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jurisdiction in this matter. I am, however, assured by the Chairman of that Board that it would not grant a licence for a bar in a resettlement estate without first consulting the competent authority, that is in the case of Urban estates, this Council, and that if the opening of a bar would be contrary to the applicant's conditions of tenancy, the Board would not grant a licence.
In answer to Part C of the question, I suggest that the time to consult any Select Committee of this Council would be on receipt of an application to operate a bar. It would then be for the Select Committee to consider first whether the keeping of a bar should be recognized as an approved trade.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if keeping a bar is not an approved trade in Resettlement Estates, is there any requirement for serving liquor in general restaurants only when food is ordered?
SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS: May I say, Mr. Chairman, that I would have to check the details of this question. I think the answer is no, and that liquor may be served without food being ordered at the same time. I would be glad to confirm this and inform MR. SALES.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, I would like the answer to be referred to the Resettlement Policy Select Committee, because it would seem to suggest that if such a requirement were not made, then the condition is circumvented and anyone at all could make a mockery of the practice that keeping a bar is not an approved trade in Resettlement Estates.
MR. FORSGATE: Mr. Chairman, may I ask one supplementary. If perchance someone opened a bar in a Resettlement Estate without the knowledge of the Commissioner for Resettlement, is there any reason why he should not continue to operate that bar without a licence, because in other parts of Kowloon we have noticed that bars are operating and their licences have not yet been granted?
CHAIRMAN: The answer on this matter should be confined to Resettlement Estates.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, excuse me, are you attempting to muzzle the Commissioner for Resettlement before he is given a chance to give an adequate reply to our colleague MR. FORSGATE?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: I am not in a position in any case, Mr. Chairman, to speak otherwise than about hypothetical bars in Resettlement Estates. If such a bar were opened with or without a licence, its existence would be bound to be noticed very quickly by the staff of the Estate, and insofar as it would be contrary to the tenancy conditions, the tenant would be required to close the bar on pain of termination of his tenancy.
MR. SALES: May I go back to the first part of the Commissioner's answer. If keeping a bar is not an approved trade for Resettlement Estates, and yet general restaurants are allowed to sell liquor without a condition being imposed that liquor should only be sold with food, then is it not a fact that in practice there exist in our Resettlement Estates bars under the guise of general restaurants?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: My only comment on that, Mr. Chairman, is that MR. SALES appears to be seeking to discriminate against residents of Resettlement Estates and prevent them from obtaining an alcoholic drink if they want one.
MR. SALES: Discriminate in relation to residents outside of Resettlement Estates, in Tsim Sha Tsui for example? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, it seems to me that we have had some questions of a hypothetical nature, and certainly we have had to confess our ignorance on some material points of fact. I would like to suggest, if Members are agreeable, that we leave this subject now, and I will sit down in order that Members may express an opinion, but it is my intention if possible to declare a ten-minute recess before going on to the Motions.
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, I would like to say a few words. I think I have learned from MR. SALES. The other purpose for asking his question was that he wanted to bring in the matter of bars in Tsim Sha Tsui. (Laughter). I would advise MR. SALES to bring up the question and let us discuss it. (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: Mr. Hu, MR. SALES has shown commendable restraint in sticking to the jurisdiction of this Council. Please do not egg him on to go outside Resettlement Estates. (Laughter).
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, could I take up MR. SALES on one of the questions he asked you, which was whether the matter could be referred to the Resettlement Policy Select Committee for discussion. Chairman of that Committee, I would be happy to have it referred.
CHAIRMAN: Certainly, DR. BELL.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I, through you, say that it would be only courteous for me to reply to MR. Henry Hu. I should be delighted to draft a motion on the question of licensing of bars in Resettlement Estates, so that we would bring the matter within the ambit of our Standing Orders, and so that we might hang our washing...
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