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MR. HENRY H. L. HU:- I have one supplementary question with regard to your answer, Sir, to the third part of my question. Is the Commissioner for Resettlement aware that at the beginning of last month, one small child was hurt at the junction of Fu Mei Street with the other streets?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I was not aware that one child had been injured in an accident at that particular location.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT: --Mr. Chairman, may I ask if the Commissioner could bring this matter before the Traffic Police because about two years ago I brought the question of this same area-Lo Fu Ngam-before the Traffic Advisory Committee and they promised to put a pedestrian crossing there. Since then at least one woman has been killed and a great number of children have been injured in the same spot, that is, right opposite the old resettlement area in Lo Fu Ngam.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: I shall be happy to bring this to the notice of the Traffic Office, but this particular junction is now more overcrowded with traffic than it has been in the last two or three years.
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, could you also suggest to the Traffic Police that the constables who are now employed in victimizing people at beaches could be diverted to resettlement areas where they would be serving the public interest?
DR. A. M. S. BELL:—Mr. Chairman, perhaps it could be suggested to the Police that it is customary in other places when school hours are finished for Police Patrolmen to be sent to the schools to assist children to cross any busy traffic areas.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-On that point, Mr. Chairman, most of the schools in this area have in fact adopted traffic measures of sorts, to protect school children when crossing the road.
DR. A. M. S. BELL:-Well, yes, I know that they have adopted traffic measures of sorts, but I am not sure whether their measures are quite adequate to cope with the increased traffic in this area.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I have witnessed several accidents of children going to school, and not leaving school, when the teachers cannot of course watch them.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-The answer to that point, Mr. Chairman, is for the parents to see that their children go to school 5 minutes earlier instead of letting them run off to school.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT: -Mr. Chairman, some children come to school one hour before the time.
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MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN:---In this connexion, Mr. Chairman, perhaps the Commissioner might look into the possibility of, or at least suggest to the traffic authorities, to have traffic wardens organized in that area. I think it is a point worth looking into.
DR. A. M. S. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, would you also draw the attention of the Commissioner of Police to the 3rd paragraph in Mr. WAKEFIELD's reply to the question, that the volume of traffic at this junction does not require particular attention for the time being. It would be a good thing for once to anticipate that time.
CHAIRMAN: -Since your remarks, Dr. BELL, about policemen being on duty near schools would apply, I imagine, throughout the whole of the urban areas and not merely to resettlement areas, I will refer your suggestion to the Commissioner of Police.
MR. HENRY H. L. Hu:-Mr. Chairman, am I correct in thinking that from reading these answers the Commissioner has so kindly given us, that the Government will do nothing with regard to the points at (a), (b) and (c) of the question? If you will read the reply carefully it seems that Government will do nothing. Am I correct about this?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: — -Mr. Chairman, I think Mrs. ELLIOTT has already asked if I would draw the Traffic Office's attention to the increase in the last two years of traffic at the junction of Junction Road and Lo Fu Ngam Street. I will certainly see that this is done. In addition, the later request was that attention to the junction of Junction Road and Fu Mei Street should be given before it is too late. Again I shall see that it is brought to the notice of the Police.
MR. A. de O. SALES:-Sir, would it not have facilitated matters if the Commissioner of Police were a member of this Council to answer these questions for himself? (Applause).
MOTIONS.
(1) THE CHAIRMAN moved the following motion: -
Resolved that, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 132 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, 1960, any public officer for the time being holding, or discharging the functions of, any of the offices specified in the schedule hereto be authorized generally to institute on behalf of the Urban Council any proceedings before a magistrate's court for any offence under any of the provisions of the said Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, 1960, being an offence, proceedings for which may be brought in the name of the Urban Council.
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