HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 297 OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting of 22nd September, 1954
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PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING
THE GOVERNMENT (PRESIDENT)
MR. ROBERT BROWN BLACK, C.M.G., O.B.E.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL CECIL STANWAY SUGDEN, C.B., C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR. CLAUDE BRAMALL BURGESS, O.B.E., Acting.
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, C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE THEODORE LOUIS BOWRING, O.B.E.
(Director of Public Works).
DR. THE HONOURABLE YEO KOK CHEANG
(Director of Medical and Health Services).
THE HONOURABLE LEONARD GEOFFREY MORGAN
(Acting Director of Education).
DR. THE HONOURABLE CHAU SIK NIN, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE LAWRENCE KADOORIE.
THE HONOURABLE LO MAN WAI, O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE NGAN SHING-KWAN.
THE HONOURABLE DHUN JEHANGIR RUTTONJEE.
THE HONOURABLE KWOK CHAN, O.B.E.
DR. THE HONOURABLE ALBERTO MARIA RODRIGUES, M.B.E., E.D. THE HONOURABLE JOHN ARTHUR BLACKWOOD.
MR. ROBERT WILLIAM PRIMROSE (Deputy Clerk of Councils).
ABSENT:
THE HONOURABLE HAROLD GILES RICHARDS, O.B.E.
(Director of Urban Services).
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 298 MINUTES.
The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 8th September, 1954 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, laid on the table the following papers: —
Subject. G.N.
No.
Sessional Paper, 1954: —
No. 19—Annual Report by the District Commissioner, New
Territories for the year1953/54.
Defence (Finance) Regulations, 1940.
Possession of Gold (Goldsmiths) (Amendment)
(No. 5) Order, 1954……………………………………………………A. 108
The Emergency Squatter Clearence) Regulations, 1953.
Appointment of Competent Authority…………………………………… A. 109
Landlord and Tenant Ordinance, Chapter 255.
Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (Application in New
Territories) Order, 1954………………………………………………A. 110
Vehicle and Road Traffic Ordinance, Chapter 220.
Vehicle and Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles) (Direction
Indicator) Regulations, 1954…………………………………………A. 111
SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS FOR THE QUARTER
ENDED 31ST MARCH, 1954.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution: —
“Resolved that the Supplementary Provisions for the quarter ended 31st March, 1954, as set out in Schedule No. 5 of 1953/54, be approved.”
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He said: Sir, this schedule is the final one for the financial year 1953/54, the accounts for which have now been published. Practically all the large items in this schedule have already been mentioned and explained in the course of the budget debate, notably the contributions to the Development Fund, the Revenue Equalization Fund and the University, and also the additional contribution to the cost of re inforcing the garrison. A number of small items are inevitable at the end of any financial year, when departments exceed their votes by a few dollars, as is evident from a perusal of the list.
There are perhaps two other items that are worthy of notice. One is the additional sum of $2,800,000 for conveyance of malls. Not only has there been a heavy increase in the volume of mail traffic but charges for the conveyance of mail, both by sea and air, have been increased. The increase in air parcel traffic is, I am informed, of the order of 250 per cent. This heavy bill is of course offset by receipts from postal charges.
The other item to which I might draw attention is a further $550,000 for loans to schools. It is perhaps indicative of the manner in which Government is helping to provide further educational facilities that the total amount granted by way of interest free loans to educational bodies during the year comes to almost $2 millions.
All the items in the schedule have already been approved by Finance Committee, and I beg to move that this Council do now formally approve,
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS FOR THE QUARTER
ENDED 30TH JUNE, 1954.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution: —
“Resolved that the Supplementary Provisions for the quarter ended 30th June, 1954, as set out in Schedule No. 1 of 1954/55, be approved.”
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 300
He said: Sir, all the items in the schedule have already been approved by Finance Committee and the covering approval of this Council is now required.
