1961

of 110

Page 178

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

with important implications for the whole Colony, and it will require much deliberation.

The needs of Resettlement Areas and Estates are kept in view in the overall provision."

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, I have no supplementary questions as a New Year gesture of goodwill, but on a point of clarification, may I refer to paragraph 6 of the reply. I would have dearly loved to ask a question concerning primary and secondary universal education for the whole Colony, but knowing that we have an efficient Chairman and that I would have been ruled out of order if I had asked such a question I confined myself to Resettlement Estates and Areas.

Dr. R. H. S. LEE, Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, moved the following motion:

"THAT the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances (Amendment) By-laws, 1962, be made under section 15 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, No. 30 of 1960."

He said: Mr. Chairman, if people think that we are immune to social changes current in other parts of the world in this atomic age, they are sadly reminded by the growing difficulties of engaging domestic servants who are prepared to work under the same working terms and conditions of an era which is rapidly fading away before our eyes. If the pattern is different in Hong Kong the change is unmistakable.

Sir, from the Council's point of view this is particularly obvious in the field of scavenging, where our private refuse collection is growing to such a scale that it can be regarded as a business. In most cases, however, they replace the pre-war servants, who used to carry the refuse to the refuse collecting vehicle. Mr. Chairman, the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee has considered the question carefully and endorses the views of Crown Counsel that the present trend of private refuse collection can be controlled by amending the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances By-laws, 1960, without actually resorting to licensing the operators. The Committee feels that an adequate trial period by this means should be tried out first before any licensing procedure be adopted. As many refuse collectors convey refuse on the roads without regard to public health, provision is made for containers to be covered during the conveyance to the refuse collection point. The By-laws also forbid the employment of children—I am sure very dear to Dr. BELL's heart—under the age of 16 in the trade.

With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in moving the motion that stands in my name on behalf of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, of which I have the pleasure to be Chairman.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

179

MR. K. A. WATSON: Mr. Chairman, in accordance with the New Year Resolution to cut down speeches to a minimum and in the hope of encouraging my colleagues to do likewise, I will confine myself to saying: I beg to second.

The question was put.

The motion was carried.

ADJOURNMENT.

CHAIRMAN:- That concludes the business of this meeting. As the first Tuesday in February is a public holiday Council now stands adjourned, subject to Members' wishes and convenience, until Tuesday, 13th February, 1962, at 4 p.m.

Page 97 of 110

Page 179

Page 180