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(b) Will you please make another effort to persuade Government and property owners to undertake street and building decorations at Christmas and other festive seasons?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
During the next three months we shall be embarking, for the first time, on a phased programme of flower production with the intention of mounting floral displays for the greater part of the year in parks and gardens, and at suitable places such as ferry concourses and traffic islands where flowers will be a source of pleasure to tourists and residents. This programme will in due course entail a large annual production of flowers. It will take time to achieve this, but if all goes well, we expect to have about 100,000 plants in flower and on display over the coming Christmas and New Year period. The only other decorations which we have in mind this year are some flowers for hospitals and schools, and two Christmas trees at the City Hall.
With regard to the second part of the question, I shall be glad to try again, subject to the agreement of the Urban Amenities Select Committee.
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Sir, would you as Director of the Urban Services Department try to secure the agreement of the Urban Amenities Select Committee for this purpose?
(13) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) Will you please let us know whether the Town Planning Board has reviewed the proposals made by this Council and other sources as to the layout of the land now occupied by Whitfield Barracks?
(b) Because of the great shortage of pleasure grounds, will Government consider the early re-development of the land reserved for recreational purposes even before the whole area is given up?
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:-
The answer to the first part of the question is that the Town Planning Board is now reviewing the comments and proposals made by the many public and private bodies whose views were sought when a preliminary plan was given wide circulation.
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The answer to the second part of the question is that until the draft Town Plan has been published and the statutory procedure completed, and until Whitfield Barracks has been handed over to Government, it will not be possible to undertake any development.
MR. A. de O. SALES:—Sir, may I ask you whether it is possible to indicate any particular date when such open space will be made available to the public through the completion of the necessary statutory procedure?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I think it is probable, Mr. Chairman, that the statutory procedure will be completed before the military authorities hand over Whitfield Barracks to the Hong Kong Government.
MR. A. de O. SALES:-Thank you very much, Sir.
Is there any indication as to when the military authorities will hand over Whitfield Barracks?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-No, Sir.
MR. A. de O. SALES: --Could a reply be given to the Standing Committee of the Whole Council after you have secured the information?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -I have no more information than I have already given, Mr. Chairman.
MR. A. de O. SALES:—Sir, I am requesting that an effort be made to secure the information and that it be given to the Standing Committee of the Whole Council.
MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE:-Mr. Chairman, assuming that the military are going to vacate Whitfield Barracks some day, could the Director of Public Works allow us to have another crack at the planning of the Whitfield Barracks area. Plans were issued for public comment some time ago, several years in fact, and since that date I think a number of us have changed our ideas as to what we would like to see in that area. Or have the plans been frozen on the basis of comment received to date?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-No, Sir. The position is rather complex. I think it was not years, but a year and a half ago, that the plans were circulated, and the Town Planning Board was in rather a difficult position, because right in the middle of the Tsim Sha Tsui area is a possible entrance and exit to a tunnel which might be built underneath the harbour, and quite clearly until a decision is known on the tunnel, it would be a waste of time to publish the draft plan. The plan is under consideration by the Board and it will later be published as part of the statutory procedure, when any member of the public can
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