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MR. WANG: Mr. Chairman, I am very grateful that Mr. SALES has come to the rescue at a moment when I, and I believe many other Members here, shared the same feeling that we were confused with many white washings without previous warning. It does seem that the Motion is indeed heading for a bigger issue than was intended and I for one, as Chairman of the Museum and Art Gallery, would certainly like to have all the remarks made discussed in my Committee before deciding on the complicated issue arising out of this Motion. I therefore support Mr. SALES' motion to refer this to the two Select Committees concerned.
CHAIRMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, this afternoon, you have just heard how a simple straightforward and unexceptionable motion in general terms about the provision of open space in Central District has been converted into what is largely a statement about that part of the Report by the Advisory Committee on Recreational Leases dealing with the lease by Government of Crown land to a private club. This subject would, of course, in itself be inadmissable in the terms of any normal motion before this Council and, as you have heard, I had already in fact ruled it out of order. Now it is presented to us not only in another guise but also revealing somewhat confused thinking for, while the motion itself deals with open space, the speeches in support of it have endeavoured, in spite of my request to the proposer and seconder of the Motion to direct their speeches to the question under discussion, to introduce the question of building a museum—or even two museums—one in Hong Kong and one in Kowloon. Except for the publicity which may result from today's motion regarding which the speeches of the mover and seconder have dealt largely with a matter which does not come within the purview of this Council, it is not clear to me why Mr. CHEONG-LEEN and Mr. BLAKER should have thought it necessary to develop this theme this afternoon or why they should have singled out Central District for attention, when, as has already been pointed out by other Members, so many other areas of Hong Kong and Kowloon have much greater need for public open space. I would therefore not support this motion, but I would support Mr. SALES' proposal that this be referred to a joint meeting of the two Committees.
Dr. Bell: I would support Mr. SALES' proposal Mr. Chairman, because as I said to you already I found myself unable to vote either for or against the Motion, and at least this way I feel that it will be properly discussed and thrashed out.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, I would like to congratulate those Appointed Members who spoke in such highly charged political terms for their political acumen. It was the intention of both Mr. BLAKER and myself to make this a pretty straightforward Motion and concentrate on the need of the public for more open space. Primarily, for the reason as I stated when I spoke on this Motion, that the Central district is the cultural heart of Hong Kong and the more open space we have in the Central district the more it will be welcome and appreciated by people from the Island, Kowloon and even the New Territories. I was somewhat surprised to hear Mr. FORSGATE speaking about bleating because he full well knows that no Member of this Council can bleat even if he wanted to, or she wished to, so I presume he was referring to persons who are not members of this Council. The position I should have thought was very clear, Mr. Chairman. We want to have more open space in the Central district. We realize that there is a need for more open space also in the Western district, in Wan Chai and other places, but we knew that the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee were working and striving very hard for open space in these other districts as well. Mr. SALES can recall, time and time again, how Members of this Council have raised in Council meetings, the questions on the need for open space in the Western district in particular and I am sure that Mr. Lo, if he refers back to Hansard over the past few years, will see how many questions were raised in this connection.
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Now, as regards the need for more open space in Wan Chai I believe that the Director of Public Works has fully and adequately answered the point or question raised by Mr. Lo. The need for having the museum and art gallery on the Cricket Club ground is a secondary issue Mr. Chairman. It rose primarily out of the need for more open space by the public in the Central district. Besides, even if we should put the new museum and art gallery on the Cricket Club ground it will occupy only a very small portion of that area, Mr. Chairman, and it will leave a big portion of that area available as open space for all the public in Hong Kong.
I would have no objection to the amendment moved by Mr. SALES. It would perhaps lead to even more concentrated discussion within the Select Committee of the pro's and con's of the Motion. I would point out, however, that at the last meeting of the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee, views—very strong views—were expressed by several members on that Committee as to the desirability of having the new museum and art gallery put on the Cricket Club ground. I would also mention, Mr. Chairman, that there was discussion as to certain open space in the Tsim Sha Tsui district being used by the museum and art gallery so Kowloon is not at all forgotten.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, on a point of clarification, could Mr. FORSGATE please clarify to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN what the word "bleating" means?
MR. FORSGATE: Well, you know what Little Bo Peep who lost her sheep (laughter).
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