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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, am I to understand that there is differentiation in treatment for oxen and for buffaloes?
MR. WANG:-Yes, because buffaloes are dangerous if they are left to stray. As you know, the transportation of cattle is a very expensive exercise. Where oxen from China are concerned, they are generally harmless, and there is no justification for insisting on their being transported by lorries.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-In other words, Mr. Chairman, this differentiation in treatment seems to be based upon the nature or the sex of the animal?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, on the danger that the animal presents to the public.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Which, in the last resort, depends upon the sex of the animal.
MR. WANG:-Mr. Chairman, could I ask Mr. CHEONG-LEEN if he were an ox would he prefer to travel on a lorry or otherwise? (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, it is not for me to answer this question, it is for me to ask the question.
(8) DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG asked the following question:-
Are the schedules of the mechanical street sweepers and beat sweepers adjusted to avoid obstruction to traffic and inconvenience to public at peak travelling times?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
This question concerns the deployment of mechanical road sweepers and manual sweepers during peak travelling times.
There are 4 sweeping vehicles on the streets. 2 in Hong Kong and 2 in Kowloon.
Each vehicle works a day shift and a night shift. The day shift lasts from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a one hour break between 12 and 1. The night shift starts at midnight and continues until 6.50 a.m. None of these vehicles is therefore operating during the evening rush hour.
The sweeping routes that these vehicles follow are selected so that, as far as possible, they do not hold up traffic during the busy times of the day. But at night, of course, they can operate in any main thoroughfare where there is no on-street parking.
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The mechanical street sweepers may occasionally be seen on very busy roads in the morning rush hours. But then, they are usually on their way to scheduled sweeping routes in other places. The driver has strict instructions to keep the vehicle moving at those times at the maximum permitted speed of 20 m.p.h.
So far as manual sweeping is concerned, the beat sweepers are continually deployed throughout the day, and I do not think they cause much inconvenience to peak hour travellers. However it is our practice to have all the main thoroughfares swept clean before 9 a.m., and then to work on the side streets and lanes so fewer road sweepers are likely to be on the main roads in the later part of the morning rush.
I am
DR. HUANG: Mr. Chairman, I thank you for your answer.
concerned mainly with people held up in the morning rush hour, and not in the evening rush hour. I have received several complaints from the public that, when they have been at a bus stop, they have been disturbed by the cleaning cars, especially the water waggons which forces them to step into the street and almost cause a traffic disaster. In your reply, you mention "However, it is our practice to have all the main thoroughfares swept clean before 9 a.m.' I suppose that most offices and schools start punctually at nine o'clock, and the people who have to go to offices have to go before nine, probably around 8 a.m. So, would the department consider having all the thoroughfares swept clean before eight o'clock or even seven?
CHAIRMAN:-I can ask the department to consider their schedules again, Dr. HUANG, but it would help us if you have particular complaints to make, if you could specify them.
DR. HUANG:-I can say that one of the complaints is in Causeway Bay near a bus stop.
(9) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
As the Government has permitted about 2,000 New Territories residents to register as voters in Urban Council elections, could the Chairman enquire from Government why no provision has been made for them to cast their votes in the areas in which they live?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:
This question concerns the provision of polling stations in the New Territories.
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