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MR. SALES:
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Thank you very much for your most comprehensive answer, Mr. Chairman. It is in fact a great essay on facilities in Kowloon. May I suggest that it be printed in extenso and referred to all the institutions in Kowloon, so that they may be properly aided by your research.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, if there is no supplementary by MR. SALES, may I, with your permission, ask a very simple supplementary question. Why possibly should Kowloon receive more favourable treatment than Hong Kong, as stated in your reply?
CHAIRMAN: You see, the number of floors is only 21% more, but the total number of workers in Kowloon is considerably higher.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Is not this favouritism, Mr. Chairman, somewhat foreign to the Urban Services Department?
CHAIRMAN: We are always very concerned about Kowloon.
MR. SALES: Thank you for your assurance, Mr. Chairman. May I ask you to remind MR. CHEONG-LEEN that 50% of the voters are in Kowloon. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: That still has to be proved statistically.
MR. A. DE O. SALES asked the following question:
"May this Council know what is being planned for the vacant land at the junction of Ma Tau Wei Road and Pau Chung Street?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
.........
"This refers to an area of Crown land between Ma Tau Wei Road, Pau Chung Street and Lok Shan Road, which was recently cleared of squatter huts and motor repair shops. It is adjacent to To Kwa Wan Market.
[At this point, the Chairman indicated the position on the plan on the blackboard]
This area of roughly 3/5th of an acre is earmarked in the approved town plan for Public open space, with which fact the Urban Amenities Select Committee (of which you were then a member) were acquainted in March of this year when Members of that Committee approved Urban Services Department layout plan No. 359 R. This layout comprises a Children's Playground, two Basket-ball Courts, one Volley-ball Court and Sitting-out facilities.
Members of the Committee were further informed in March that pending a firm estimate of cost, it would not be possible to say whether the project could be financed from
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the Block Amenities Vote or would require to be included in the Public Works Programme. Estimates recently received from the Public Works Department indicate that this Recreation Ground, as now planned and including work by the Superintendent of Gardens, would cost in the region of $150,000 (which would take it outside the scope of the Block Vote). The possibilities of forming, surfacing and fencing the area only are now being examined and it is hoped that this work, if found to be feasible and within the $100,000 limit, and if approved by the Select Committee concerned, could be started in a few months time - subject to the release of funds. If not within the financial limit, it will be necessary to submit the item for inclusion in the programme of Public Works, 1961/62.”
MR. SALES: As a point of clarification, if it is submitted for the Programme for Public Works, what priority would be attached to this project?
CHAIRMAN: That depends on the decision of the Committee, MR. SALES.
MR. SALES: In that event, Mr. Chairman, may I ask you to refer to the Committee the fact that the area in question is very densely populated without adequate facilities.
CHAIRMAN: The fact will be brought to the attention of the Committee.
MR. SALES: Thank you very much. There being no other supplementary question, with your permission Mr. Chairman, I will proceed to asking question No. 3.
MR. A. DE O. SALES asked the following question:
"Does the Chairman not agree that every effort should be made to tidy up all roadside plots on the way from the airport to Tsim Sha Tsui?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"I agree entirely that every effort should be made to tidy up the roadside plots on the way from the airport to Tsim Sha Tsui and that the same should be done for all such areas throughout the Urban area.
The question of the Kai Tak approach has been continuously before my staff since you last raised it in March of 1959, but as you are undoubtedly aware, the planning of major road-junctions must be completed before full amenity development can be put in hand. In addition, the issue
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