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MR. SALES: -When feasible---
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: When feasible the Urban Council will continue to sponsor a Hong Kong Festival of Arts and that the matter be referred to the relevant City Hall Select Committee for further study."
MR. SALES: "The Festival of Music and Fine Arts," I think it's the same title as before-"The Festival of Music and Fine Arts".
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -I wonder Mr. Chairman if Mr. SALES would accept this, "Resolve that when feasible, the Urban Council sponsor a Hong Kong Festival of the Arts and that the matter be referred to the relevant City Hall Select Committees for further study." In other words, it will be amended by inserting the words "when feasible" between the words "that" and "the"-Resolve that when feasible- starting from "Resolve that" to add the two words "when feasible"-
CHAIRMAN: -Will this meet your point Mrs. ELLIOTT?
MRS. ELLIOTT: -Not quite, no, because I'm-
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -And to delete the words "At regular intervals". May I explain, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, that it would probably be more acceptable all round if we did not have the last clause so that this would enable the various City Hall Select Committees to get their teeth into the whole question, because there is, as you mentioned yourself Mr. Chairman, the matters of staff arrangements and finance to be considered-
MR. SALES: "At regular intervals" do not appear to—
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Well yes we have I think I am quite prepared to have deleted the three words "at regular intervals". So in effect it would read "Resolve that when feasible the Urban Council sponsor a Hong Kong Festival of the Arts and that the matter be referred to the relevant City Hall Select Committee for further study". I think that would be acceptable to me Mr. Chairman, but I would like to make just two small points clear. First of all, there are three Select Committees: there is the Library Select Committee, the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee and the City Hall Select Committee. A Festival of the Arts would touch upon the work of all three committees in varying degrees, so at this stage probably it is better that the three committees concerned have a go at the Motion. The second point is that which has been mentioned by Mr. SALES. That this Council, through the City Hall is endeavouring to become a state impresario- am I using the correct term? to provide good entertainment to the people of Hong Kong. I am all in favour of this providing it doesn't throttle too much any private impresario who has been working very
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hard for developing culture in Hong Kong. I would mention, Mr. Chairman, that one of the benefits to be derived from a Festival of the Arts is that it could eventually bring not only culture from all over the world but it will also bring out the creative talent among our young people in Hong Kong because at these festivals of the arts we get many entries not only in the photographic exhibition but in the music, opera, ballet and other fields, and this is not what we can get in our regular programme. So I do believe that it is very, very important that at a Festival of the Arts a competitive element is introduced. That will help to raise the standard of culture of the community.
DR. BELL: -Mr. Chairman, on a point of clarification, is Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN speaking on the amended Motion and has it been seconded?
MR. SALES: Amended by me, seconded by Mr. Wilson WANG.
DR. BELL: -Is he speaking on the amended Motion at the moment?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, I am simply clarifying certain points that I
CHAIRMAN: -I must ask Mrs. ELLIOTT who made the first amendment whether she would withdraw her amendment in the light of what has been said?
MRS. ELLIOTT: -I certainly would withdraw my amendment although I must say I prefer "if feasible" instead of "when feasible" because as we haven't studied it we don't know whether it is going to be feasible-
CHAIRMAN: -If and when-
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, it is already feasible because it has been done it was done last year the fifth anniversary—
MRS. ELLIOTT: -Is it feasible for us to do it?
MR. SALES: -Yes, it is feasible, but it is only a question of does it suit our timetable and our programme?
CHAIRMAN: The Motion has been amended to read "Resolve that when feasible, the Urban Council sponsor a Hong Kong Festival of the Arts and that the matter be referred to the relevant City Hall Select Committees for further study". Those in favour?
DR. BELL: -Oh please, Mr. Chairman, are we not allowed to speak any more? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: -I'm sorry.
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