Page 63 of 139
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The new policy, briefly, is to prevent, by recourse to the Courts, the occupation of any basement in premises erected in accordance with the Building Ordinance, 1956, unless these were specifically designed for occupation. Existing basements will be subject to the normal control relating to sanitary nuisances.
The effect of this will be that as redevelopment proceeds fewer basements will be inhabited.
MR. R. C. LEE asked the following question :-
"Arising out of my questions last year relating to the nuisance caused to pedestrians by dripping water from air condition units, will the Chairman kindly inform the Council what action, if any, has been taken to eradicate such a nuisance ?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows :-
This concerns nuisances in air condition units.
"Consequent upon your question last year sir, a survey was made and action was taken to abate the various nuisances found from air-condition units. The Inspectorate are always on the lookout for such nuisances and take action whenever one is found."
MR. R. C. LEE asked the following question :
"Is the Chairman aware that night soil which has been dumped into the sea has been washed back on to some of our beaches and destroying their amenities ?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
This concerns fouling of beaches.
"I have heard of only one such complaint at Stanley and have received no reports of recent date from the departmental staff at beaches. I would also question your implication that any nightsoil on beaches necessarily results from dumping at sea. A series of tests carried out in 1952 with coloured floats dropped in the area where nightsoil is dumped at sea failed to produce any floats at all washed up on beaches."
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Mr. R. C. LEE asked the following question
"Is there any danger of cholera to swimmers on beaches where night soil is present?"
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:-
"Available epidemiological information simply indicates that no such danger exists."
MR. R. C. LEE asked the following question :-
"Is it possible to cease the dumping of night soil into the sea and utilize it totally for production of fertilizer ?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
This concerns dumping of a limited quantity of night soil at sea.
"At present, all nightsoil collected by the Urban Services Department is delivered to the maturation tanks at Tsuen Wan, except for about 6 tons a day collected by tanker lorry from temporary latrines in squatter areas. This is pumped into a tanker barge which cannot be unloaded except by means of the sluice valve at the bottom. As a result, the contents are necessarily dumped at sea in the area of Kau I Chau, every third day. It is hoped that, under proposals which are about to be laid before Council, a new collection system will be introduced whereby the maturation tanks at Tsuen Wan will accept all night-soil collected daily by the Urban Services Department. In other words, there will be no further dumping at sea."
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
That concludes the questions, and before concluding the business of this meeting I have to advise members of a change in the official membership of this Council. Dr. P. H. Teng who has served this Council so faithfully since March, 1956 is to take up another post in the Medical Department. I know that members
Page 63 of 139
107