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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN:-This is what I had in mind.
MR. BERNACCHI:-But Sir, surely the question was when is the white or black paint itself going to be obliterated? (Laughter). Are you in a position to answer when?
CHAIRMAN:-As far as I am aware, as far as Urban Services Department premises are concerned, there are only one or two that have not yet had obliterated slogans removed. But perhaps it isn't all that clear. When I said that the same applies to premises controlled by other Government Departments I meant that it was up to those departments to take up the matter of obliterating or removing these slogans themselves with, presumably the Public Works Department.
MR. BERNACCHI:-The other supplementary is that as this Council organizes "Keep Your City Clean" campaigns etc. is it quite accurate to say that slogans on walls, presumably outside walls of privately owned premises, is entirely the business of the private owners? Therefore, if the private owners in effect choose to keep the obliterated slogans on their walls for 10 years nothing will be done?
CHAIRMAN:-This is the matter as I see it at the moment Mr. BERNACCHI, in much the same way as we have nothing to do with rubbish inside multi-storey buildings.
MR. BERNACCHI:-The analogy is very good. (Laughter).
DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, I don't quite see that analogy because slogans presumably were not put there by the residents of the building necessarily whereas the rubbish was probably put there by the residents of the building, who are therefore responsible for it (or the owners of a building may be responsible). In a case like this, would you not think that since these slogans arose out of the disturbances and were put there, probably by persons unknown, onto the buildings, that the owners of the buildings might have a case of appealing to Government to have them removed by the Public Works Department?
CHAIRMAN:-I think this question could be put fairly to the Secretariat.
DR. BELL:-Oh, Mr. Chairman, would I be assured of an answer if it went to the Secretariat? (Laughter).
MR. SALES:-Provided it is a motion. (Laughter).
DR. BELL:-Or will it have to wait until next year's public debate at the Legislative Council?
CHAIRMAN:-I'm afraid this is out of order Dr. BELL.
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MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, would you assure this Council, at least the Appointed members that the same treatment will be given to election slogans and posters. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, isn't that out of order-this question? But as a supplementary may I suggest that the views that have been expressed on this particular question be referred to the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee.
CHAIRMAN:-I have no objection to this.
MR. SALES:--I should have thought Mental Hygiene Select Committee, not Environmental. (Laughter).
(10) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question:
What is being done about providing a football pitch for the use of the residents of Chai Wan Resettlement Estate since the old pitch has been dug up by bulldozers?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE replied as follows:
This question refers to the provision of a football pitch for the use of residents in the Chai Wan Resettlement Estate. In 1965, a football pitch was built by the Urban Council in Chai Wan on land which had been allocated as a temporary recreation ground. The development of an extension to the resettlement estate's commercial area unfortunately required the Council to vacate this games pitch last February. My Select Committee has made strong representations for an alternative site.
The Director of Public Works sympathizes with the Urban Council's concern to improve play facilities in this area of 60,000 people and his department is trying to secure land for a football pitch as a matter of urgency.
With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I should like to table the Town Planning Board's Outline Development Plan for the Chai Wan area which shows that 127 acres of land have been designated as open space out of 817 acres. Much of this land is of course hillside but some 27 acres are for active recreation. So far, there are 13.7 acres of open space already or about to be developed as play areas. It is perhaps unfortunate that a high proportion of the open space which will be developed for games, lies
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