1938-10-14 — Page 30

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1988.

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Music hath charms

Sunday Classical Concert

at Repulse Bay Hotel Under leadership of Geo. Pio-Ulski Programme for Sunday, 16 Oct., 1938.

1 p.m. - 2.30 p.m.

PROGRAMME

1. Semiramide. Overture

2. La Corvida

B. Goldsmith's Daughter. Waliz

4. La Traviata. Selection

5. Ballet Eryptien

6.

7.

Mazurka

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phone 27775,

REPULSE

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HOTEL

...

.....Rossini,

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· Luigini,

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NEW·

THIS IS THE

VAUXHALL CANTONAL SYSTEM

TWELVE-FOUR

NOW

HERE

THIS CAR INVITES YOUR INSPECTION.

We shall be glad to demonstrate.

HONGKONG HOTEL GARAGE

Stubbs Road. ..Phone: 27778-9.

The

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1938.

MEETING THE COST

Scene at an open-air Parlia- ment in the Canton of Ap- penzell, Switzerland.

T

From one end of the world to the other the words "Cantonal System" have been on everybody's lips. The adoption of this sys- tom in Czecho-Slovakia many people think could solve the problems of that unhappy country.

Here BETSY MACKENZIE, Nows Chronicle Gonova Correspon- dent, tells you what the Cantonal System is, how and why it works."

The five exceptions are the The Fodoral Assembly Cantons of Glarus, Inner and

(Parliament) Outer Appenzell, Upper and

that harmony can reign among different races.

Lower Unterwalden, which still Is the legislativo body. It maintain the ancient form of consists of two parts; 44 depu- The secret of Swiss national government known as "pure ties chosen by the Cantons, two unity undoubtedly lies in the democracy"

and called the

cantonal system. There are 22 Landesgemeinde. This consists from each Council of State, and Cantons, six of them known as of the people meeting at least representatives elected by the "half cantons," which were split once a year on a Sunday in people one to overy 20,000 voters owing to internal dissensions, so spring, who enact their own with one for every fraction over, that in practice thero are 25 laws, elect

their officers and called the National Council. It carry on their own government.

Cantons.

Modelled on the United States constitution in 1848 the Swiss legislature was brought up to

with

B

remains in office for three years. and has large executive powers, controlling foreign policy and finance, supervising. HE peace of Europe date in 1874; the Cantons are in In the hands of the Federal State

of the head- Federal administration and the world is the same relation to Berne as Administration,

the American States are menaced to-day as a

to quarters in Berne, lies the power Federal Court and exercising

to make war or peace, to dictate powers of pardon. result of a political theory Washington.

Each Canton is sovereign in all foreign policy, carry out in

The Federal Court that groups of nationals of

obligations does not infringe all that

on ternational one country cannot exist in authority. It is respon- member of the League, impose Is composed of 24 members Hongkong Telegraph. freedom and prosperity out- Federal e un roads, canals, stari- tariffs and regulate postal, tele-elected every six years by the side their country of origin. culture, welfare of the people graph, telephone and railway Federal Assembly and adminis ters justice in Federal matters. There is a standing refuta- and imposes taxes on income, services.

The Federal Government is If disputes arise between the. tion of this theory in the and property. It has its own

Cantons they are settled by the law courts, although a unified composed as follows: heart of Europe.

penal code was adopted last May The Federal Council

Court.

inhabitants,

Switzerland, with its 4,000,000 by a national referendum, which, surrounded by however, has not yet been en-

(Cabinet) mountains, where German is forced. spoken by 71.9 per cent., French Except for five Cantons, the 20.4 per cent., Italian 6 per cent.. legislative body is known as the Romanche, a peculiar Latin "Grand Council,". an excellent firat impressions, to present tongue now officially recognised training school for would-be a somewhat gloomy preview of as a fourth language, by 1.1 per politicians, which sits for three cent, and other languages by or four years, draws up its own the future. Expenditure In

.6 per cent., is a living example laws and acts as advisory body 1939 is expected to soar by over

to the Central Government. Its six million dollars since Decem-

the fact remains that members draw no salaries, are her last year to an all-time re- Hongkong cannot default on ton, and elect a president who is jelected by the people of the Can- cord of $38,502,700, leaving at this obligation which, unfortun-

member of the Federal the end of the year a deficit, if [ately, will increase year by year Assembly at Berne.

