HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, with your permission, may I say that it has always been, and always will be, my purpose that the aim should be attained regardless of whether it be through the Civil Service or through the long-suffering public. Does that satisfy Mr. CHEONG-LEEN?
CHAIRMAN: Silence is consent.
MR. SALES: -May I suggest that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN ask me more supplementaries through you, Mr. Chairman. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -May I ask another supplementary, Mr. Chairman? Is Mr. SALES aware that two years ago, when this question was raised, certain Members of this Council were informed, unofficially, that this Council could have no hope of having its own public relations officer until the Police had their own public relations officer, and that the problem at that time, just as it is now, was the finding of a person with special training and ability?
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I ask Mr. CHEONG-LEEN whether he was alluding to the occasion when he was invited by the Director of Information Services to a private lunch to which we, the other Councillors, were not? (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask Mr. SALES, through you, whether or not he was not invited?
CHAIRMAN: -Gentlemen, I think further elaborations should be reserved for the Standing Committee.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I now ask a supplementary question? Is it Government's policy to establish an order of priority in relation to the work of the Information Services Department concerning various other Government departments?
CHAIRMAN: -I am sorry, Sir, I have not understood your question. Could you please repeat it?
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, in what position does the Urban Council stand in the order of priority of the Information Services Department?
CHAIRMAN: -Sir, if I understand your question correctly I think you are alluding to an order of priority that may not exist.
MR. SALES: In the circumstances, Mr. Chairman, why is it that so much, and such important attention, has been given to Hong Kong's image abroad, and the work of the Urban Council, which relates to the life of the citizens in Hong Kong, has been virtually neglected by the Information Services Department? May I ask you to refer that to the Select Committee concerned?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN: -Sir, my information is not in accordance with the statement that you have made indicating that the major part of the activities of the Information Services Department is concerned with Hong Kong's image abroad to the detriment of local publicity work. I would like to suggest that this matter be taken up further at our meeting this afternoon.
MR. SALES: -I am agreeable, Mr. Chairman, but I would like to suggest that at no time did I refer to publicity. I have always referred to public relations and I would like to make a distinction between publicity and public relations.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, may I ask Mr. SALES, through you, whether the Department is rather concerned that it does not infringe on Mr. SALES' territory in Kowloon in the matter of public relations?
MR. SALES: Kowloon has suffered from entire neglect by that Department.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -With Mr. SALES there?
MR. SALES: -Thank you.
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:
Will you please state what facilities are planned for the whole of the Kowloon Tsai Park and Playground? When is it expected that each amenity will be available to the public? Have all public funds that are required for this project been approved and allocated?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
The new Kowloon Tsai Park and Swimming Pool are being built on a site of 37 acres near Kowloon City. Of this area, 4 acres are being used for the new swimming pool and its ancillary buildings such as changing rooms, administration block, refreshment rooms and staff quarters. These are being built with a generous donation from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and will be completed this summer. The park comprises the remaining 33 acres and has been planned in three stages.
The first stage comprises turfing and tree planting for 26 acres of park and garden, including one full-size grassed soccer pitch and four junior grassed soccer pitches. Benches
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