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factories. The Police will, however, continue to take action.
As regards the cleansing arrangements, this section of street forms part of the beat of 2 labourers working from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The sweeping frequency laid down for these beats is 4 times daily. There is no evening beat. The nearest refuse collection stop is approximately 100 yards away on the Cheung Sha Wan Road. This stop is serviced twice daily by the refuse collection van serving No. 8 Route.
A special cleansing squad operates in this street and the adjacent scavenging lanes once every 29 days in accordance with a fixed programme.
In addition, a lorry makes periodic visits to the area to pick up any abandoned boxes, crates, or other articles left on the street.
There is room for improvement of standards in other streets in this area, including the Cheung Sha Wan Road extension. This is now being looked into.
DR. LEE: When are all these various steps going to take place, Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN: I am sorry, Sir, I do not quite follow your question. What various steps are you referring to?
DR. LEE: You said that the Police came along and cleared these unlicensed cooked food stalls and that further steps would be taken to keep the street clean. I pass by this area practically every day and only yesterday I found the street just as filthy as ever. Furthermore, may I inform you that the street in question has been a subject of complaint from a large factory there and, according to the complainant, the filth on the street is a subject of criticism by foreign customers who visit the factory concerned.
CHAIRMAN: In view of your remarks, the matter will be pursued with increased vigour.
DR. LEE: Thank you.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
Is there a programme to paint meat vans periodically and regularly? Judging from the appearance of some of these vehicles, does not the Chairman agree that they should be repainted in keeping with the important health function they render to the community?
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THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
There is no fixed programme for the painting of meat vans. The opportunity is taken to repaint the vehicles when the bodywork becomes due for overhaul, and this happens on average once every three years.
I agree that it is highly desirable to keep these vehicles in a respectable condition, and I think that repainting every three years enables us to achieve this, provided it is coupled with regular and frequent washing and polishing of the vehicles in the meantime. On the island, our facilities at the Lockhart Road garage are sufficient to keep the vehicles in an acceptable condition. However, I think that your remarks, Sir, probably relate to the vans operating in Kowloon. The facilities at the Waterloo Road Garage are limited, with the result that the outside appearance of the vans there sometimes leaves something to be desired. This inadequacy of facilities has, however, been recognized in the proposals concerning the construction of the new vehicle depot at Sai Yee Street. This depot is now well advanced and will be completed by March 1965. When this is done, it should be possible to bring our standards in respect of the Kowloon vans up to that of the Island. In the meantime, we are looking into the possibility of improving the cleansing arrangements for the Kowloon vans.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, might I suggest to you that not only does the appearance of your vans leave much to be desired but the conduct of their drivers as well, because these vans are parked on the main road, causing a tremendous traffic obstruction, and I recall having brought this matter to the attention of your Department. Would you please instruct them to park their vans elsewhere than on the main road at Waterloo Road, thus causing a tremendous traffic obstruction there?
My second supplementary, Mr. Chairman, is: Would you please explain to this Council why it is that the interests of Kowloon are prejudiced in consequence of your programme?
CHAIRMAN: A balance will be introduced as soon as possible through the development of the new Sai Yee Street Depot.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, are you not aware that more rates are paid in Kowloon than on the Island? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: I was not previously aware of that. (Laughter).
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