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to Tsuen Wan. My suggestion was to make them both three-lane for the time being, with two up lanes and one down lane, as is done in Australia and the U.K. On the Shaukiwan road they seem to be building a glorified passing bay which I feel certain will only increase the traffic problem on that hill. In Tsuen Wan, although on Radio Hong Kong's road report they say "slight delays may occur through blasting", I was delayed for half an hour, a delay which I would not begrudge if it were occasioned by the making of the third lane. The time spent in waiting might perhaps be usefully employed on a weigh bridge to check the weights carried by various lorries.
I have mentioned on previous occasions the subject of providing capital for the Housing Authority from the Government Sweeps and I reiterate this suggestion. In addition, I would support the views put forward by the Honourable S. S. GORDON in the Budget Debate for housing to be made available to the middle-income group. This, if approved, could be conveniently placed under the direction of the Housing Authority and whilst appreciating the views put forward by the Honourable Financial Secretary, especially the use of the Colony's reserves and the news that outside finance may be available, I would humbly suggest that the object of the exercise is to put up more housing as quickly as possible. Consideration could also be given to the sale of the existing type of flats, the Authority utilizing the increased revenue in building more flats for sale. Whilst on the subject of increasing revenue, I noticed in Singapore that the Singapore Improvement Trust, an organization familiar to the Commissioner for Housing, rent out the end walls of their buildings for "blinking signs" (Laughter), and perhaps under their present make-up both the Urban Amenities and Housing Authority could look into the matter unemotionally.
In conclusion, I would like to congratulate all members of the Urban Services Department staff on the way they carry out their multifarious tasks with seeming pleasure.
DR. R. H. S. LEE:- Mr. Chairman, when local government elections are compared with national elections, they suffer in comparison because the stakes involved in a national election are immeasurably greater, and the interest aroused varies in proportion. At present, we have not the equivalent of a national election. When we have elected members for the Legislative Council, we may gauge the ardour of the local electorate. Although the interest shown in local council election is never high, it is in this Council's interest to examine the cause of the apparent local apathy towards Urban Council Elections.
There is no shadow of doubt that if the power of the Urban Council is vastly increased, more interest will be shown. It is an anachronism to regard the Urban Council as a little more than a sanitary board.
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It should have under its control education, health services, transportation, fire brigade, and social welfare-services normally associated with and provided by a city council. It is ridiculous, Mr. Chairman, that when so large a section of the electorate are teachers, education is not directly under the control of the Council, or more ridiculously still, the Council is not even represented on the Education Board. Education, Mr. Chairman, is still very much an unsolved problem. We owe it to the young generation to resolve it to the best of our ability. We feel that extra stimulus can be supplied by the Urban Council as is shown in the work of resettlement and housing.
There is no doubt, Sir, that if Hong Kong is to keep up with the rapid progress of the world, it has to follow the examples of other major cities if it is not to be left behind. Traffic and transportation are no exceptions. It is no good playing with the problem by having a dichotomy of controls. It should be unified under a central organization such as a "Highway Authority" with the overall responsibility for planning and provisions for modern roads, vehicular traffic, public transport, and the like. It should be staffed by adequate and qualified personnel. At this point, Sir, I would like to reiterate my plea for a modern transport system, e.g., a monorail, to cover Hong Kong, Kowloon, and part of the New Territories. Unless a major decision is taken now, there is no likely solution to Hong Kong's pressing transport or traffic problems.
In view of Hong Kong's huge population, the time is opportune to concentrate the health services of the Colony under a single department. It should be divorced from the purely hospital and out-patient's side of the Medical Service, and placed under the control of a separate Director. Instead of having a Deputy Director to be our Vice Chairman, he should be a Director in his own right. As most of our population are rural in their health habits, it is more important than ever that we should mount more health campaigns to overcome the obnoxious habit of spitting in the streets, of throwing litter on the pavements and lanes, and to promote civic pride in keeping the city clean. Miss Ping On has been over-worked. We should bring in Mr. Hop Tsok (Laughter) to get the populace to co-operate more in health measures which are solely for their benefit.
With the onset of the swimming season, we must not relax in our endeavours to make and keep our beaches clean and attractive because swimming is our most popular recreation. For those who cannot afford the expense of using our distant beaches, it is important for us to press for the early realization of more swimming pools in the urban areas such as Kennedy Town, Cheung Sha Wan, and Hung Hom. We must bear in mind also the growing danger to the public of swimming in the polluted water of the harbour, and the hazards of lengthy delay.
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