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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, I asked you before and I would like to say something before you take a vote.
CHAIRMAN: --Please.
DR. BELL:- I do want to say Mr. Chairman that I support the Motion, as amended, up to a point because I think it's all very well to talk in this way at this stage in the evening, having earlier on in the afternoon told us that there is no chance of a civic centre being built in Kowloon. You have in Kowloon 3 million people. Do you expect them to cross the harbour? You have 3 million, Mr. Chairman, I beg your pardon, I saw you muttering 2 million. Do you expect them to cross the harbour to your Festival of Arts in Hong Kong? Why? Just as they have to cross over when they're dead to Cape Collinson? I do think that when they're alive at least they might be able to remain in a civic centre in Kowloon and therefore I only support this Motion if, in the consideration of it, when it is feasible it also becomes feasible in Kowloon.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, with your permission, could I clarify one point in regard to what Dr. BELL has raised: A festival of the arts does not necessarily have to be held only in the City Hall—it could be held Colony-wide.
CHAIRMAN:- May we now take a vote on this Motion? Those in favour? Against?
MR. SALES: "The Motion as amended"—you did not put "the Motion as amended"—it will be necessary to repeat the question.
CHAIRMAN: The Motion, as amended, reads "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". Repeat, the Motion as amended, as I've just read it those in favour? Against?
The question was put.
The Motion was carried.
(2) MR. WILSON T. S. WANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ABATTOIRS AND OFFENSIVE TRADES SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:
THAT the Abattoirs By-laws, 1968 and the Slaughterhouses (Amendment) By-laws 1968 be made under Section 77 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance (Chapter 132).
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He said: Mr. Chairman, I rise to move the motion standing in my name, namely, that the Abattoirs By-laws 1968 and the Slaughterhouses (Amendment) By-laws 1968 be made under Section 77 of the Public Health & Urban Services Ordinance. Members will be aware that after many years of planning the new Abattoirs are now nearing completion. The Kennedy Town project will, in fact, be coming into service during the next three months and that at Cheung Sha Wan towards the end of the year or early in 1969. These new Abattoirs, which are up to the best modern standards in design and construction and which will be entirely staffed and managed by Government, will replace the old slaughterhouses at Kennedy Town and Ma Tau Kok which are to be closed down.
The existing slaughterhouses are governed by the Slaughterhouses By-laws 1936 and it is intended that they should continue to be so until they are closed down. These By-laws are, however, not suitable for use in the new Abattoirs and it has been necessary to draw up the new ones which Members have before them to-day and which will apply only to the new Abattoirs. They have been discussed in detail and approved by the Abattoirs Select Committee of which I am Chairman, and also, where appropriate, agreed with the Government departments concerned. In particular, the Agriculture & Fisheries Department has been consulted on those sections dealing with the handling of livestock.
In the new Abattoirs the slaughtering of animals will be entirely in the hands of Government staff and the responsibility for any loss or damage to meat will fall on Government to a much greater extent than before. For this reason it has been necessary for the new Abattoirs By-laws to include provisions giving the Urban Council and the Director of Urban Services wider powers than those contained in the existing Slaughterhouses By-laws. For instance, it has been necessary to lay down in some detail procedures for the admission of livestock, for their identification, for the registration of their owners, for the marking and transport of slaughtered animals and for the maintenance of law and order in the new Abattoirs.
In view of the length of the By-laws I do not propose to discuss them in detail. I would, however, like to point out that the By-laws include a new scale of fees for the services to be provided. The Abattoirs Select Committee has given special attention to these fees and we feel that they are very reasonable taking into account the improved services to be provided and the fact that the fees will include the cost of slaughtering and dressing which will be carried out by Government staff.
Sir, with these words I have much pleasure in moving the Motion before Council.
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