at its last meeting on the 26th March, On that occasion, in reply to my Honourable Friend, Mr. M. W. Lo, I said that the Police experiment with a ladies’ car park was an example of a possible solution of a traffic problem which was referred to the Traffic Advisory Committee. On the report made to me on this question I understood that the particular problem, following the recent Police experiment, had already been referred to the Traffic Advisory Committee, but I have since discovered that the position at the time of the debate was that the problem was being referred to the Traffic Advisory Committee at a meeting which had been convened for the week following. My statement, therefore, in Council, while it was made in good faith, was nonetheless misleading and for the purpose of the record I should like to have it corrected and at the same time to express my apologies to my Honourable Friend Mr. M. W. Lo and to Council for the fact that what I said was not in accordance with the facts.
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SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 31ST DECEMBER, 1952.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution:—
“Resolved that the Supplementary Provisions for the quarter ended 31st December, 1952, as set out in Schedule No. 3 of 1952/53, be approved.”
He said: Sir, all the Supplementary provisions set forth in the Schedule have already been approved by Finance Committee. But for a few exceptions, the items are all comparatively small and are, I trust, adequately explained in the remarks column.”
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
ABANDONMENT OF CLAIMS AND WRITE-OFFS FOR THE
QUARTER ENDED 31ST DECEMBER, 1952.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution:—
“Resolved that the Abandonment of Claims and Write-offs for the quarter ended 31st December, 1952, as set out in Schedule No. 3 of 1952/53, be approved.”
He said: Sir, the Third Schedule of Write-offs and Abandonments of claims is, as usual, in four parts. Parts A and C have been authorized by Finance Committee and Parts B and D have been authorized by the Financial Secretary in exercise of his delegated authority. Honourable Members may wonder why so many small items are included when on the 22nd October last they approved delegation of their authority for all amounts under $5,000. The answer is that all these items originated before that date. It is hoped that future schedules will be shorter and more infrequent.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
LAND REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1953.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the First reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the Land Registration Ordinance, Chapter 128”. He said: Sir, the purpose of this Bill is, I think, sufficiently explained in the Objects and Reasons and there is nothing that I desire to add thereto.
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THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a First time.
Objects and Reasons.
The “Objects and Reasons” for the Bill were stated as follows:—
The establishment of a District Court with jurisdiction replacing the summary jurisdiction of the Supreme Court makes it necessary that judgments, orders and lites pendentes of the new court should be made registrable in the Land Registry in the same manner as are judgments, orders and lites pendentes of the Supreme Court.
ADJOURNMENT.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR:—Council will adjourn to this day fortnight.
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