ADVISORY COMMITTE ON THE ALLOCATION OF RECREATION GROUNDS
Chairman:
1949-50.
The Hon. Sir Arthur Morse, Kt., C.B.E.
REPORT
To:
Sir,
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
We were appointed by Your Excellency as a Committee under the Chair- manship of the Hon. Sir Arthur Morse, Kt., C.B.E., with the following terms of reference:
(a) To make recommendations regarding the allocation or reallocation of the Recreation Grounds listed in the Table in the Second Schedule of the Pleasure Grounds and Bathing Places Ordinance, No. 29 of 1939, to Associations, Clubs or other recognized Bodies or to Persons holding Statutory Offices.
(b) To advise Government whether in the public interest any alterations in the security of tenure of particular areas are advisable to meet the special needs of certain Associations or Clubs.
2. We held our first meeting on Tuesday, 6th December, 1949, at which we resolved that, if the Committee was to be in a position to make recommendations of lasting value to Government then it was desirable that the terms of reference be broadened. Accordingly a letter dated the 9th December, 1949, a copy of which is at Appendix I, was forwarded to the Honourable the Colonial Secretary.
3. Your Excellency, having due regard to the opinions expressed in that letter, was pleased to extend the terms of reference by the addition of a third paragraph as follows:-
4.
(c) To make any other recommendation which the Committee considers advisable regarding Recreation Grounds and Playgrounds generally in the Urban District.
On these subjects we have the honour to submit the following report.
I.
Introduction.
1.
At the first meeting, arising out of consideration of the terms of reference the following factors affecting the problem facing us were enumerated:-
(a) That the Table to the 2nd Schedule of the Ordinance No. 29 of 1936 listed all grass covered recreation grounds in the Urban area with the exception of the Hong Kong Cricket Club, the Railway Grounds at Chatham Road, the Army Ground at Gun Club Hill, any ground within the airfield in Kai Tak, and any private ground such as those attached to certain schools.
(b) That the majority of the grounds listed in the Table to Second Schedule were allocated to old established Clubs which had been in possession of their grounds since before 1932 and which clubs, in the majority of cases, had spent considerable sums of money in rehabilitating club- houses and grounds since 1945.
(c) That all Service Grounds in the Urban area with the exceptions quoted
in (a) above are listed in this Table.
(d) That recently a Committee under the Chairmanship of the Hon. Dr. Fehily had made certain recommendations in regard to Service Grounds. These recommendations however had been made when the Garrison was but a fifth of its present size.
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