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OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting of 8th June, 1955.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (PRESIDENT)
SIR ALEXANDER WILLIAM GEORGE HERDER GRANTHAM, G.C.M.G. HIS EXCELLENCY THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL CECIL STANWAY SUGDEN, C.B., C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR. EDGEWORTH BERESFORD DAVID, C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR. ARTHUR RIDEHALGH, Q.C.
THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS
MR. BRIAN CHARLES KEITH HAWKINS, C.M.G., O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MR. ARTHUR GRENFELL CLARKE, C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE THEODORE LOUIS BOWRING, C.M.G., O.B.E.
(Director of Public Works).
THE HONOURABLE DOUGLAS JAMES SMYTH CROZIER
(Director of Education).
DR. THE HONOURABLE YEO KOK CHEANG
(Director of Medical and Health Services).
THE HONOURABLE HAROLD GILES RICHARDS, O.B.E.
(Director of Urban Services).
DR. THE HONOURABLE CHAU SIK NIN, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE CHARLES EDWARD MICHAEL TERRY.
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 RICHARD CHARLES LEE, O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE JOHN ARTHUR BLACKWOOD.
MR. ROBERT WILLIAM PRIMROSE (Deputy Clerk of Councils.)
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MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25th May, 1955, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Governor, laid upon the table the following papers: —
Subject. G.N.
No.
Telecommunication Ordinance (Chapter 106).
Radiocommunication (Amendment) Regulations, 1955 ........... A. 58 New Territories Ordinance (Chapter 97).
Markets and Market Areas (N.T.) Rules, 1955 .............. ........... A. 59
CEMETERIES (AMENDMENT) BY-LAWS, 1955.
MR. H. G. RICHARDS moved the following resolution: —
Resolved that the Cemeteries (Amendment) By-laws, 1955, made by the Urban Council on the 17th day of May, 1955, under section 4 of the Public Health (Sanitation) Ordinance, 1935, be approved.
He said: —Sir: The purpose of these by-laws is set out in the explanatory note.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
PUBLIC WORKS (PASSENGER FERRY PIERS) BILL, 1955.
MR. T. L. BOWRING moved the First reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to authorize undertakings for the construction of passenger ferry piers at Tsim Sha Tsui, Ma Tau Kok and Stewart Road, Wanchai."
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He said: —Sir: Honourable Members will recall that in September, 1950 His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government appointed a Committee known as the Harbour Ferry Services Advisory Committee under the Chairmanship of Mr. Lawrence Kadoorie to advise Government on the necessity for improving the ferry services across the harbour and the manner in which this could be done.
The Report of this Committee was laid on the Table of Legislative Council on the 22nd August, 1951, and a summary of the Committee's recommendations together with the decisions of Government were published in Sessional Paper Number 12 of 1951.
Government accepted inter alia the Committee's recommendation that a new passenger ferry service between Kowloon City and Wanchai be inaugurated.
The Bill now before Council, Sir, seeks to authorize the construction of two passenger ferry piers, one at Ma Tau Kok and the other at Stewart Road, Wanchai, which will give effect to that recommendation.
The Bill further seeks to authorize the reconstruction of the existing Star Ferry Pier at Tsim Sha Tsui in order to provide more up-to-date and spacious accommodation which has become very necessary for this service.
Tenders for the construction of the new Star Ferry Pier at Tsim Sha Tsui are now being called for and it is hoped, Sir, that the pier will be in operation by the end of 1956.
The construction of the pier at Ma Tau Kok, which is now well advanced, will be completed in October of this year and it is anticipated that the new ferry service will be commenced as soon as the pier is ready for use.
The construction of the proposed pier at Stewart Road, Wanchai has not yet been started, but tenders for this work will be called for next month and the pier completed in October so as to be ready for use at the same time as the Ma Tau Kok Pier.
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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 object of this Bill is to authorize the construction of three new passenger ferry piers. In the case of the Ma Tau Kok Pier, where work has already commenced, such work is validated by clause 4. Public and private rights with respect to the Crown foreshore, seabed and land to be occupied by these piers have been extinguished by clause 3. The provisions with respect to claims and compensation as set out in sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Public Reclamations Validation and Clauses Ordinance, 1936, are applied to these undertakings, subject to the amendment of section 7 provided for in clause 5.
DUTIABLE COMMODITIES (LICENSING FEES) BILL, 1955.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to make retrospective amendment of fees payable for certain liquor licences and to make provision for repayment of any fees paid in excess of those hereby re-established."
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. Clause 1 was agreed to.
Clause 2.
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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY: —Sir: I move that clause 2 be amended as set forth in the paper before honourable Members.
Proposed Amendment:
In subsection (1) in paragraph (a) under the heading "Publican's licence" on page 2 of the Bill leave out the words in brackets "as defined by the Buildings Ordinance" and substitute the following—
"being any part of the island of Hong Kong above the 700-foot contour."
Clause 2, as amended, was agreed to.
Clauses 3 and 4 were agreed to.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY reported that the Dutiable Commodities (Licensing Fees) Bill, 1955 had passed through Committee with one 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.
PUBLIC RECLAMATION AND WORKS (HUNG HOM BAY) BILL, 1955.
MR. T. L. BOWRING moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to validate an undertaking for reclamation and other works over and upon unleased Crown foreshore and seabed situate at Hung Hom Bay, and to authorize, subject to the definitive approval of the Governor in Council, a further undertaking for reclamation and other works in the same situation."
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Second time.
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Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. Clauses 1 to 4 and the Schedule were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
MR. T. L. BOWRING reported that the Public Reclamation and Works (Hung Hom Bay) Bill, 1955 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.
CORRUPT AND ILLEGAL PRACTICES BILL, 1955.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance for the prevention of corrupt and illegal practices at elections."
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.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR: —With your concurrence, Gentlemen, we will take this Bill in blocks of five clauses.
This was agreed to.
Clauses 1 to 29 and the Schedule were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Bill, 1955 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.
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PRISONS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1955.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the Prisons Ordinance, 1954.”
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 to 4 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Prisons (Amendment) Bill, 1955 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.
ARMS AND AMMUNITION (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1955.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Arms and Ammunition Ordinance, Chapter 238."
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 to 3 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Arms and Ammunition (Amendment) Bill, 1955 had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the Third reading.
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THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed.
LING LIANG WORLD-WIDE EVANGELISTIC MISSION INCORPORATION BILL, 1955.
DR. CHAU SIK NIN moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to provide for the incorporation of the President in Hong Kong of the Ling Liang World-Wide Evangelistic Mission."
MR. NGAN SHING KWAN 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 to 7 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
DR. CHAU SIK NIN reported that the Ling Liang World-Wide Evangelistic Mission Incorporation Bill, 1955 had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the Third reading.
MR. NGAN SHING KWAN seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed.
ADJOURNMENT.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR: —That concludes the business, Gentlemen. When is it your pleasure that we should meet again?
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL: —May I suggest this day fortnight?
H.E. THE GOVERNOR: —Council will adjourn to this day fortnight.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.