!
320
subjects of taxation as would be least distasteful to the community, and I trust that hon. mem- bers will see their way to facilitate the passage of this Bill.
His EXCELLENCY-I am very anxious always to meet the wishes of m mbers, especially of unofficial member, of this Council; but I think that hon. members will see that everything is hung up until the draft estimates go home. I should be very glad if the Finance Committee would deal with this question as 8000 possible, so that we may know where we are.
The second reading was carried.
as
On the motion of the COLONIAL SECRETARY, seconded by the COLONIAL TREASURER, the Bill: was afterwards referred to the Finance Com- mittee.
H18 EXCELLENCY-That is all the business to-day, gentlemen. I propose to adjourn the Council till Thursday next. Meantime I hope you will have considered those proposals and will be able to lay reports on the table and then we will be able to send these things all by the Dext mail.
The Council adjourned.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held immediately after the Council, the COLONIAL SECRETARY (Chairman) presiding, TRE ESTIMATES FOR 1903. The expenditure ander this head is as follows:-
Charge on account of Public Debt... Pensions
Governor and Legislatore
Colonial Secretary's Department... Audit Department... Treasury
Post Office
Registrar-General's Department Harbour Master's Department Lighthouses Observatory
Botanical and Afforestation De-
partment
Judicial and Legal Departments..
Land Court, New Territory
Ecclesiastical
Education
Medical Departments
Bacteriological Department
Magistracy
Police
Sanitary Department
Charitable Allowances
Transport....
Miscellaneous Services...
-
Colonial Defences Expenses of
the Volunteers
Public Works Depaatinent.
Public Works, Recurrent, Charge-
able to General Revenhe
Public Works, Chargeable to
Water Account
$185,000.00
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
City Waterworks-Peak Supply aud Re-coustruction of No. 2 Tank
་་་
City Waterworks Tytam Tuk
Scheme
Reconstruction of Gullies Cattle Depo' Extension Post Office
Bacteriological Institute
Road from Sam-shui-po to Lai.
chi-kok
Road from Kowlook Joland Lot 652. Hunghom, to Sixth Street, Yaumati Public Bath-honses, Pound Laue,
Tai-ping-shan... Resumptions of Insanitary Pro-
perty... Store Account
Total,
REMARKS.
[October 25, 1902.
PLAYFAIR-I think this is a very useless item, sir. $50,000.00 Public Works Department.--Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR said they should not starve the 120,0000 | Department, and recommended an increase of
32,000,09 | the staff.
15,000.00
Hon. R. SHEWAN asked if the recommenda. 20 000.00 | tions of the Commission on the 1'. W. D. w.re 10,000.00 | to be adopted?
10,00 1.00
The CH IRMAN explained that the recom- 25,000.00 | mendations of the Public Works Commission were based on the assumption that the Publio Works Department would spend on Public Works Extraordinary a sum of about $800,000 a year. Next year the Colony could not afford 8,900,00 | to spend such a large sum on P. W. E., exclusive of the Kowloon Water Works, which were 100,000.00 | being carried out by a private firm, and of the 100,0 | expenditure ou machinery, otc., for other Water Works Moreover, owing to the comple- tion of the Praya Reclamation scheme, two 8.gineers would be reloas d from work on it and would be available. On these grounds the Secretary of State has not seen his way to approve the recommendations for increase of engineering staff; he had, however, approved the increases to the staff of overseers.
84,728,942 23
Judicial and Legal Departments.-Hon. R. SHEWAN asked if a gentleman filling two ap- pointments, ono in an acting capacity, drew both salaries, or only half of each?
Tho COLONIAL TREASURER replied that according to rule such an official drew the full salary of his own appointment and half of that. of his acting appointment.
Hou, R. SHEWAN asked further if it was a fact that one gentleman had acted in two or three capacities,
The CHAIRMAN said he knew of only one recent instauce, that of an officer in the colonial Secretary's office.
187,400.00 82312.04 34 634.75 Hon. R. SHEWAN said he did not wish to 16.472.45 make it a personal matter; he was merely 47.631.00 | desirous of knowing whether it was right that 307,815.13 | such should be the ease,
33,229.00 The CHAIRMAN-It is very rarely that it 120,265, 0 happens. In explioual circumstances it is 41,379.00 sometimes necessary to appoint one officer to 23,608.00 | two posts. Such officer has to sacrifice much of his spare time to compass both sets of duties, 33,070.05 The COLONIAL TREASURER remarked that 135,595.80 it was seldom nowadays one found an official
38,498.00 filling two appointments.
2,400,00 Hou. R. SHEWAN-I am very glad to hear 148,152.19 | thaf.
G. W. Medical Department — Hou.
F. 19,391.31 PLAYFAIR asked if assistant surgeons wer 37,340,00 confined to Government work? and, on receiving 659,795.12 a reply in the affirmative, pointed out that one 479,766,00 assistant surge u was receiving remuneration 5,260.00 from the Chinese College of Medicine, which 3,000 00 was not considered a Government department; 127,819.00 this in addition to his own salary.
