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legislate against excessive noise and existing legislation is contained in the Summary Offences Ordinance, which prohibits wanton or unnecessary noise in or near a public place and restricts noise calculated to disturb or annoy any person or to interfere with the public tranquillity between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
At the moment Government is considering the possibility of exercising greater control over noise caused by building construction at night and by motor vehicles. I understand that my friend, the Honourable Director of Public Works, has already approached representatives of the building trade for their views on a proposal to introduce legislation to prohibit percussion piling and pneumatic drilling between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. throughout Hong Kong. Such legislation would certainly be a step in the right direction.
The Health Education Select Committee will continue to keep the question of noise under consideration and to advise wherever possible. I would, however, like to repeat the invitation I extended to Members in March of this year to let my Select Committee have any constructive views or suggestions which they might have on the problem of noise.
(11) DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:
Recently on several occasions there has been a very nauseating and disgusting smell emanating from the public conveniences alongside and within the ground floor of the Star Ferry at Tsim Sha Tsui. Will the Chairman please have this investigated and take steps to have this prevented in future?
THE VICE-CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
These conveniences are regularly inspected by the staff of the Urban Services Department and at no time have they been found to be in such a condition as to cause unduly nauseating and disgusting smells, nor has any complaint been received from the public. The public conveniences alongside the Star Ferry are staffed and cleansed by attendants during the hours they are open.
However, it has been reported recently that some sewage has been seen discharging from a minor drain outlet on the seawall nearby, above water level and this could well give rise to smells. Investigations are being carried out by the Public Works Department to see whether it is possible to take this outlet below low tide. I should explain that this minor drain outlet is not from the public convenience in that area which, I believe, drains into the main sewer.
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DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, may I say that the next time I notice this I shall certainly attend the Tsim Sha Tsui ward office to make my complaint. (Laughter). It has been noticeable that few people have complained to that office. I hope you don't think there was no smell. From the answer it looks that way. I made this complaint myself to the Council here in this question, because on repeated occasions at various times of the day and the evening there was a very nauseating and very disgusting smell of stale urine. Now I don't think that comes from the drain which you have mentioned in your answer, I suggest it is due possibly to inadequate flushing of these toilets. It was a very objectionable smell indeed.
VICE-CHAIRMAN:-I did, Dr. BELL, say "unduly", because there are very few public lavatories that don't have any smell.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, would you regard it as "unduly" if you saw everybody who was walking past take a pocket handkerchief out of their pockets and put it across their noses? (Laughter).
MR. SALES: --Sir, are you aware that when these latrines were proposed for the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry concourse, the Kowloon Residents Association lodged very strong objections to the siting of them, and the Government gave an unqualified assurance that they would be kept up to such a high standard that there would be no public complaint. I might add, Sir, that the question of cleanliness of latrines is the responsibility of the Reform Club, (Laughter) because the Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee is a Vice-Chairman of the Reform Club, and to the best of my knowledge that Select Committee has not met for months.
DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, may I answer that? I think the Vice-Chairman of the Reform Club and the Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee is on vacation at the present time. I am unaware as to who has been appointed to take the chair in his absence, and it could quite well be someone sitting on the opposite side of the table. I would suggest that if Mr. SALES feels that this should be referred to the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, that the next meeting of that committee should be put forward.
MR. SALES: --Sir, I certainly do think that the Select Committee should meet, and even before anybody was absent from Hong Kong, the Select Committee had not met. I believe initiative should be taken for the Select Committee to be convened.
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