Of the total of $8,900,000 in the Schedule, the new Resettlement Department accounts for $5,300,000. Honourable Members will recollect that subsequent to approval of the estimates, the decision was taken to set Lip this separate department, which would take over responsibility for resettlement of squatters from the Urban Council and from other departments. The estimate for the year is $5,300,000, but against this figure savings of $4,700,000 under the Public Works Department, Social Welfare Office and the Urban Services are shown.
Of other items, mostly of a minor nature, possibly the provision of almost $300,000 for Fire Service equipment at the Airport is of interest. A complete review of the fire fighting facilities there was carried out some months ago, and additional staff and equipment have been provided to deal with any emergency that may arise.
One other item of interest is the provision of $300,000 for purchase of the property known as Buxey Lodge in Conduit Road. The building on this site is used as a hostel for unattached Government officers and has been held under requisition since it was vacated by the Navy. In view of the still acute accommodation problem, the opportunity was taken to purchase this property, which at some future date may be further developed.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
MARKETS (AMENDMENT) (No. 4) BY-LAWS, 1954.
MR. T. L. BOWRING, in the absence of MR. H. G. RICHARDS, moved the following resolution: —
“Resolved that the Markets (Amendment) (No. 4) By-laws, 1954, made by the Urban Council on the 31st day of August, 1954, under section 5 of the Public Health (Food) Ordinance, Chapter 140, be approved”.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 301 GAMBLING (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1954.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the First reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the Gambling Ordinance, Chapter 148”.
He said: Sir, lotteries organized in connexion with entertainments such as bazaars and sales of work are lawful if they are permitted by the Commissioner of Police and if certain conditions are fulfilled. As the law stands, one condition is that tickets shall only be sold on the premises on which the entertainment takes place and during the progress of the entertainment. Many people evident1v think that this condition is more honoured in the breach than the observance: it is known for example that in one recent lottery, of 3,600 tickets sold only 320 were sold at the entertainment; and if this condition were strictly enforced, it is thought that charities would lose a good deal of money. It seems desirable therefore to do away with this condition, and to leave it to the Commissioner of Police to determine the terms and conditions on which tickets may be sold. That is the purpose of the amendments proposed to be made by this Bill.
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: —
At present the Commissioner of Police permits a number of charitable organizations to promote lotteries as an incident to an entertainment in accordance with section 10 of the Gambling Ordinance. It has been found that the restriction of the sale of tickets in the time and place imposed by paragraph (c) of subsection (2) deprives such charities of a useful source of revenue. The amendment is intended to remove these restrictions but at the same time to enable the Commissioner of Police to impose such further conditions as he may think fit to ensure that lotteries permitted are not open to abuse either by the promoters or by those responsible for the sale of tickets.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 302 PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) (No. 2) BILL, 1954.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the Pensions Ordinance, Chapter 89.”
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Second time.
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Clauses 1 and 2 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Pensions (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 1954 had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the Third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed into law.
INLAND REVENUE (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1954.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the Inland Revenue Ordinance, Chapter 112”.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Second time.
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 303 Clauses 1 to 3 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY reported that the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 1954 had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the Third reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed into law.
SERVICES WELFARE ASSOCIATION INCORPORATION BILL, 1954.
MR. LAWRENCE KADOORIE moved the First reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to incorporate a body of trustees capable of holding property for the purpose of the welfare of Her Majesty’s forces in the Colony”.
He said: Sir, there is nothing I can usefully add to the Objects and Reasons standing at the foot of the Bill.
MR. J. A. BLACKWOOD 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: —
1. The necessity for the incorporation of trustees capable of holding property for the purposes of the welfare of Her Majesty’s forces arises from the fact that Government has appropriated a piece of land at Shek Kong in the New Territories on which a swimming pool has been built for the use of the personnel of such forces and their families,
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2. A deed of appropriation of this land has been prepared and it is necessary that a body with perpetual succession should be named in the deed as grantees. Such a body would also be able to hold any other land which may in future be appropriated for similar purposes.
3. The Bill is of similar character to the China Fleet Club Incorporation Ordinance, (Chapter 273).
ADJOURNMENT.
H. E. THE OFFICER, ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT: ―That concludes the business for today, gentlemen. Council will adjourn to this day fortnight.
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