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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
With regard to the existence of meat shops near Markets, which was mentioned by Mr. Li Fook-shu, the position is as follows. If a meat shop has complied with all the conditions requisite to the granting of a licence, a licence cannot be withheld by Council. Immediately after the war, meat shops were encouraged to open up anywhere, in order to break a price-ring organized by stallholders. Obviously, it is not desirable to have meat shops too close to Markets, and it may be possible to arrange this by means of restrictive covenants in areas where new building development takes place. In the older areas, however, the position cannot be remedied. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and Gentlemen, at the previous meeting of Council, when I introduced the motion which led to this debate, I said that I looked forward with great interest to the speeches which would be made by Members. I can say now that I found them to be most stimulating, covering as they did such a wide variety of subjects. My official colleagues in their speeches have already referred to various points which were raised; and it now remains for me to add my contribution to what they have said.
Several Members touched on the question of constitutional reform. All the observations made in this connection have been forwarded to the Colonial Secretary.
Mr. Ernest WONG raised the question of allowing the parents of successful applicants to be included for accommodation in the Housing Authority's estates, thus encouraging filial virtues. The short answer is that they are allowed. The size of a flat offered to an applicant is determined solely by the size of his family, from the particulars which he gives on the application form. Parents are not excluded.
It is possible that Mr. WONG has come across an individual case where an applicant wishes to add the names of his parents, after having been allocated a flat which is not big enough to accommodate the parents as well. Such cases, when they arise, are dealt with on their merits, and if a larger, suitable flat is available, it would normally be offered to the applicant concerned.
Mr. CHEONG-LEEN'S interesting views on the desirability of re-organizing the Housing Authority and the Housing Division of the Urban Services Department, and on the need for building societies in the Colony, have been brought to Government's attention.
Mr. BERNACCHI emphasized that the City Hall should be a true centre for the public of Hong Kong and that we must not allow it to become a White Elephant. He is, of course, well aware of the work being done by the City Hall (Policy) Select Committee, in whose deliberations he provides much valuable advice.
I agree with
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Mr. SALES that we can rely on the members of that Select Committee to prevent the pigmentation of our civic centre from becoming unduly pale.
Dr. LEE asked that greater attention be paid to the cleanliness of markets and of areas adjoining building sites. Mr. FUNG Hon-chu also touched upon the need to improve our cleansing services. Steps are already being taken to re-deploy street-washing crews and vehicles during this summer, so that maximum use is made of the labour and equipment available. Pressure flushing of road surfaces and side channels in thoroughfares where large building projects are under way, to lay dust and keep the side channels clean, is now carried out every other night between the hours of 1 o'clock and 7 o'clock, unless there has been heavy rain. More frequent cleansing of the areas around markets, of hawker sites, and of those covered pavements in over-crowded localities which the rains do not reach, is being organized.
Dr. LEE and Mr. Li Fook-shu drew attention to the conditions existing at some of the Council's Markets. Unfortunately, in some cases, these are still far from ideal. To some extent, however, this is due to the unsatisfactory layout of the premises, which provide stallholders with a space where they not only have to display their goods for sale to the public but also to receive and prepare these goods. This results, at certain times of the day, in congestion and obstruction in the passages, which get wet and dirty. This is inevitable when deliveries are made from the wholesale markets to the retailers, but there is no reason why there should be obstructed and dirty passages in the Markets at other times, and every effort is made by the staff to eliminate this. At the small open markets, the problem is aggravated by the rubbish deposited and obstruction caused by hawkers. During the rush hours of business, conditions are generally not good, mainly because the cleansing staff are unable to do much while the Markets are crowded with people. I am satisfied, however, that the Overseers and their subordinate staff are aware of the necessity to keep their Markets and surrounding areas as clean and free from obstruction as possible.
As Members are aware, Council has an extensive programme for providing adequate modern Markets to replace the present inadequate premises. These new Markets will not only provide the stallholder with a stall for the display and sale of goods, but also, where space permits, with a working and delivery portion at the rear of the stall, while bays for the unloading of goods from lorries will also be built wherever the site is big enough.
Mr. Wilfred WONG brought up the question of restricting the number of pedlar hawker licences. Members will recall that this matter was dealt with at some length at the meeting of the Council in
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