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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I think the main intention of an outline development plan is to have one which we feel is more suited to Hong Kong's special requirements. That is, to have a plan which is extremely flexible, which can be altered at very short notice, and which can certainly be revised from year to year, because anything like a master plan of the traditional type would be far too inflexible for a place like Hong Kong, where conditions change so quickly and so often.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-In other words, this outline development plan is for over a certain period of years, say, 10 years. Am I correct?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-What we are going to try to do is to prepare a plan which will enable us to assess likely future trends of population and industry to a certain potential development value and the feasibility of new areas, that is to say, whether it is worth going to, for example, Castle Peak or Sha Tin or Lantao or somewhere on the Island: to look into each of these possibilities and to consider in relation to those areas the questions of communications and services, and having investigated perhaps half a dozen of such areas decide that A or B is the one to concentrate on next. But after coming to a decision a new set of circumstances might easily arise, whereby we have got to switch from B to C. We hope to get the plan completed, for what it is worth, within three years, and then there will be continuous revision the whole time.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-In other words, Mr. Chairman, there was no such co-ordinated approach to development hitherto?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I think it is fair to say that there has been no such approach.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, may I express my full appreciation to the Honourable Director of Public Works for his reply.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
Is the Chairman aware of complaints from residents of Pak Tai Street, To Kwa Wan, about unauthorized outsiders who sleep at night in the rear staircases fouling up the place and causing sanitary nuisances therein? When such complaints reach the inspectorate, can the Chairman state what appropriate actions are taken to abate such nuisances?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
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A search of the records indicates that no such complaints have been received, either in the head office or by the district health staff.
Following the receipt of your question an inspection, made after midnight, revealed only two persons sleeping on staircases in that street. No sanitary nuisances were found, either on that inspection or on a previous one made in the day-time.
The staircases of tenement houses are private property, and the responsibility of the department is limited to ensuring that they are clean and that no statutory nuisances arise. When staircases are found to be fouled the normal action taken is to request the owner or occupiers to clean them, because, as you will appreciate, Sir, it is extremely difficult in such cases to find the person or persons responsible for the fouling.
This department has no powers to take action against persons sleeping on staircases, and if a complaint is received, the matter is reported to the Police. If there is a serious obstruction by paraphernalia the Fire Services Department is informed.
DR. LEE:-If your records do not show complaints on that score, would you like me to supply you with details of a complaint later?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir. I would be glad to look into it.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
Is the Chairman aware of the irritating fumes and smoke nuisances produced by the cement factory and the electric utility in Hung Hom to the detriment of the local residents? What steps can the Chairman take to abate such nuisances?
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
This question has been raised at intervals since 1951 but in recent years only two complaints have been received; one from residents of Hung Hom and one from the Military Authorities concerning the site for the Military Hospital at King's Park.
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