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and, I hope, the appointed unofficial members too, will support me in the view that it is time that the United Nations consider giving immediate and urgent aid to help us solve our serious housing, education, medical and other problems arising from this enormous refugee influx.
I think, Mr. Chairman, I have said enough about the refugee problem, and its relation to our housing situation, but before sitting down I would like to comment briefly on just a few matters which have a more direct bearing on the work of the Urban Council.
I recall that when I ran for election a year ago, I made special reference to the need for expediting work on the new $20 million abattoir. Progress on the construction of this new abattoir appears to be somewhat retarded and I would welcome a statement from the Chairman as to when construction will actually commence.
One aspect of Council activity which requires patient attention and public sympathy is our hawker problem. It is a perplexing problem, complicated by the fact that hawkers comprise a large segment of the community. Without allowing them to obstruct public thoroughfares or to impede the public from going about their legitimate business, it is incumbent upon this Council not to make it too difficult for hawkers to sell their wares and to earn their living. The Civic Association has been receiving a constant stream of complaints from both hawkers and members of the public alike. We wish to assure all concerned that our elected members, together with other Council members, will do everything possible to ease the burden of our hawker community to earn a living, without prejudice to the rights of the rest of the community.
Various aspects of sanitation have already been dealt with by Dr. Woo Pak Foo and other Council members, and I can only add that I would fully support any steps which the Council should take to embark upon a constructive programme of health education, particularly within the resettlement areas.
Since the Urban Council is represented on the Traffic Advisory Committee, I do not think it out of place here to express the hope that the Traffic Department will install appropriate warning lights at zebra crossings for the benefit of motorists
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as soon as such become available. At the same time, the Traffic Department should be complimented upon the vigorous manner in which it is pushing ahead with its traffic safety campaign. I believe that the proposed Traffic Safety Council put forward by the Junior Chamber of Commerce could be of immense benefit to the community, and I would like to see this Safety Council established at the earliest possible date.
At the last Legislative Council Budget Debate, one of the Unofficial members emphasized the need for improving our tourist facilities. Members of this Council are aware of the fact that our beaches are part of the Colony's main tourist attractions. I feel that the Council should direct its efforts not merely at keeping our beaches in good and clean condition, as has been mentioned by Mr. Chan Shu Woon, but it should also consider what further facilities and amenities could be provided to make them even more attractive to our ever-growing tourist trade. Also, completion of the park for the Li Cheng Uk Tomb should be expedited, since this historic relic ought to be of interest to visitors to the Colony.
The improvement and expansion of our parks and playgrounds have already been mentioned by Mr. Li Yiu Bor and other Council members. I would merely reiterate the need for the early installation of lighting facilities at Victoria Park, as was pointed out at last year's Annual Debate by Mr. P. C. Woo.
During the last election campaign, Mr. Chairman, it was advocated that there should be sweeping constitutional changes in the Urban Council. The Civic Association takes the moderate view that while constitutional reform is important, it is of much more immediate importance that all Council members, elected, appointed or official, should pool together their resources and strength in order to help solve the urgent problems of squatter resettlement, housing, sanitation, hawker control, etc., that face the community today. I have no doubt, Mr. Chairman, that this view has the full endorsement of the majority of members sitting on this Council. (Applause).
MR. A. de O. SALES :- Mr. Chairman, thank you and the other members for the way you have made me welcome today.
Circumstances find me in the privileged position of being the last unofficial member to speak in this annual debate. When first told of this convention, Sir, my immediate reaction was that
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