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sioner for Resettlement, and I had presumed that one of the reasons why members had allowed this practice to continue, was because the Commissioner himself has all along been extremely co-operative in giving answers to members, and there also is the additional reason that many members prefer to see him get all the brickbats when supple- mentaries are asked.
MR. HU:-Mr. Chairman, I would also make an observation based on my experience. Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN asks a lot of questions concerning resettlement matters. If Mr. SALES' request is accepted by you, Mr. Chairman, then if Mr. CHEONG-LEEN would join both of these Select Committees it would save a lot of trouble for this Council. (Laughter-Applause). He is neither a member of the Resettlement Policy Committee nor the Management Committee, and he should join both of these Committees to solve a lot of these matters.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-On a point of clarification, even before Mr. Henry Hu joined the Urban Council I had been a member of both Committees. It is only this year that I came off the Management Select Committee, and I would mention, Sir, for Mr. Hu's information, that even when I was a member of those Committees, I asked even more questions than I am asking now.
CHAIRMAN:-May I conclude these remarks on a point of clarifica- tion originated by Mr. SALES by saying that the Secretary of the Urban Council and myself will pay special attention to any further questions on resettlement matters, and try to reach agreement with Mr. BARTY and Dr. BELL or other interested parties, as to who should answer a partic- ular question.
DR. BELL:-It will be very easy to reach agreement. (Laughter).
(13) Mr. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
The recent floods have shown that Hong Kong, particularly the Island, is highly vulnerable to floods after heavy rainstorms; what further steps can the Urban Services Department take to assist the Public Works Department to reduce the possibility of a breakdown of the drainage system should there be a recurrence of heavy rains in the near future? In particular, can steps be taken to assist the Public Works Department in preventing the heavy flooding of the Star Ferry Concourse in the future?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
The Urban Services Department already takes in normal times all possible steps with available resources to clear and
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keep the surface drains clear of rubbish, mud and other obstructions. In the various parts of the urban area labourers are engaged every day in this systematic clear- ing and cleansing of the drains, including gully traps, rainwater conductors, etc. in all streets and lanes. Besides these measures, during and after periods of heavy rain a squad of labourers with special equipment is deployed in each of the 11 cleansing districts to keep gratings, man- holes, etc. clear of obstructions. Where necessary, addi- tional squads are formed to assist in the removal of debris and mud.
Where a drain cannot be cleared by the staff, this is imme- diately reported by telephone to the Roads and Drainage Office of the Public Works Department for necessary action.
With regard to the particular area of the Star Ferry Concourse, I am afraid the Urban Services Department is unable to take any further steps to assist the Public Works Depart- ment than those described above generally.
MR. HU:---I have a supplementary, Mr. Chairman. Could you confirm that some of our drainage system was built about fifty years ago.
CHAIRMAN:-The question is a new one that should be asked next month. (Laughter).
MR. HU:-Sir, you rule that question out of order? (Laughter).
DR. BELL:- May I ask a supplementary? Does that answer mean that you may rule the question out of order? I don't know, but does this answer mean that we are liable to get flooding in the City Hall again similar to what we got this time?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-If the Albany nullah blocked the way it did last time, and if we get six inches of rain in one hour, then we are likely to get more flooding. But according to the Director of the Royal Observatory, such rain is only likely to happen once in five hundred years.
DR. BELL:—Mr. Chairman, even assuming that the City Hall will last another five hundred years, is that not reason enough to ensure that something should be done now to prevent flooding in the future- to prevent the nullah getting blocked or providing sufficient alternative drainage around the City Hall to prevent it from being flooded?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-If Dr. BELL could produce any method of stopping nullahs from being blocked in this sort of rain-
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