HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 329
OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting of 6th July 1966
PRESENT
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT (PRESIDENT) MR MICHAEL DAVID IRVING GASS, CMG
THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY
MR GEOFFREY CADZOW HAMILTON, ACTING
THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR MAURICE HEENAN, CMG, QC
THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS
MR JOHN CRICHTON MCDOUALL, CMG
THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY
MR JOHN JAMES COWPERTHWAITE, CMG, OBE
THE HONOURABLE ALEC MICHAEL JOHN WRIGHT
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
DR THE HONOURABLE TENG PIN-HUI, OBE
DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
THE HONOURABLE JAMES TINKER WAKEFIELD
COMMISSIONER OF LABOUR
THE HONOURABLE GEOFFREY MARSH TINGLE
DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES
THE HONOURABLE ALASTAIR TODD
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE
THE HONOURABLE IAN MACDONALD LIGHTBODY
DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, NEW TERRITORIES
THE HONOURABLE KENNETH JOHN ATTWELL
ACTING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
THE HONOURABLE DHUN JEHANGIR RUTTONJEE, CBE
THE HONOURABLE KAN YUET-KEUNG, OBE
THE HONOURABLE LI FOOK-SHU, OBE
THE HONOURABLE TSE YU-CHUEN, OBE
THE HONOURABLE KENNETH ALBERT WATSON, OBE
THE HONOURABLE WOO PAK-CHUEN, OBE
THE HONOURABLE GEORGE RONALD ROSS
THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAI
THE HONOURABLE WILFRED WONG SIEN-BING
THE HONOURABLE ELLEN LI SHU-PUI, OBE
THE HONOURABLE JAMES DICKSON LEACH, OBE
MR ROBERT WILLIAM PRIMROSE (Clerk of Councils)
ABSENT
THE HONOURABLE DAVID RONALD HOLMES, CBE, MC, ED
DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
THE HONOURABLEFUNG HON-CHU, OBE
THE HONOURABLE TANG PING-YUAN
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MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 8th June 1966, were confirmed.
OATHS
MR IAN MACDONALD LIGHTBODY took the Oath of Allegiance and assumed his seat as a Member of the Council.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT: —May I welcome Mr HAMILTON, Mr ATTWELL and Mr LIGHTBODY as Official Members of the Council and may I also welcome Mrs LI and Mr Dickson LEACH, both of whom have previously served in this Council in a temporary capacity but who are now substantive Members for the first time.
PAPERS
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Command of His Excellency the Officer administering the Government, laid upon the table the following papers: —
Subject LN No
Sessional Paper 1966: —
No. 6—Annual Summary by the Director of Education
for the year 1964-65.
Report of the Working Party on Slum Clearance.
Education Ordinance 1952.
Education (Amendment) Regulations 1966 ............................... 52
Education Ordinance 1952.
Education (Forms) (Amendment) Regulations 1966 .................. 53
He said: —Your Excellency, included amongst these papers is the Report of the Working Party on Slum Clearance.
This Report, which includes a proposal to declare a part of the Western District of Hong Kong as a pilot Urban Renewal District, is now being studied and no decisions have yet been taken.
I take this opportunity of expressing the Government's thanks to my honourable Friend Mr A. M. J. WRIGHT and his Committee for the thoughtful and detailed consideration they have given to this important and difficult problem.
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QUESTIONS
MR W. S. B. WONG, pursuant to notice, asked the following question: —
Your Excellency, what measures have been taken relating to the relief work of the victims of the rainstorms in June?
MR A. TODD replied as follows: —
Sir, this question relates to relief work arising out of the June rainstorm.
Whenever any emergency of the kind experienced last month occurs there are three main needs to be met, so far as the individual victim is concerned. They are the provision of shelter for those whose homes have become uninhabitable, the provision of cooked meals for those who for the time being are unable to cook for themselves, and the provision of cash assistance to make good at least in part losses incurred as a result of the emergency.
The provision of temporary accommodation in such circumstances is principally the responsibility of the Commissioner for Resettlement and he as usual deployed his Squatter Control staff to assist in temporarily rehousing persons who had lost their homes for the time being. Accommodation was provided in various buildings including the Aberdeen Rehabilitation Centre, Northcote Training College, North Point Camp, Chai Wan Transit Camp, the Yan Oi Transit Camp in North Kowloon and other premises including some provided by Kai Fong Welfare Associations. The number of persons temporarily sheltered in this way rose to a peak of 4,000 on 13th June. Since then many persons temporarily housed have returned to their previous accommodation, where this was practicable, or have accepted resites. The number still in temporary transit accommodation is now about 1,700.
