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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Now I must revert to the problem of administration. Following closely upon the operations of the Urban Services Department during the past year and in the light of the Government's determination to implement the report of the Advisory Committee on Corruption and the Efficacy of the Anti-Corruption Branch, the number of reports of mal-practices of Health Inspectors has been gradually reduced. Indeed this last year was a year in which the Urban Services Department can be very proud of its record. However, we cannot eliminate corruption entirely just as human society can never entirely banish evil and it behoves the Council continually to make known to all licensees that they are under obligation to no one whatsoever if they follow the regulations. In fact, I think we could make a special effort in getting this message across to all the licensees, especially to those of the food and food premises.
Hawkers and Markets
The problem of hawkers and hawking is as deep as Government itself since basically it deals with people. I served for three years on the Hawkers Select Committee and, having participated in the Supplementary Hawker Report and visited the hawkers in different hawker areas, I must confess that the more I know about them, the more I know what I do not know. However, it is a problem where we have, on the one hand, to take the practical stand to recognize hawking as a trade and the means of living for a certain section of the people and, on the other hand, to contain the problem so that it does not hinder the peaceful enjoyment of life by other residents.
A recent survey revealed that the containment of hawking had succeeded in that hawking was not a problem with 90% of the streets. The Hawker Control Force which controls the streets in the remaining 10% hawking area seems to be getting along better, although still too under-staffed as yet to establish its prestige as a new force. People living in streets where hawking is a chronic problem are generally meek about their complaints, although as tax payers they have more rights than hawkers who are merely licensees.
Of the 10% of the streets which are in the hawking area and this is not a small area considering the density of population in Hong Kong and Kowloon, much better conditions could be created. Just to name a few streets on the Hong Kong side, I would mention particularly Bowrington Road, Stone Nullah Lane, Cross Street, Tai Yuen Street, and Wanchai Road; and with the approval of the members from Kowloon, Nam Cheong Street, Canton Road, and Pei Ho Street in Kowloon. We must also bear in mind the conditions in the Kowloon City area and the future hawker problems in Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan. These factors should have a bearing on the strength of the Hawker Control Force which is now being mooted.
The number of hawkers is now estimated to exceed 100,000. This includes fixed pitch hawkers, pedlar hawkers, and unlicensed hawkers. Although there is a temporary lull in their problems this year, we should be on guard against any steps which might be construed as indicating that hawking is to be generally encouraged. The fact of the matter is that hawkers have not made full use of the privileges of the pedlar licence. One positive measure is to have more hawker bazaars and multi-purpose markets to absorb hawkers and to clear the streets for traffic and peaceful enjoyment of people's living premises. The opening of the Multi-Purpose Tang Lung Chau Market which cleared Jardine's Bazaar is a successful case in point. I hope a greater priority could be allotted to hawker bazaars and markets.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in supporting the Statement of Progress and Policy for 1963.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I thank you and Members of the Council for your kind welcome.
I have been instructed by a Kowloon member to show the Kowloon colours. I do that by stating that in Kowloon City where I live, we have quite enough unofficial offensive trades (Laughter). I therefore suggest that in order to implement Mr. Wilson WANG's views, all offensive trades be removed to the vicinity of the golf course at Shek O (Laughter).
As a newcomer to the Urban Council, I realize that it is all too easy to make a faux-pas through lack of absolute accuracy of knowledge of subjects which one has so far studied mainly from the outside, and mainly from the human aspect. I have looked at Hong Kong for 12 years through the eyes of the people, mainly the eyes of the Chinese people, and mainly the eyes of the poor ones. The knowledge I have of Hong Kong and its problems is not based on technical terminology and cold statistics, though of course these are necessary; but being a history teacher, I have not neglected the lessons of history, and being a teacher by vocation, I have never viewed any problem with any thought of personal gain or privilege. I cannot look at prosperity in terms of balance in the bank, since that gives a false sense of security, and history has always proved that the final outcome in any society rests upon the people. The greatest security anywhere rests upon the happiness of the people. Mid-Victorian Britain was prosperous: British prestige was never higher; trade was never better; industry was never more prosperous; rich people were never so rich. But Dickens showed one side of British life that belied her prosperity, and no doubt that contributed to the decline at the end of the century.
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