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and will consist of two parts—the market proper with 13 stalls, and an adjoining hawker bazaar capable of taking in 408 hawkers, including some cooked food stalls. In accordance with the Council's policy, all market stalls are let by public auction, and it is intended that the same procedure should apply to the new market. However, to be entirely fair, some degree of priority, the details of which have not yet been approved by the Markets Select Committee, will be given to the six stallholders of the nearby, old, inadequate market which will be demolished when the new market opens. The remaining seven market stalls will be let by public auction, when any interested party may bid for a stall, subject to an approved upset price.
With regard to the second part of the question, registration has begun of all the hawkers trading in the vicinity, and these will eventually be offered sites at the bazaar.
The answer to the third part of the question is: "most assuredly". A press release will be made announcing the completion of the new market and hawker bazaar, and public notices inviting prospective market stallholders to attend the second auction will also be posted up on the notice boards of all markets seven days in advance. These notices will contain information about the date, time and place of the auction, and will list the available market stalls.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, has any consideration been given to the hawkers registered as operating in King's Park and now being displaced with the demolition work going on there, while other people are being resettled in Ngau Tau Kok. Is there any possibility of resettling these?
CHAIRMAN:- Strictly speaking that is a little out of line with the original question too, Mrs. ELLIOTT. I am not aware of this, but I will make enquiries.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I was asking what method is to be used for the allocation, and I wondered if it is going to be like a transfer?
CHAIRMAN:- Not that I am aware of, Mrs. ELLIOTT; by public auction.
MR. FORSGATE:- Mr. Chairman, I hope at the same time as the new places are going to be advertised, that the hawkers will be told that they will have no option that, when this place is made available
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for them to trade in an orderly sanitary manner, they will not be allowed to carry on in the dizzy old way as they do at the moment in among Resettlement Estates and so on.
CHAIRMAN:- I would hope that things will work out that way.
MR. FORSGATE:- Could I have your assurance on that point please, that it will be brought to the hawkers' attention.
CHAIRMAN:- We will do our best.
MR. SALES:- Perhaps the Chairman of the Resettlement Management Select Committee might wish to answer that question?
MR. HU:- About resettlement matters, I think Mr. Aserappa is the person to answer the question, I really could not help.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Two supplementary questions. I am a little bit distressed that the market is to include some cooked food stalls. Surely it is inappropriate for a market or a hawker bazaar to include some cooked food stalls that should be separately sited?
CHAIRMAN:- They may well be, Mr. BERNACCHI. I am sure they are not going to stick cooked food stalls in with meat and fish stalls. They will be sited away from them, for sure.
MR. BERNACCHI:- The other supplementary question is, you say that the hawkers are at present being registered. Licensed only, or licensed and unlicensed?
CHAIRMAN:- As far as I am aware, it is all those who are now operating, Mr. BERNACCHI.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Is any attention being paid to what they are actually selling, or not?
CHAIRMAN:- I am afraid I cannot answer that one, I will let you know later, if I may.
MR. C. K. CHAN:- Mr. Chairman, one supplementary which I think is relevant. About this Ngau Tau Kok market, during the clearance, some of the so-called shops will hope for shop resettlement because they are actually stalls or hawkers, and I think some of their appeals will be unsuccessful. Could some priority for them be considered, particularly if their appeal is turned down? Secondly, would the U.S.D. work closely with the Resettlement Department concerning these turned down appeals, whether priority can be given to those already cleared hawkers or shop operators for getting a stall when the market is built?
CHAIRMAN:- I do not think that would be on, Mr. CHAN, but I shall enquire into it.
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