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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Dutiable Commodities Ordinance Chapter 109 provides for appeals direct to the Governor-in-Council against any decisions by the Board of Licensing Justices.
However, I shall be happy to forward the questions you have raised to Government if you so wish."
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MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I firstly thank you for a very elucidating reply which throws much light on the subject. May I invite your attention to the first sentence of the second paragraph of your reply wherein you state "Tsim Sha Tsui cannot be considered the chief offender." Would it not be true to say that on the contrary of being an offender Tsim Sha Tsui has been more sinned against than sinning, the offending party being the Board of Licensing Justices?
CHAIRMAN: I am afraid I cannot express an opinion on this matter.
MR. SALES: -May I have my comments minuted. Secondly, may I take advantage of your kind offer to refer this matter to Government.
CHAIRMAN: -I should be most happy to refer it to Government.
MR. SALES: May I, with your permission, add a rider to that. Would you, Mr. Chairman, like to listen to the rider?
(a) That the composition of the Board of Licensing Justices does not at the present time include any person living in Kowloon, not at the meeting that I attended.
(b) That the proof of the pudding is in the eating, that in the opinion of certain residents of Kowloon, the Board of Licensing Justices has been trigger happy in the issue of such licences to establishments in Kowloon.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, may I ask a couple of supplementaries.
MR. C. Y. KWAN: -A couple! (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -I could not help paying attention to MR. SALES' remarks about Tsim Sha Tsui sinning and being sinned against. Both are equally well divided.
MR. SALES: -Would you like me to remind you that many voters are living in that area. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -I speak only from my conscience, Mr. Chairman, not from the voters' point of view. My first supplementary, Mr. Chairman, is that since you have agreed to forward the questions that MR. SALES raised, would you care to include the subject of mahjong schools as well?
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CHAIRMAN: -I am afraid not. I should require notice of that question.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -At least we will not increase the licence fees as much as the Education Department increase the school fees. The other supplementary, Mr. Chairman, which I hope is in order, is: do you realize, Mr. Chairman, that in allowing this question to be put on the agenda you have violated Standing Order 8(8) that “a question shall be confined to matters within the jurisdiction of the Urban Council"? I think that is Chairman's licence.
MR. SALES: -On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, I dispute that. As a member of the Standing Orders & Procedure Select Committee, I dispute MR. CHEONG-LEEN's ruling on that point. Nevertheless, I am delighted to know that MR. CHEONG-LEEN pays attention to our Standing Orders.
CHAIRMAN: Please, please, we have a long agenda.
REPORT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE APPOINTMENT OF THE ORGANIZER, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AS A MEMBER OF THE URBAN AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE.
CHAIRMAN: -I call on MR. SALES to make a report as the Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee.
MR. A. DE O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, the report which I made is in the text of the agenda-Item 4. It is an oversight and we are now taking the necessary steps to make good that deficiency by the inclusion of the Organizer of Physical Education as a member of the Select Committee concerned.
MOTIONS.
THE CHAIRMAN moved the following first resolution:
"RESOLVED that the Bathing Beach By-laws, 1960, be made under Section 109 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, No. 30 of 1960."
He said: I rise to move the first resolution standing in my name on the Order Paper regarding the adoption of the draft Bathing Beach By-laws, 1960.
This is the first meeting of the Council at which there is the sanction of the new Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, which was enacted by the Legislature on the 13th July. The Ordinance and any
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