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address of the factory in question I will be happy to refer the matter to the Commissioner of Labour and the Commissioner of Police for their attention.
MR. BERNACCHI:-First supplementary. You have, Sir, not answered the question. Can noise have a detrimental effect on health because, of course, if so, it does come within the jurisdiction of the Council?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I think, Sir, that really calls upon me to express an opinion. I think in certain circumstances the answer would definitely be yes.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, am I permitted to inform the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services that I have already sent this complaint to the Commissioner of Police, and I have been informed that action has been taken.
MR. BERNACCHI:-I do not know whether Mrs. ELLIOTT is referring to the same complaint as I have received or not, but certainly, Sir, in answer to your last sentence, I will be pleased to let you have the name of the factory after this meeting and you can take it from there. I did not consider that disclosing the name of the factory in this question would be fair to the factory.
(3) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
I have been approached by the registered Owners and Tenants Association of a multi-storey building in Kowloon to request the Urban Council to assist them in the management of their multi-storey building in so far as public health and sanitation requirements are concerned: (a) Can the Chairman advise whether the Urban Services Department would be prepared to give this association or any other association full co-operation to such a request?
(b) Can the Chairman advise whether the Urban Services Department could come to an agreement with such an association to ensure that public health and sanitary requirements are enforced within the building and that whatever expenses are incurred would be collected from tenants of the building through the Owners and Tenants Building Association in question?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL replied as follows:-
Members will recall that at the meeting of the Council in March, 1966, MR. BERNACCHI moved a motion to the effect that "the Urban Services Department be empowered to enter multi-storey buildings and to clean the communal parts of the buildings". An amending motion moved that this motion be referred to the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee for consideration and for implementation if practicable. The Select Committee considered the matter carefully at one of its meetings, but in effect has been unable to take the matter further pending information as to the preparation of legislation to provide for voluntary factoring of multi-storey buildings.
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The position in this respect is that an inter-departmental committee, consisting of representatives of the Legal, Urban Services, Fire Services, Registrar General's and Public Works Departments, the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs and the Crown Lands and Survey Office has been studying the problem. They have examined in detail a draft bill to provide for the voluntary factoring of multi-storey buildings, and have suggested a number of amendments and alterations to it. A revised draft bill is now being prepared by the Legal Department which, when ready, will be sent to this Council, the Law Society, and other interested bodies for examination before submission for enactment. Full opportunity will be given for the discussion of the draft bill by this Council.
In view of the foregoing I would prefer not to answer your question directly to-day, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, do you have any idea when the draft bill will be presented to the Legislative Council?
CHAIRMAN:-The draft bill will, I think, reach us and the Law Society before it is presented to Legislative Council. As for when we might expect to see it, it is hazardous to make any firm estimate, but to give you some idea of the time-scale, I would expect we will have it in our hands within three months.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: In the hands of this Council or in the hands of Members of Legislative Council?
CHAIRMAN:-This Council.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Would the draft bill be put in the hands of Members of this Council after it is put before Legislative Council, or would it be put before this Council in draft form before it goes to Legislative Council?
CHAIRMAN:-Before the Urban Council in draft first.
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