The Relief Section of the Social Welfare Department is responsible for the provision of cooked meals in emergency conditions. The first hot meals were issued on the afternoon of 12th June. Since that date over 197,000 meals have been provided, the greatest number provided on any one day being 10,134 on 20th June. At present 8,104 meals a day are being issued. The ration scale is one approved by the Medical Department as having sufficient calorific content, each meal consisting of 6 ozs. of rice (that is to say 6 ozs. before cooking) together with ¼ oz. of oil, 4 ozs. of vegetable and 1 oz. of meat or 2 ozs.
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of tinned fish or similar protein. As far as quality is concerned I have to admit that the diet is rather monotonous, particularly by reason of the very limited variety of vegetables that can be provided at this season of the year. I should, however, mention that the supply of melon or marrow instead of leafy vegetables is normal during the periods of scarcity in the summer months and is not peculiar to the present emergency. It has now been possible to arrange for a little more variety to be introduced in the vegetable content of the diet. Arrangements have also been made from time to time since June 12th for additional foodstuffs donated by voluntary agencies to be distributed with the meals. Both commercial organizations and voluntary agencies have helped to provide additional foodstuff like milk products, tinned meat, biscuits, etc. as well as such items as blankets and clothing. My honourable Friend Mr WONG will not be unaware of the notable contribution that the Red Cross has made in this respect. Other organizations that have helped include Catholic Relief Service, Church World Service, CARE, Lutheran World Service, the Salvation Army and the Kaifongs.
Cash grants are made from the Community Relief Trust Fund. The Committee has approved a Schedule of Payments which is published in its Annual Report and which forms the basis on which grants are made subject of course to the establishment of the facts in each case. Grants are available to meet burial expenses, for maintenance of children, for the loss of the chief bread-winner, for the loss of the wife where there are children, for injury and for loss of earnings. Re-accommodation grants provide different amounts for complete destruction of or severe damage to a dwelling place. For the repair or replacement of vessels grants vary for boats of different sizes and different uses. In the case of damage of agricultural undertakings there are grants for stock houses and farm buildings destroyed or severely damaged, grants for loss of crops or livestock or pond fish and grants for damage by salt water.
As soon as an emergency arises steps are immediately taken, and were taken on this occasion, to register claims for grants from the Community Relief Trust Fund. Thus for example members of the Special Welfare Section of the Social Welfare Department make immediate enquiries through the police, hospitals, mortuaries, etc. in order to determine eligibility for grants for death or personal injury.
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Similar action is taken in other departments responsible for investigating the various types of claim. All these enquiries are conducted with the maximum speed possible and there is no question of officers involved in them working to normal office hours. Their job is to get the enquiries completed and payments made at the earliest possible moment. In the present emergency about 10,000 persons were registered for various purposes. Grants made in respect of death or personal injury (including loss of the chief bread-winner, maintenance of children, etc.) totalled $113,000. All these payments were effected by 17th June; that is to say within 5 days of the beginning of the emergency. The amount so far paid out for re-accommodation grants totals $130,000 and this is in respect of 410 families. The Community Relief Trust Fund has substantially increased the level of grants for re-accommodation since the beginning of the present emergency particularly so as to provide for the larger family. The maximum grant is now $600 for the largest families compared with $200 previously approved. It is expected that the final total for re-accommodation grants will be about $185,000.
Grants for agricultural losses began to be paid out within 4 days of the beginning of the emergency, and altogether $409,000 have been paid out through the Agriculture and Fisheries Department for loss of crops, livestock, etc. and $14,000 through the New Territories Administration for farm buildings. The total amount of grants made from the Community Relief Trust Fund on this occasion amounts to over $700,000 so far and it is probable that about $800,000 will finally be required.
Sir, I welcome the opportunity to express publicly the gratitude of the Community Relief Trust Fund Committee for the truly remarkable support that it has received from members of the public as well as from other countries arising out of the present emergency. Since 12th June the Fund has received $2.1 million. This is of course very much more than the amount disbursed, but this fact, I can assure you, does not represent any decision by the Committee deliberately to save up for the next rainy day at the expense of those who are victims of the present emergency. It may not be sufficiently realized that while the Fund has commitments arising regularly it does not have an income arising regularly. The scale of assistance it gives must be consistent, and the Fund must be in a position to pay out on this scale at any time. It cannot
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undertake to disburse every cent received on a particular occasion for the benefit of victims of that occasion because this might involve being arbitrarily more generous on one occasion than on another when the needs of individuals are no different. The Fund is administered by a Committee which includes, apart from official members, 3 unofficial members, 2 of whom are members of this Honourable Council. I believe that it has discharged its duties under the Ordinance responsibly and that the officers responsible for assessments under its direction have carried out their instructions properly. It would be stupid to deny the possibility that persons genuinely in need could be overlooked in an operation on this scale. I can assure you, Sir, that in any such case a full investigation will be made. In the meantime I am arranging to republish at once the details contained in the payment schedule.
