HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
Ladies and Gentlemen, before taking the first item on today's agenda, I am sure Members will wish me to welcome Mr. B. D. WILSON, who has been appointed to act as Commissioner for Resettlement during the absence of Mr. D. C. BARTY for 6 weeks. Mr. WILSON has acted as Commissioner for Resettlement on two previous occasions and is, I think, well known to most of you.
There is one other matter.
Mr. G. A. FAIREY, who has served as Deputy Secretary of the Council since March 1965, will be proceeding on vacation leave this month. He has been closely connected with this Council and I think Members will agree that his work has, at all times, been of the highest order.
Mr. C. T. TIBBLES, who is with us today, will take over from Mr. FAIREY. I should also like to welcome him. (Applause).
MR. BERNACCHI:- Mr. Chairman, on behalf of all the unofficials I would like to join you in your welcome to Mr. WILSON, and Mr. TIBBLES who I know slightly, and also in your praise for the excellent work that Mr. FAIREY has done—shall I say behind the scenes—for this Council.
MR. FAIREY: — Thank you, Sir. (Applause).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 5th April, 1966 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of April 1966.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st January, 1966 to 31st March, 1966.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st January, 1966 to 31st March, 1966.
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, I would like to say a few words on some of the papers you have just laid. When the Urban Council was first formed, it was said that God created the Urban Services Department, and the public paid, and paid heavily, for supporting this huge department which has a large staff. I believe it is one of the largest departments in Government. But if we study this report, we can't say that we are throwing money down the drain. These complex activities vary from the time of birth to going down to the grave.
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In the monthly report we can see that there were as many as 93 complaints of mosquito nuisances, and we find that there were 578 breeding places, and 63 summonses issued against offenders. I would like to draw this Council's attention to the fact that the mosquito nuisance, as such, is not due to lack of endeavour on the part of the staff, but is, I think, due largely to the lack of public co-operation. You can well understand that when there are several thousands of breeding places it is very easy to miss one or two. You can see how one or two can produce nuisances for the whole area and, of course, the Urban Services Department is naturally blamed. So much so, that the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee dealt with this matter extensively at its last meeting, and has appointed a Sub-Committee to go into the matter thoroughly with the assistance of experts from the Department to help the Committee in producing their report. I hope that by next month we will be able to table that report to show that the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee is not sleeping on the job. (Laughter).
There are various aspects which I found on reading your report, Mr. Chairman, not the least of which is the good use made by the public of the culture centre in the City Hall, and also the branch library in Cambridge Court. The reason why it is so popular, Sir, is because we don't charge for the use of the library. If we were to impose a charge I am sure the numbers would reduce. If any Member has studied this report he will find it is not unknown for as many as one thousand persons to utilize the floors of the library, which is a very heavy load as the library only provides for 700. In other words, almost two times the number are making use of the library, and I think, Sir, in view of your very useful report, Government should take the hint and should build more libraries for the population of Hong Kong.
CHAIRMAN:- Thank you for your remarks. I take it when you were speaking on the library, you were speaking on behalf of Mrs. ELLIOTT, the Chairman of the Library Select Committee? (Laughter).
DR. LEE: -I would have if she were here.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -You would not if she were here? (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:- Sir, I have just one or two remarks to make. The hawker position in Hong Kong is so large that I really think it ought to be under a separate heading, and not under the heading "General" which includes abattoirs, markets, etc. I am pleased that...
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