166
is therefore out in his calculations to the extent of $60,000. This is a detail of course, but in making calculations of this kind it is well to be exact, if possible. The building area atin the disposal of the Government at present is-
square feet. 34,230 49,630
Plot No. 1 on Reclamation.. Plot No. 2
JA
Total
Of this it is proposed to sell
Plot 1
83,860
34,230
Leaving 49,630 Add sites of present Post Office and Supreme Court House (to be retained} Add area occupied by "Bea-
consfield" (to be purchased) 14,754
25,860
or a total of
90,250 square feet. After purchasing Beaconsfield the Government (supposing it adopts this scheme of the Director of Public Works) would have at its disposal an extra area of 6,391 square feet of land for building purposes. This would be partially carrying out the recommendation of the architects consulted by the Crown agents, for in their report they tell us that the area of 83,860 square feet now at the disposal of the Government is not sufficient for the require ments. By purchasing Beaconsfield therefore an expenditure of $63,910 would be saved, because to acquire 6,391 square feet of land in the vicinity of Queen's Road at least $10 per square foot would have to be paid. I think this is sufficiently demon strated. Now for the funds required. The report of the Commission shows (on page 9) the aggregate sum needed to be
$557,600
ཝཾ་
Mr. Ormsby in his memorandum, however, does not recommend the erection, at present, of a store house for the Public Works Department. We can therefore deduct
leaving...
.:.
The estimated cost of Mr. Ormsby's
scheme is Which deduct from the amount
named by the Commission, leaves Or including the surplus area of 6,391 square feet (acquired if Beacons- field be purchased) at $10 per foot
This means a total saving to the co-
lony of
90,000 $467,600
162,000
$305,600
March-5, 1898.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Committee appointed by Sir William Robinson | fore, if the Government really wish to meet the in September, 1894, the Committee that sat wish of the community in this matter, involving for two years and two months and reported the expenditure of three-quarters of a million of a report dated 23rd November, 1896. dollars, I would suggest that the Government That Committee, sir, was composed of follow the same course as was followed recently five members, Two of them were the by the appointment of a small Committee of former Director of Public Works and the five, presided over by an impartial Chairman, officer holding the dual office of Postmaster to wit, the Chief Justice, invite suggestions for General and Treasurer. In regard, sir, to the fresh proposals to be sent in within a fortnight late Director of Public Works, all will admit take further evidence and report to this Council. that he was an extremely able and a most in- All that could be done within six weeks or two dustrious officer-(hear, hear)-and one
months at the outside. It is, I agree cordially thoroughly independent and thoroughly com. with the Government, most desirable to petent to advise the Government as to what facilitate matters for the Chinese in regard to was best for the proposed new Government the new Post Office, but the question of the offices. I will now refer, sir, to the lay distance between the front site on the Reclama- members of the Committee. There was Mr. tion and the present Post Office is but a matter Jackson, who has had an experience-a very of three and a half minutes. To walk it would pratical experience of the colony during the take only three and a half minutes, while to go last thirty-four years. Mr. McConachie, in a ricksha is a question of two minutes. Take, another member of that Committee, has been on the other hand, the question of wharves. Chairman of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, Pedder's wharf is the most important wharf in Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, and the colony. It is already-at all events it will has also had an experience of some thirty years of be when ready-as it was in former years, the colony. The senior unofficial member (Mr. overburdened with traffic, and to land mails Chater) has also had an experience of upwards there it would be necessary to take them of thirty-five years of the colony. I submit from the launch to the wharf, from the therefore that that Committee was thoroughly wharf to a trolley, from a trolley to the pre- representative of the community, and they sent Post Office site, and then, carry them unanimously reported in favour of the retention into the Post Office. Whereas if the front of the sites in front of the City Hall for the site on the Reclamation is utilized there is proposed new Government offices. That scheme Queen's Statue wharf which could be used for differs from the one propounded by the Director mail purposes and the mails could be carried of Public Works a few weeks after his arrival to the Post Office across a 75 feet street and here. If in the course of another month another vice versa. There is much to be said on L Director of Public Works arrives possibly he the financial side of the question, and therefore may have another scheme; but the absence of con- I am not now in a position to record my vote tinnity on the part of the Crown colonial Govern.