228,868.81
Public Works, Extraordinary, viz:—
Law Courts...
Western Market...
Harbour Master's Office
Survey of New Territory. Additional Reservoirs, Tytam
Drainage Area
Kowloon Waterwork, Gravita.
tion Scheme Disinfecting Station in Kowloou Quarters at ditto for Iuspector Extension of Inspectors' Quar-
ters at Kennedy Town Public Latrines and Urinals Praya Reclamation
Govern.
Praya East Reclamation-Gov.
ment Piers
ernment Share
Tai Po Road
City and Hill District Water.
works
Widening Conduit Road
Public Bath-house, Cross Lane,
Wanchai
Government Offices
and Alterations
Extensions
Two Temporary Markete-one opposite Sailors' Home and one adjoining new Harbour Office
Extension of Wauchai Market
City Waterworks-Public Foun.
tains
53,979 08
213,849,50
The CHAIRMAN said he had no persona} knowledge of the circumstances under wich this gentleman was receiving th› remuneration referred to, but promised to enquire into the 382,000 0v | matter.
Hon. R. SHEWAN suggested an increase in the rates attaching to the Government Civil Hospital, where nowadays it was cheaper to live than in a first-class hotel,
93,590.00
$50,000.00
30,00. 0 Hon. C. S. SHAP supported the suggestion. 25,000.00 and proposed the following increasel ratos:— 37,00.00 First class for outside patients (uot Government servants), $10; second class, 85. First class for 60,000,00 | Government servants in receipt of salaries of
over 8200 per month, 87.50; second class $4. 250,000.00
The proposal, which was seconded by the 6,900.0 7 Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR, was noted. 4,000.00
Strong representations were also made that although there is a Vaccine Institute here, the 1,000.00 drug stores find it necessary to obtain their 10,000.00 supplies of lymph from elsewhere, principally
from Shanghai and Saigon, whereby consid 20,000.00 | erable sums were lost annually to the Colony.
The CHAIRMAN noted the point and promised 2,000.00 | it would be seen to. 8,000.00
|
Miscellaneous Services.-The Hon. G. W. F, | PLAYFAIR said he had a point to raise whicli 9,000.0) he thought was best introduced under this head. | 3,000.00 In his opinion, if the Government wanted to raise the revenue, the best way of doing it was 1,000.00 to increase the sale of subsidiary coins.
5,000.00
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-Our experience in this Colony is that we don't get enough British subsidiary coins. (Applause.)
The CHAIRMAN said the Colonial Treasurer would doubtless look into the matter. Having 7,000.00 regard to his nationality, he was sure that the 3,000.00 Treasurer would not let an opportunity of making money go past. (Laughter.)
Expenses of the Volunteers.-Hon. G. W. F.
10,000.00
|
Hon. R. SHEWAN said it seemed to him that the Commission recommended a great deal more than two. Were they ever to get on with the plans of the new Clock Tower?
The CHAIRMAN replied that the Clock Tower would have to wait.
Hon. R SHEWAN asked that the despatch to the Secretary of State and the reply thereto be Jaid on the table at next meeting
The 'CHAIRMAN said that he would make known the request to H. E. the Governor.
· A discussion ensued as to experiments regard- ing the material of which the pavements in the Colony should be construct d, and the CHAIRMAN informed the meeting that en- quiries were now being made as to the asphalt used in Malta, which it was thought might be tried here.
Praya Reclamation: Government Pier.-The question of the erection of a covering for Blake Pier was brought up, and it was suggested that a temporary shelter mi、ht be erected.
The CHAIRMAN promised to note the sug- gestion.
PLAYFAIR
Post Office-Ho», G. W. F. thought $20,000 too little to spend in one year.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS said the plans were not yet prepared, and nothing could be done until they were submitted an approved of. The work was not such as lent itself to a great rate of speed in its execution.
Public Bath-houses-In reply to the Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR, the CHAIRMAN said the one mentioned in the vote was a permanent erection, and another was being constructed.
Public Works Extraordinary.—The DIREC TOR OF PUBLIC WORK told the Hon, R. SHEWAN that, provided always he could obtain sufficient assistance the money voted under this head would be expended.
Hon. G. W. F, PLAYFAIR-That is the whole root of the mattor-provided that you get sufficient assistance. That is what we have It is the opinion been driving at all summer. of the Colony that the Public Works Depart- ment is undermanned.
OTHER BILLS.
The following Bills, which had been re- ferred to the Committee, were considered and recommendations noted:-Tho Chinese Emi- gration Ordinance, the Dogs Ordinance, and the Stamp Ordinance.
This was all the business.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on Thursday afternoon in the Council Chamber. Present:---
His EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.
Hon. Colonel L. F. BROWs, R.E. (Senior Officer Commanding the Garrison).
Hon. F. H. MAY (Colonial Secretary). Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. Commander R. M. RUMSEY, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Dr. F. W. CLARK (Medical Officer of Health). ̧
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, C.M.G. Hon. WEI A YUK.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.