Page 362 of 382
702
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, could I make that point clear, partly answering Mr. Hu, and partly as a matter of explanation? Members may or may not be aware that the Town Planning Board has now been instructed to prepare a draft town plan for Shau Kei Wan. This is under preparation now, and the Board is, as you yourself know, Mr. Chairman, very conscious of the shortage of public open space in Shau Kei Wan, and they are trying to remedy this to some extent in preparing the plan.
MR. HU: I think it worthwhile to contact Taikoo Dockyard to see if they could give us some help, and it is worthwhile to talk with them on the scope of the development plan.
MR. SALES: -I am aware that within the precincts of Taikoo Dockyard there are several, in fact many, recreational facilities for the staff. We have seen them, many of us have seen these facilities ourselves, and they are open to other private organizations for competitive sport in Hong Kong.
The Welfare facilities for the Dockyard staff, from what I have seen, are very good indeed, and it is now a question of approaching them as to whether these facilities could be made available for the use of residents in that area, if that is the intention of Mr. Henry Hu?
MR. HU:-Yes, that in fact is my intention.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, in regard to the remarks made by Mr. WRIGHT, could I ask him to elaborate whether or not it is now Government's intention to expedite the reclamation scheme for Shau Kei Wan?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I am being pressed, Mr. Chairman, by several members of the Legislative Council I think I have been asked three questions in Legislative Council about when we are going to get on with this reclamation scheme-but it should be made clear that it is primarily a typhoon shelter, and the amount of additional land will not be very great. There will be some additional land, but the main purpose of the reclamation and work in Aldrich Bay is to get a typhoon shelter. But we will take the opportunity provided by that to get some additional land, and this is included in the draft town plan.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: ---Part of that additional land will be reserved for the Urban Amenities Select Committee? (Laughter).
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-As I said the last time I was being cross-examined on the Town Planning Board, the Town Planning Board does not reserve any land at all, it merely reserves its use.
MR. SALES: -Sir, may I say that I am very pleased to learn from our colleague the Director of Public Works, that pressure is being brought to bear in Legislative Council. Because, as far as I and my colleagues are concerned, we were never aware that Legislative Council applied pressure. (Laughter).
DR. BELL:-I hope that Mr. SALES, in making that remark, realizes that those who have gone to the Legislative Council have been from his own ranks. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Of course, I presume that when Mr. SALES made his remarks it was with certain exceptions, those who are within his present ranks.
(18) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
(a) Is the Chairman aware of the fact that quite a number of school children between the ages of 10 to 16 are being charged at Juvenile Courts for being illegal hawkers, and that they are forced through circumstances to look after their parent's stall for a few hours daily so that the parent can return home to cook the family meal or to take care of the other children?
(b) Is the Chairman aware too that some of these school children are being charged as often as two or three times a week in Court for illegal hawking, and this quite often reaches the point where apparently the child defendant no longer considers it a disgrace to be charged in court, but instead believes that it is doing the right thing by helping the family to earn a livelihood?
(c) In this regard, is the Chairman aware that much hardship is caused because the Urban Council is not permitting any person under 18 to become a licensed hawker or an authorized assistant to a fixed pitch or pedlar licensee, because it is the policy to discourage young people from becoming hawkers?
(d) In order that such school children coming from poor families may not be penalized by society for helping part-time their parents who must hawk to earn a livelihood, will the Director of Urban Services be prepared to investigate and report to the Hawkers Select Committee on the feasibility of permitting children between the ages of 12-16 to become authorized assistants to their parents' hawker stalls for specific period, providing this is so recommended in each instance by the Director of Social Welfare?
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows : —--
As regards (a) I am aware that quite a number of children are being charged in the Juvenile Courts for illegal hawking.
703
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 363 of 382
Page 363
Page 363