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failed to give the Council its support in any of the three aspects mentioned, and I affirm that I would not welcome the presence in the Urban Services Department of any officer who did not show a clear appreciation of his duty towards the Council. I am grieved to hear that the feeling exists among Members of the Council that staff of the Department do not always carry out the decisions of the Council, and I can only hope that Mr. SALES and others will speak out loudly and clearly in criticism when such instances occur. I can think of no better forum for such criticism than this one.
MR. WATSON:-Mr. Chairman, on a point of order, Mr. SALES not being present, he has asked me to say that in this matter he wishes to reserve his position.
CHAIRMAN:---As regards urban amenities, the past year has seen the provision of 79 acres of new public pleasure grounds, containing, among other things, 5 football and mini-football pitches, 8 basketball and volleyball courts, 8 tennis courts, 4 children's playgrounds and one children's library, one fountain, 26 rest gardens and picnic areas, and 15 pavilions, kiosks, changing rooms and lavatories. Two new beach buildings have also been completed. Another 10 acres of new public pleasure grounds will be completed early in the new year, and these will provide a further 11 basketball and volleyball courts, one mini-football pitch, 3 children's playgrounds, 4 pavilions and kiosks, and 14 rest gardens and sitting-out areas. This adds up to the provision of 89 acres of new public pleasure grounds and 103 new amenity facilities during the 15 months from 1st January, 1964 to 31st March, 1965.
Although new children's playgrounds, rest gardens and hard-surfaced ball game courts are springing up in many districts in considerable numbers, relatively little progress has been possible in recent years with the provision of major facilities such as athletic running tracks and grassed games pitches suitable for football or hockey. This is now being remedied and I anticipate that work will start next year on two new running tracks in Kowloon, a senior one at Kowloon Tsai Park and a junior one for use by schools at Perth Street. The Council has also approved proposals for a new senior running track on the Island near Aberdeen.
Three new grassed games pitches have just been brought into use at Kowloon Tsai Park and a fourth will follow later. A further 14 grassed games pitches are scheduled in new parks at Kwun Tong and Ta Kwu Ling. On Hong Kong Island the Council has drawn up plans for six new grassed games pitches near Aberdeen.
In previous years several Members have urged that some way should be found of meeting the need for more children's playgrounds in the older congested districts, particularly on Hong Kong Island.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I am glad to report that the first street playground is now nearing completion at Clarence Terrace in Western District. If this is a success we will try to establish others. Members will wish to know that plans for a children's playground on the roof of Wan Chai Market are shortly to be referred to the Council for consideration.
A striking feature of the past year has been the heavy use made of the magnificent new Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool built with funds donated by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. 476,000 people have passed through the turnstiles since the pool was opened on 5th June this year; on two occasions the daily attendance has exceeded 10,000. To meet the need for more swimming facilities, priority is being given to three new swimming pools at Cheung Sha Wan, Kwun Tong and Kennedy Town. I know that Members will wish me to thank the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club for its interest in this aspect of the Council's work, and especially for their generous donations to the cost of both the Kowloon Tsai and Cheung Sha Wan Pools.
The increase in amenity planting has continued; this year a total of 68,000 trees and shrubs have been planted, most of them flowering species. Last year's figure was 27,600. The target for next year is 150,000. Experiments are continuing with a view to finding ways of reducing tree losses from vandalism and typhoons, and of re-afforesting barren hilltops in Kowloon and New Kowloon.
During the past year the Council, through the Urban Amenities Select Committee, has been brought fully into the picture on the land aspects of amenity planning, and all Committee Members have full details of the new Amenity Planning Zones. The Director of Public Works has said that 185 acres of public pleasure grounds have been provided over the past 5 years. I anticipate that during the next 3 to 4 years another 313 acres will be provided. A further 548 acres of public open space has already been reserved or tentatively proposed for reservation, while green belts account for an additional 1,163 acres. These figures will no doubt increase as time passes.
I think that this answers Mr. Wilson WANG's plea that appeals for more playgrounds should not continue to fall on deaf ears. It is evident that Government is at one with the Council in this matter. I thank Mrs. Li for making several good suggestions for beautifying the Colony. These will be followed up.
Mr. Wilson WANG spoke at length on the proposed indoor stadium. I assure him that the Department will do all it can to assist in the work of the Indoor Stadium Sub-Committee of which he is the Chairman. My first reaction to his proposal for a Central Supervisory Authority for Amenities was the thought that this is fast becoming an accepted function of this Council.
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