The first Hongkong Budget under the gubernatorial ad- ministration of Sir

Geoffry Northcote would

appear, on

venue,

as revenue grows unless the certain commendable proposals Secretary of State for the

by His Excellency are carried Colonies will agree to a more out, of approximately $2,800,000 equitable basis.

to be met from the Colony's of the Colony's revenue, ten per Of the remaining 83 per cent. surplus balance. The Financial cent. is required for Civil Ser- Secretary, whose clear exposi- vice Pensions, another item tion of the financial position of

as the Financial Secre- which, tary pointed out yesterday, the Colony is refreshing after must increase for some years to previous uninformative state- come unless the Colony is to ments laid before Hon. Council-mately 13 per cent. of the default. Additionally, approxi-

lors, forcsecs a $40,000,000 an-revenue will be required next nual Budget in the not distant year for the Police Department another item which cannot be future.

reduced in view of the difficul- ties, peculiar to this Colony, which are encountered in pre- serving peace and order.

In one respect, the cultivation in Hongkong of what can be called, ' 'Dollar Sense," for

It will be seen, therefore, that want of a better expression, is approximately forty per cent. of somewhat unfortunate. Re-the Colony's total expenditure is duced to pounds, shillings and taken up under three headings -Military Contributions to the pence, $40,000,000 Budget Imperial Government, Pensions such as the Hon. Mr. S. Caine to Civil Servants, and the Police envisages means that the Department, leaving sixty per Colony will be called upon to cent. for other services, includ- ing the enormous salary bill for Civil Servants, Education,

ง

expend approximately 2,500

|000 per annum, or, on the basis Charity, the Harbour and Fire

4

FRANC

(a) Is the executive body,

in the

(b) Consists of seven mem- There is no Senate

bers of different political Federal Government and in. parties, elected by the sharp contrast to the United Federal Assembly,

States it has two institutions

re-

(c) Each member sits for which distinguish the Govern-- ment of Switzerland, namely, three years, but is

the "Initiative" and the "Re-- cognised in practice to hold oflice as long as he which allows the people to ex- ferendum." This is a machinery

wishes,

at the

elec-

press their own choice (d) The Chairman is the Pre- polls. The whole Swiss

sident of the Confedera- torate is estimated at

28 per tion.

cent. of the population, as only

LAS

of the present population, some-Departments, the Medical De- GRIN AND BEAR IT thing like £2 per capita.

partment, Prisons, Magistracics,

responsibilities

Under the circumstances and Loan Redemption. Public pessimism seems somewhat un-Works and other essential ser- vices must also receive their justified. Many cities through- quota of the Colony's insuf- out the world with far less ficient revenue. population or than Hongkong are budgetting lined In Legislative Council In view of the situation out- for expenditures that execed

yesterday, increased taxation those of this Colony two, three, seems inevitable within a few cven fivefold. It should be years. Hongkong citizens would borne in mind that approxi-hardly be justilled in complain- mately seventeen per cent. ofing when the occasion, which had been deferred to the Hongkong's total revenue is re-extent that sound administra- mitted to the Imperial Govern- tion of essential services was jco- ment AS this Colony's con-pardised before the present tribution to Imperial Defence. "boom"" created by Sino- Additionally, Hongkong must Japanese hostilities, arises.

The Colony's capacity for also find not inconsiderable

making more generous contribu- eums annually for Air Raid Pre-tions to the exchequer has only cautions--tho million dollars been fully tapped in one direc- mentioned in yesterday's state-tion, the unfortunate to excep- ment in Council is, it is believed, tlon being those whose inability far below the minimum mone- to bear the brunt of the cost of tary requirement laid down by administration is genuine. The the Colony's advisers on A.R.Pafford to pay taxation has, in Hongkong citizen who can best --and for maintenance of its past years, had to dip only own defence forces-the Volun-lightly into his pocket. The teer Corps and Naval Volunteer mothods of raising additional Reserves. However much we taxation, when it is required, on

excessive taxation by the Im-obvious that it is unnecessary to at present employed are so

perial Government on our remontion them here.

THE HONGKONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD. may proteat at what seems ana basis more equitable than that

19-15

ARGA

R

LUCERNE

・UNTER-

WALDEN

By Lichty

"Confidentially, there big figures don't, mean a thing-you, just pet better, service this way?”.

men over 20 have the suffrage and women are excluded.

By means of the "Initiative" 50,000 voters can introduce a Bill which must come before Parliament by means of a re-. ferendum. Every Bill must be submitted to the people, so it is no wonder that Swiss voters generally go to the polls every. Sunday.

Notable referenda which were! accepted by the voters in 1987 and 1988 were the adoption of Romanche as a fourth officially recognised language; the ban on Communism as a party; and the now penal code, in spite of stern opposition from 10 Cantons. An "Initiativo" to ban freemasonry in Switzerland was rejected by a large majority.

Once a country torn with in ternal strife due to its wild mountain tribesmen, Switzer-. land is to-day a pattern of clock. work government. Never since, 1874 has the country been so united. Hitler's

Belzura off Austria has done much, and in no other country in the world has such a determination arison to keep united. This is shown' by the enormous expenses, to be borne and sanctioned by the people to rearm.

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