HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
was acceptable to the Hawkers Select Committee, the Resettlement Policy Select Committee, and the Public Works Department.
The Director of Public Works and Members of the Hawkers Select Committee have endorsed the proposal and it is now ready for consideration in the Resettlement Policy Select Committee. In anticipation of agreement being reached the Urban Services Department has suggested as a start eleven areas within the Tsz Wan Shan Estate which could be developed in this way. They would have to be gazetted as public pleasure grounds so that control could be exercised through the Pleasure Grounds By-laws, but no legal difficulties are anticipated in this respect. The declaration of these areas as public pleasure grounds would bring them under the control of the Pleasure Grounds By-laws. Their development then would be a matter for decision in the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee. I am aware of nothing to prevent the Select Committee making agreements with contractors who wish to use such pieces of land for the purpose of hiring out play gear and equipment to children.
I intend therefore to invite the Chairman and Members of the Resettlement Policy Select Committee to consider the proposal that was made last October and, if this can be agreed, the various ways in which these areas might be developed could be discussed in the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, I am grateful for Mr. SALES' answer and his invitation. I think perhaps, Mr. Chairman, Mr. SALES might be able to check up on his orders in this. In the Resettlement Policy Select Committee this matter was discussed, and as a result of this discussion the proposal was put forward in the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee, so I think that probably his invitation is unnecessary. We were the ones who instigated this in the first place, and I think that in my capacity as Chairman of the Resettlement Policy Select Committee I can say that the members of the Policy Select Committee were in agreement on this already.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, I thank Dr. BELL for that, and I'm quite sure we will accept that as a policy statement on the part of the Resettlement Committee, although it has been arrived at, I believe, by the nodding of heads by two lady Members. (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI: Mr. Chairman, I would comment as a preliminary to my question that the answer brings out the fact that there are too many committees being consulted. Could not one joint committee consider the question that Dr. BELL has raised and reach a decision upon it one way or the other?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee is not a "talking" committee, it is an "action" committee (Laughter) otherwise the Governor would not have been in a position to say that last year 200 playgrounds and game pitches were opened. I would like to commend the activity of that Select Committee to this Council. Anyway, may I take it, Mr. Chairman, as a policy statement by Mr. BERNACCHI, on behalf of all the select committees chaired by the Reform Club that they do not wish to be consulted? Then the appointed members would move forward for the benefit of the people of Hong Kong without wasting time in consultation with the Reform Club.
MR. BERNACCHI: On point of clarification (Laughter), I am not really rising to Mr. SALES' bait, but he hasn't answered my question—the question is could one joint committee consider the whole of Dr. BELL's question? I would like an answer "yes" or "no".
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, Dr. BELL gave the answer to Mr. BERNACCHI when she said earlier on that her Select Committee had already instigated this project, and we would be delighted to have a joint meeting, particularly as up to 31st March Dr. BELL would still be a member of my Select Committee.
MR. BERNACCHI: On a point of clarification, Mr. Chairman, the question concerns letting out to contractors who are prepared to organize bicycle, tricycle, and roller skate hiring to young children. Could one joint select committee consider that question?
CHAIRMAN: Mr. BERNACCHI, following the assurance which Dr. BELL has given to Mr. SALES, I think we have reached the position outlined in the last two lines of the answer, which, as I understand it, is that the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee will now go ahead as one committee to consider this matter.
MR. BERNACCHI: Thank you very much.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, may I make also a point of clarification. When I made the remarks I did I was not remarking that we had considered the question of bicycles and tricycles contracting out. That, I consider, is for the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Committee to consider, but we have endorsed the fact that areas could be used for recreational purposes; we instigated that.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, perhaps we were thinking of bicycles built for two. (Laughter).
Page 248 of 259
470
471