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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, the meeting is called to order. Before we proceed with the business of this meeting, I would like on your behalf to welcome Mr. HOLT-KENTWELL who is acting as Director of Social Welfare in place of Mr. Rowe who is on leave at the moment. I would also like to welcome back Mr. CHEONG-LEEN from leave. I had hoped also to be able to welcome Mr. Peter P. K. NG, but we have just heard that he is in Canada and had a slight accident to his hand, nothing serious, but at any rate he is on doctor's orders not to travel for a fortnight.
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting held on 8th July, 1969, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:-
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of July, 1969.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st April, 1969 to 30th June, 1969.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st April, 1969 to 30th June, 1969.
REPORT BY CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL.
CHAIRMAN: --Members will recall that on 3rd October, 1967, this Council passed a Motion that the Chairman shall report on the progress in implementing Motions, and shall in any case make a statement of information within three months. In conformity with this, I rise to make the following statement:
On 6th May, this year, that is just three months ago, this Council passed a motion that “The Council appreciates the need for hawkers of cooked food in Hong Kong, and remits this matter to the Hawker Policy Select Committee for consideration in accordance with the Committee's Priority Working Programme".
The entire policy in respect of licensed Cooked Food Stalls was exhaustively reviewed at a meeting of the Hawker Policy Select Committee on Wednesday, 2nd July, this year, when changes were made in accordance with the spirit and intentions of the Motion which
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In the Council's interest, and also in that of the general public, I would prefer not to reveal these details publicly until the Urban Services Department is in a position to implement them. But I assure Members that the Hawker Management Select Committee will be informed well in advance of such implementation.
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, there are two statements that I wish to make on this occasion.
The first concerns the recommendation which the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee has made to the Government for the construction of a football stadium in Kowloon following previous representations long made by this Council. The people of Kowloon have no such amenity at the present time and, because of the popularity of football as a spectacle for the mass of our population, the urgency is self-evident.
My Select Committee has recommended that such a stadium be built in Ho Man Tin, with a seating capacity of 50,000, to start off.
(Applause from Mr. Wilson T. S. WANG).
Mr. Chairman, next, the City Hall Select Committee wishes to put on record the recommendation which has been agreed upon on the Civic Centre for Kowloon. It is hoped that consideration will be given by the Government to locate this much needed Centre in the remaining 16 acres of Whitfield Barracks, so that it will also serve the people on the Island as well as the many hotels which are located in Tsim Sha Tsui where a good part of the delegates attending any convention in Hong Kong will presumably be accommodated. Of course, Sir, my Committee's prime consideration is the need for such amenities for the education and entertainment of our own people which should be the main concern of the Government at all times. It is recommended that the Centre be fully air-conditioned and be adequately served by lifts. We propose that there be a main auditorium with 3,000 seats. This we believe to be the most suitable capacity, after comparing the seating capacities of a number of such halls completed elsewhere within the last ten years. In addition, there should be four halls each of 2,000 sq. ft. and seating about 200 persons with another four rooms, each of 500 sq. ft. and accommodating about 40 persons. All are to be sound insulated so as to serve as rooms for lectures, rehearsals, conferences and committee meetings. It is also recommended that an air-conditioned exhibition hall be provided measuring about 20,000 sq. ft. which could be partitioned off into four areas of about 5,000 sq. ft., and the whole to be linked to an open space of about 50,000 sq. ft., which could be used as an extension to the hall if required. Mr. Chairman, it is suggested that there be a Chinese restaurant to accommodate 1,000 persons at one sitting and capable of being divided
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