MR W. S. B. WONG: —Thank you, Sir.
MR W. S. B. WONG, pursuant to notice, asked the following questions: —
Sir, could the Government state whether the recent flood at Ming Yuen Street, North Point was caused by the overflow of water from the Choi Sai Woo Reservoir? and if so, whether any measure could be taken to prevent a recurrence of such an incident?
MR A. M. J. WRIGHT replied as follows: —
Sir, the major part of the water which caused the recent flooding of Ming Yuen Street overflowed from Braemar Reservoir, also known as Choi Sai Woo Reservoir. The volume and intensity of water was so great that one of the walls of the Government drainage catchpit below the overflow collapsed. The water thus released ran down the hillside and washed out Cloud View Road. At the same time large boulders and other material below Tin Hau Temple Road were washed down by the force of the water and blocked the Ming Yuen Street Nullah.
Measures have already been taken to reduce the possibility of a recurrence of the incident by lowering the level of water in the reservoir. By using syphons the level has already been reduced to 9 feet below crest level. To reduce the level still further arrangements have been made to use two 9 inch diameter draw-off pipes, which have now been repaired, to reduce the level to 15 feet below
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crest. These are short-term measures, undertaken with the co operation of the owners of the reservoir, and unless we get another rainstorm of excessive severity they should prove effective in eliminating any danger of further flooding.
For the long-term we are proposing to construct additional drainage channels and outlets to take part of the overflow from the Reservoir and so reduce the demands made on the Ming Yuen Street nullah.
MR W. S. B. WONG: —Thank you, Sir.
BANK NOTES ISSUE ORDINANCE
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the following resolution: —
Resolved, pursuant to the proviso to section 5 of the Bank Notes Issue Ordinance Chapter 65, that this Council hereby extends the powers of all the note-issuing banks to make, issue or re-issue and circulate notes until and including the 12th day of July, 1967.
He said: —Your Excellency, the Bank Notes Issue Ordinance. Chapter 65, lays down that the powers of the note-issuing banks lapse automatically unless renewed by this Council from time to time. The present powers of these banks expire on 12th July, 1966. It is proposed in this Resolution that they should be renewed for the maximum permissible period of twelve months.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
IMMIGRATION SERVICE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1966
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled “An Ordinance to amend the Immigration Service Ordinance 1961.”
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 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 6 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
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THE COLONIAL SECRETARY reported that the Immigration Service (Amendment) Bill, 1966 had passed through Committee without amendment and moved the Third reading.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL seconded.
The question was put and agreed to.
The Bill was read a Third time and passed into law.
EVIDENCE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1966
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Evidence Ordinance."
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 Evidence (Amendment) Bill, 1966 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 into law.
TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATIONS 1962
(AMENDMENT) BILL 1966
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the First Schedule to the Telecommunication Regulations 1962 so as to prescribe lower fees in respect of certain licences than those prescribed in the said Schedule and to provide for the making of refunds in consequence of the foregoing."
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 and 2 were agreed to.
Clause 3.
MR K. A. WATSON: —Sir, may I ask how much is the amount of refund?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY: —I regret to say I have no information on that matter.
Clause 3 was then agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY reported that the Telecommunication Regulations 1962 (Amendment) Bill, 1966 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 into law.
GRANTHAM SCHOLARSHIPS FUND (AMENDMENT) BILL 1966
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the Grantham Scholarships Fund Ordinance 1955."
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 FINANCIAL SECRETARY reported that the Grantham Scholarships Fund (Amendment) Bill, 1966 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 into law.
BREWIN TRUST FUND (AMENDMENT) BILL 1966
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY moved the Second reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance further to amend the Brewin Trust Fund Ordinance 1955."
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 and 2 were agreed to.
Council then resumed.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY reported that the Brewin Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 1966 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 into law.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT: —Before we conclude these proceedings I would like to thank both Mr C. Y. KWAN and Mr S. S. GORDON, although they have already left us, for their valuable services to this Council. Their advice and assistance both in Council itself and in Committee have been very greatly appreciated both by the Governor and by myself, and Government is most grateful to them for the contribution that they have made to the Council's business. We are fortunate that their services are not entirely lost to us in that they both remain Members of the Executive Council, where their valued help and advice is still available.
NEXT MEETING
HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT: —There is no immediate business envisaged for the Council in the next two weeks and so I propose to adjourn the Council on this occasion sine die.
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