HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 187
OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS.
Meeting of 28th May, 1958.
PRESENT:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (PRESIDENT)
SIR ROBERT BROWN BLACK, K.C.M.G., O.B.E.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR EDRIC MONTAGUE BASTYAN, K.B.E., C.B. THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR. CLAUDE BRAMALL BURGESS, C.M.G., O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR. ARTHUR RIDEHALGH, Q.C.
THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS
MR. JOHN CRICHTON MCDOUALL.
THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MR. ARTHUR GRENFELL CLARKE, C.M.G.
THE HONOURABLE PATRICK CARDINALL MASON SEDGWICK
(Commissioner of Labour).
THE HONOURABLE ALLAN INGLIS
(Director of Public Works).
DR. THE HONOURABLE DAVID JAMES MASTERTON MACKENZIE, C.M.G., O.B.E. (Director of Medical and Health Services).
THE HONOURABLE COLIN GEORGE MERVYN MORRISON
(Director of Urban Services).
DR. THE HONOURABLE CHAU SIK NIN, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE CHARLES EDWARD MICHAEL TERRY, O.B.E. THE HONOURABLE LO MAN WAI, C.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE NGAN SHING-KWAN, O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE DHUN JEHANGIR RUTTONJEE, O.B.E.
THE HONOURABLE KWOK CHAN, O.B.E.
DR. THE HONOURABLE ALBERTO MARIA RODRIGUES, M.B.E., E.D. THE HONOURABLE JOHN DOUGLAS CLAGUE, C.B.E., M.C., T.D.
MR. MAURICE DEREK SARGANT (Deputy Clerk of Councils).
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 188
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 14th May, 1958, were confirmed.
SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER, 1957. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution: —
Resolved that the Supplementary Provisions for the quarter ended 30th September, 1957, as set out in Schedule No. 2 of 1957/58, be approved.
He said: The total supplementary provision shown in the Schedule comes to over $8½ millions against which savings are negligible.
There are three items which perhaps stand out in the list. There is a provision of three quarters of a million, being a grant to the J. E. Joseph Fund; another grant of three quarters of a million to the Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Loan Fund; and half a million has been made available to the District Administration to be disbursed by way of rehabilitation grants to farmers in the New Territories. These three items followed on the very heavy rainfall during the spring of last year, when much distress was caused by flooding, but it would seem that the distress was not as great as was thought at the time, because not all the money has been utilized. Nevertheless, the grants to the two funds will enable these organizations to expand their activities on a permanent basis.
Among other items, the Police Force accounts for nearly $2 millions, which is to go on the purchase of Volunteer Slopes Camp and on the formation of a police training contingent. The car park on the City Hall site accounts for $850,000 and the access road from the Texaco Road to Gin Drinkers' Bay accounts for $800,000.
There is also a provision of $1 million for the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association. Government has made arrangements with the Association, whereby two hundred beds will be made available for tuberculosis patients, who are either occupying beds in the Government hospitals which are badly needed for
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 189
other patients, or who should be in bed, and who can now receive treatment in the Grantham Hospital, Government paying a charge of $18 per bed per day.
All the items in the Schedule have already been approved by Finance Committee and the covering approval of this Council is now sought.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1957.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution: —
Resolved that the Supplementary Provisions for the quarter ended 31st December, 1957, as set out in the Schedule No. 3 of 1957/58, be approved.
He said: The supplementary provisions in this Schedule, which covers the third quarter of the last financial year, total over $5½ millions. All the items have already been approved by Finance Committee, and the covering approval of this Council is now sought.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
RESETTLEMENT BILL, 1958.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to provide for the clearance and resettlement of squatters."
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Second time.
Council went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 190
H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —In view of the length of this Bill I propose that the Deputy Clerk of Councils takes the clauses in batches of five if there is no objection by Members to that.
Clauses 1 to 51 and the First and Second Schedules were agreed to. Council then resumed.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Resettlement Bill, 1958 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.
SUPREME COURT (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1958.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Supreme Court Ordinance, Chapter 4."
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 Supreme Court (Amendment) Bill, 1958 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.
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 191
DISTRICT COURT (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1958.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the District Court Ordinance, 1953.”
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 District Court (Amendment) Bill, 1958 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.
ADJOURNMENT.
H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —Gentlemen, that concludes the business for today. When is it your pleasure that we should meet again?
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL: —May I suggest this day two weeks? H. E. THE GOVERNOR: —Council stands adjourned to day two weeks.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.