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liferation of these very costly installations, decorative and pleasing as they are; for we might get better value for our money by applying it in other ways within the same field of amenities and recreation.
I have another rather similar point to make about swimming pools, which I think we ought to try to promote in other areas as well as those for which planning is already well in progress. I would certainly rather see public money spent on more swimming pools in more areas than on an oceanarium, or for the matter of that upon keeping or breeding orang-utan, as I think that these are very much more closely related to what the majority of people really need. We have now obtained acceptance of a very serviceable standard design for district swimming pools which quite rightly in my opinion does not aim at the highest international standards, and I hope that we shall be content with this and shall firmly resist any pressure to upgrade the standard of every swimming pool we build to comply with the standards set for competitive international swimming. The need of the great majority of our population is just an opportunity for a swim. For this a more modest standard such as has already been adopted is quite sufficient, and if we start tinkering with the approved standards we may only create delay and inhibit further development.
With these words, Sir, I have pleasure in supporting the motion.
MR. BERNACCHI: Whilst I support the present motion, I say that it does not go far enough. I would like to see the rates, or an appropriate proportion of them, and our own licence fees made available to this Council so that the Council can have complete power to spend them on all its statutory duties, not merely on one part, however important that part may be. No local Government reform can have any meaning without control over the Council's own financing. This motion therefore is not even half a loaf of bread, or half a bowl of rice. It is perhaps only a 20th, but I shall vote for it as being a little toe in the door of social reform.
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, I think Mr. SALES already knows that I will support the motion, but in supporting the motion I have two small points to make. The first point I would make is this. I think about two years ago I asked about planting trees in Victoria Park. It is a happy omen to note that there are more parks and sitting out spaces in Hong Kong now. It is very pertinent that more trees should be planted in those areas, because they could improve living environment and they can beautify our City. Therefore more attention should be paid to the planting of trees. It is a very economical way to improve our amenities. The second point I would like to make is this, Hong Kong provides very good and excellent natural sports areas. During the summer time, we may find a lot of very good beaches which are less known to us, and are even better than those we usually know.
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For example, a small island called Kiao Tsui off the coast of Sai Kung is a very good place for swimming. This place is swamped by students, numbering about a thousand, during the holidays, but there are no facilities at all. We can spend very little money, yet we can render great service to the public, particularly to the young people. I think there are many such similar spots in the Colony which we should endeavour to find.
With these two small points, Mr. Chairman, I support Mr. SALES' motion.
MR. FORSGATE: Mr. Chairman, possibly on a point of clarification, since the leader of my Ad Hoc Committee on beaches, Dr. BELL, is not here: when we made a survey last year, almost in the teeth of a typhoon, we particularly looked at the beaches referred to by Mr. Hu. We made certain recommendations, which was all we could make, to Government to follow, and this was one of the beaches we recommended should be further developed.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if my colleagues do not wish to speak, may I now answer some of the points that were made. First and foremost, I am obliged to my fellow members for having supported the motion, and I include Dr. P. F. Woo.
Sir, the very thoughtful speech made by Mr. Wilson WANG in seconding the motion is deserving of close study by the Department, so that the points which he made might be considered with a view to their being proposed to the Select Committee for implementation. Now, as to the support given in a qualified manner by Dr. P. F. Woo, I think it would only be fair for me to clarify the position. On the 23rd June, 1967 a paper was issued to the Select Committee on the subject of orang-utan, and it was stated very clearly that when the reply was received from the Zoological Society in London referring the matter to a certain person in Hong Kong, the Department was asked to seek the views of that person on the type of accommodation considered adequate, the number of staff and other pertinent details. The Department made an effort to do so, but no reply was given at all. So this is the position. It is a question of a misunderstanding, and I am quite sure that my colleagues, who hold Dr. P. F. Woo in the highest respect, appreciate the concern which he has shown. To-day was an excellent opportunity for Dr. P. F. Woo to let off steam on the subject of orang-utan, and now that he has done so, I hope he will review his position and not only lend the motion his support, but that of the Civic Association as well. Not doing so seems to me to be cutting off his nose to spite his face. To abstain from supporting the motion, which evidently benefits the people of Hong Kong, because of this little misunderstanding with the Department, is to me an attitude which is not consistent with the high standard which Dr. P. F. Woo has set in this Council in all the years that I have known and respected him for his service.
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