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control and management of the Commissioner of Police might conceivably turn the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Kowloon into a police state. You did not answer my question; I believe it was your predecessor. Results have proved that my misgivings were not entirely wrong.
The control of metered parking spaces in Kowloon leaves much to be desired, Mr. Chairman, and it is my contention that control should be vested in this Council, where, perhaps, the mere possibility of Urban Councillors putting down a question or raising the matter in Select Committee would inspire the Traffic Police to take action with alacrity. I was going to suggest with unaccustomed alacrity. As it is the representations which are made by citizens and public bodies do not result in the action that is desired. I have recently had the personal experience of having drawn the attention, through your Department, of the Commissioner of Police to certain happenings in the metered car parks in Kowloon without any consequence at all. As a result, there appeared in yesterday's newspaper an editorial on the subject. I do think that there is considerable room for improvement of traffic and parking control, and I am beginning to be more and more convinced that traffic should be within the purview of this Council; in fact, being a Kowloon resident, driving to work every morning through various roads, I have reached the conclusion that traffic could not possibly be worse. Mr. Chairman, I submit that the Traffic Police, for purposes of discipline, might well be under the control of the Commissioner of Police but, for matters of policy, should be under the control of this Council.
Mr. Chairman, may I draw your attention to the vast improvement that has taken place in the beaches of the New Territories since they were placed under the guidance of the Urban Council, and the Commissioner, New Territories, has acted through your Department. Likewise, I am persuaded that traffic in the Colony would be far better controlled and regulated were it placed under the jurisdiction of the Urban Council. As it is, the Traffic Advisory Committee, however effectual it may be within its narrow terms of reference, has not succeeded in coping with this problem. Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that you make representations to Government that the next time a resolution is put before this Council for adoption on the subject of car parking it be far more comprehensive than the one I am supporting today.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, I would like to support the motion. I recall that at the last conventional debate I made a suggestion for Government's consideration that all areas, both on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon where meters have been installed, be brought step by step within the jurisdiction of the Urban Council. I am surprised that it was not possible to put the Tsim Sha Tsui car park, that is the one which is adjacent to the Railway, also under the jurisdiction of this Council, because I understand this is one of the areas
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where car jockeys seem to be quite active. I am quite convinced that Mr. SALES is a man of the people, otherwise he would not have recently been approached by car jockeys. I think that if this particular temporary car park were to be brought under the jurisdiction of this Council more effective measures should be taken to reduce to the minimum any complaints made by members of the motoring public against these so-called car jockeys and I, in support of this motion, would like to suggest that you be good enough to bring this matter to the attention of Government for serious consideration.
MR. BERNACCHI: Mr. Chairman, I would like to stand up solely to congratulate Mr. SALES on his excellent speech.
CHAIRMAN: The motion concerns a delegation of powers by this Council to the Select Committee. Does any other Member wish to speak?
(No other Members wished to speak).
The question was put.
The motion was carried.
THE CHAIRMAN moved the following motion:—
That this Council, as the Competent Authority for Parts IV and V of the Resettlement Ordinance, 1958, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 5(1) of that Ordinance, hereby delegates to the Commissioner for Resettlement the power to appoint authorized officers as defined in Section 2 of that Ordinance.
He said: I rise to move the motion standing in my name as Item 4(2) on the Order Paper, regarding a delegation of power to the Commissioner for Resettlement.
The object of this motion is to enable the Commissioner for Resettlement to appoint "authorized officers" for the purposes of the Resettlement Ordinance. This is a non-controversial motion which has the support of all Members of the Council. The alternative to passing the motion would be for the Resettlement (Policy) Select Committee to appoint the authorized officers, and, in practice, this would prove rather a cumbersome procedure.
I beg to move.
THE VICE-CHAIRMAN seconded.
The question was put.
The motion was carried.
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