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MR. WANG:-As you know, the Committee has not been informed of the nature and design of the block, unless the Director of Public Works is able to give us up-to-date information on this?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I am afraid I cannot, Mr. Chairman, at this moment in time. As you know, there is no approved scheme for a museum. We are doing this investigation with a view to crystallizing thought. But as for being a free-standing block, I can say that it is a block by itself, but not free. We are hoping to make use of the lifts of the present block, plus some extra lifts. This may be a little difficult to visualise perhaps, but the block, although free-standing, is adjacent to another block. It is rather like a row of tenements where you have two blocks; gives you free-standing but they are contiguous.
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, arising out of the Director of Public Works' reply, I know that he is most touchy on any point that concerns lifts (Laughter), but is he aware that there have been constant complaints about the lifts in the City Hall as at present? How could they be expected to serve an additional block?
CHAIRMAN:-That is out of order also, Mr. SALES, but I can assure you that the Director of Public Works is also aware of these things.
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, arising out of the last paragraph of my Friend's reply, are you aware that at the last meeting of the Unofficial Members of the Urban Council, in the Hong Kong equivalent of the Boston Tea Party, it was decided that the only way to prod Government to provide a museum for Hong Kong would be for the City Hall Select Committee to give notice to the museum, notice of eviction that is, from the present City Hall? (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:-On a point of clarification, I should like to ask the Chairman of the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee whether the Government has approved in principle an extra 40,000 sq. ft. or extra 28,000 sq. ft.?
MR. WANG:-I think 28,000 sq. ft. that we want.
MR. BERNACCHI:-I am most distressed, because I thought it was an extra 40,000 to the existing Art Gallery of 12,000.
MR. WANG:-I am equally distressed, but I am afraid that this is the present position.
MR. BLAKER:-Mr. Chairman, could I ask the Director of Public Works whether Government has considered whether there is any private building in the Central District of Hong Kong or Kowloon which might be desirable and suitable for use as a museum, and if it did consider that there was such a building, whether it would be prepared to entertain a possibility of a swap of land for this purpose?
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be desirable and suitable for use as a museum, and if it did consider that there was such a building, whether it would be prepared to entertain a possibility of a swap of land for this purpose?
CHAIRMAN:-This question is, strictly speaking, also out of order and I can only say that if the Director of Public Works has any information he can pass it to you. (The Director of Public Works indicated that he could not answer the question).
MR. BLAKER:-Why is the question out of order, Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN: It is not connected in any circumstance to the original question.
MR. BLAKER:-A search for land?
CHAIRMAN:-You were asking about a swap of buildings.
MR. BLAKER:-My second item in the question is "What sites does the Government have in mind at present for this purpose." Is not my supplementary concerned with what sites does Government have in mind?
CHAIRMAN: Not when you are suggesting that there be a swap of buildings.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, a point of fact, is not a swap also seeking another site?
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, I can well understand and sympathize with your position. You may be forgiven for ruling so many questions out of order, you have been away on holiday and you are out of practice. (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN:-In fact, I have let many go that perhaps I should have ruled out of order.
(7) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:—
(a) What method is to be used for the allocation of market stalls in the new market at Ngau Tau Kok?
(b) Has registration begun?
(c) Will the particulars be published in the newspapers so that hawkers know how, where, and when to apply?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:
With regard to the first part of the question, the proposed new Market is expected to be ready about May 1970
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