in favour of the second portion of the resolu ment is a defect in that system. The Committee tion. J quite agree with the first portion, appointed by Sir William Robinson recommended but I submit that the Council are not now in a the retention and utilization of the sites on the position to vote we have made further Praya Reclamation in front of the City Hall. enquiries and satished ourselves as to the finan No doubt the sale of the site of the present cial side of the schemo brought forward by the Post Office would be unpleasant to many, partly Director of Public Works, which scheme is en- on account of sentiment and otherwise. There tirely at variance with the recommendations of is a feeling that if it were sold it would be con- the Committee, who sat for two years and two verted into Chinese houses and bring the months. I may just one word more. The Chinese into the midst of the European reason why I question the value placed on part of the town; but these reasons will the front site on the reclamation is this, that not stand. We may be sorry at the removal of the new blocks of offices already in course of an old land mark, but the site of the pres ut construction, and others which are about to be Post Office, I am assured on the very best au- -cnstructed are, I understand, all already let. thority-experts and other gentlemen outside of The principal firms, the insurance companies, 63,910 this Council-is more valuable by forty to fifty the shipping and other companies have been per cent. than the present site opposite the secured as tenants for these offices on long Hongkong Club. The Director of Public leases. I have a list of those firms and com- Works at the last meeting of Council said:
panies, over a score in all, who have already been My office is resorted to at all hours of the day booked. And, sir, all the Banks own their by overseers, contractors, and land-holders, and mises or hold them on long leases, while the to have a stream of such constantly passing up a
other principal firms-Jardine, Matheson and two-storey building would be most objection- Co., Butterfield and Swire, and the P. and O. able to all the other offices in the block" Company own their premises. That little difficulty might be very easily got over by making a separate entrance which would have no connection whatever between the two offices. The financial side of the scheme is one with which I am not satisfied. I am informed on the very best authority, after careful investigation and calculation, that it will be a long time before the front site on the reclama tion can be sold at the valuation placed upon it. Some estimate the value at twenty per cent. less than that placed upon it by the Director of Public Works.
There are other schemes, however, which could be suggested. Why not add one or two storeys to the building in which now? The foundations are amply sufficient to carry two more floors and to yield the best offices, certainly as good offices as any in the colony for light, air and I am afraid, sir, that this question has not been approached without bias and without prejudice, but opinions are divided and there is no hurry to push forward with this scheme. The Government have pro- vided extra accommodation for the Post Office and have also leased Beaconsfield. Your Ex- cellency at the last meeting said the Govern ment were most anxious to know the real wish of the colony on the subject because it is a matter which not only affects us now but affects the colony for all time, at least as far as we are concerned for the next fifty or sixty years. That is true. The colony, I believe, sir, is in its infancy, as it has been decided to open the internal waters of the vast Empire of China to foreign trade and steam navigation. There
$369,510 by the adoption of the scheme of my hon. friend on my right. This is a very large saving, and the scheme should be adopted without hesitation, moré especially if we endorse the gloomy views of our financial position taken by the hon. mem. ber representing the Chamber of Commerce. who a few weeks back prognosticated in this Council that in our gold engagements alone the colony stands to lose one million of dollars. If, however, for the sake of economy, it is sub. sequently deemed desirable to add one, two, or three extra stories to the proposed two-storied structure in Queen's Road instead of continuing to occupy the cool, airy, and quiet quarters secured for the officials in Beaconsfield, the money so saved will go to still further augment the -$369,510 I have already mentioned as the amount saved by the adoption of the scheme of the Director of Public Works. With these remarks, Sir, I beg to record my vote for the resolution which is now before the Council. This resolution contains nothing about the purchase of Beaconsfield; therefore the hon. -member opposite can have no ground to lodge another protest against my voting on this occasion.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Your Excellency, I rise to make a few remarks, and to begin with I would state emphatically that I am
pledged to no scheme. I am here with an open mind. I am not interested in property on the new Praya Reclamation or elsewhere and I am here to vote for the scheme which will be the most efficient, give us the best service and be the most economical. (Hear, hear.) Your Ex- cellency at the last meeting of Council said that the whole community had had ample time to con sider this question. Sir, the question which the community have had time to consider is the ques tion as put before the Government by the
|
We are
rentilation.
pre-
Hon. Ho KAI-I rise, sir, to make a few standing what the hon, member for the Cham- remarks in support of the motion. Notwith-
ber of Commerce has said that the Council are
not ready or not in a position to vote on this question, I contend, on the contrary, that we have had a long time to consider this question ard we ought really to come to a speedy decision. I remember some time ago the hon. gentleman I refer to was just on Government for not bringing this question the contrary track, He rather blamed the
forward in a speedy manner, as his idea of a Com- mission appointed to enquire into a particular subject was that it was always equivalent to shelving the question altogether. Now, on the contrary, he wishes your Excellency to appoint another Commission to enquire into this question. It is all very well for the hon. member to say it might finish its work in six mission lasts a good deal longer than six weeks; weeks, but as far as my experience goes a Com-
it lasts ten times longer than that and perhaps two years. Now, I say I come to this Council
with just as open a mind as tho hon. member who has just spoken. I shall vote for the most economical and most efficient scheme, and at the same time I shall also vote for the most con- venient. scheme of all-the scheme that is not to a section of the public, but to the majority. proved to be the most convenient to the public, Sir, whether the new scheme proposed by the Director of Public Works is the more economical or not is the question we have to consider. It has the advantage over the other three schemes
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