HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I know nothing about that. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN :—I accept the answer, Sir.
Page 72 of 194
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:
Will be fairly soon?
CHAIRMAN:-I hope so.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
Will the Commissioner for Resettlement make a statement as to how extensive is the influx of former tenement dwellers who have moved into squatter areas due to redevelopment of old property? Does the Commissioner have any figures indicating how large the influx has been in the past two years?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
The Resettlement Department has never compiled any precise statistics on the origins of squatters and so I regret that I am not in a position to attempt to make any worthwhile estimate of the extent to which former tenement dwellers have moved into squatter areas due to redevelopment of old property. However, I would point out that the recently appointed Working Party on Resettlement and Low-cost Housing, which contains nominees of the Urban Council, has been given the task of assessing the effects of trends such as this upon resettlement and low-cost housing and Mr. CHEONG-LEEN may therefore find an authoritative answer to his question in the Working Party's report, when it becomes available.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Could I ask the Commissioner whether there has been any noticeable tendency for tenement dwellers to move into squatter areas, even though no estimate can be made of the number of persons?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -I agree that it is quite likely that the numbers have increased.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Thank you. Does the Commissioner know when the first meeting of this Working Party will be held?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I do not know.
CHAIRMAN:-Neither do I, Sir. But I am aware of the fact that the Chairman has been carrying on a considerable amount of preparatory work behind the scenes with the help of the Resettlement Department and the Secretary of the Working Party. Although I have no information I would guess the first meeting will be soon.
MR. CHAN SHU-WOON asked the following question:
In view of the acute water shortage, will the Chairman state under what conditions will food premises be permitted to use well water for drinking purposes?
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:—
To my previous answers I would only add that no food premises have been, or will be, given permission to use well water for drinking purposes.
All our advice and publicity has been directed to encouraging people to boil all water supplied from doubtful sources for drinking and cooking. In addition Members are reminded of the advice given by the Medical and Health Department regarding the use of chloride of lime solution for the treatment of stored water. This advice appeared in the press on 19th June, 1963.
MR. CHAN SHU-WOON asked the following question:-
Will the Chairman advise how many people have been drowned in the Victoria Park Swimming Pool since it was open to the public and what measures will be taken to avert further fatal accidents?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
Victoria Park Swimming Pool has now been open to the public for almost six years and during that time there have been six swimming fatalities. During the same period a total of 1,670,725 persons have used the pool and the Department's life saving staff have made 264 successful rescues. The Department operates a continuous life saving service whenever the pool is open to the public and up-to-date resuscitation equipment is available for immediate use. The Department has three qualified life guards on duty at the pool at all times during the week, and this number