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court of which about 55% concerned food and food premises. It is also true that at present a summons in Kowloon has to wait 3 to 3½ months before it is heard; this is due to the fact that one afternoon a week is allotted by the court to Urban Council cases which are handled by one single Urban Services Department prosecuting officer in Kowloon. Since only about 350 cases can be dealt with in one court session, a backlog is inevitable. The Department is aware of the situation and steps are being taken to strengthen the Prosecution Section by making recommendations to the Colonial Secretariat for the post of one additional prosecuting officer in Kowloon in the 1971-72 Staff Estimates. Should this be approved, it may then be possible for the Department to seek an additional session every week in the Kowloon Courts which it is anticipated would improve the situation to a considerable extent.
MR. BERNACCHI—I would like to ask whether a magistrate is available for one additional session without also seeking an additional magistrate?
MR. LO: That is a question which has also occurred to me.
MR. C. K. CHAN:—Mr. Chairman, I think the magistrate is not a problem, getting one afternoon is not a problem, but why it is that we need to have Secretariat approval for an additional prosecuting officer when he only prosecutes one afternoon a week? Well, I think one prosecuting officer can prosecute five afternoons a week and, perhaps, you know, five half days a week even.
CHAIRMAN:—We are seeking one additional post, Mr. Chan.
MR. C. K. CHAN:—Am I to understand that the prosecuting officer goes to court one afternoon a week and then spends 5 days preparing the prosecution paper? Is it such a detailed preparation?
CHAIRMAN:—I haven't got details of the prosecuting officer's duties, Mr. Chan. I would need to check on this one.
MR. C. K. CHAN:—Mr. Chairman, would you be kind enough to supply some detail of the routine of duty of this particular prosecuting officer to the Select Committee, which at least has 55% of all the summonses outstanding.
CHAIRMAN:—Certainly, Mr. Chan.
MR. C. K. CHAN:—Much obliged.
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(6) MR. HENRY WONG asked the following question:—
I understand that there will be a temporary 60,000 sq. ft. playground at the junction of Magazine Gap Road and Bowen Path at a cost of $132,000 and work has been started in July for completion in about 4 months. (a) Why is it only for temporary use? Is there any plan for the future usage of this area? If so, why spend $132,000 for this, or is it justified in doing so if it is only for a short period?
(b) Could our Chairman let this Council know, would all new playgrounds be installed with park lights? (c) Is it possible to provide more parking spaces instead of only six cars with the present plan?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:—
Mr. Chairman, this question relates to the playground to be built at the junction of Magazine Gap Road and Brewin Path (not Bowen Path as stated in the question), and the general policy of installing lighting in parks.
The playground in question which, incidentally, will be 60,000 sq. ft. and not 6,000 sq. ft. as reported in the press, is reserved for a service reservoir. However, the Director of Water Supplies has stated that the area is unlikely to be required for such development within the next eight years, and the Recreation & Amenities Select Committee therefore considered the cost of developing the site as a temporary playground to be justified.
As for parking spaces, it would, of course, be physically possible to provide more than the six at present planned. However, this would reduce the area available for public recreation.
With regard to the provision of lighting in all new playgrounds, I confirm that it is the policy of the Recreation & Amenities Select Committee to install such lighting, unless there is a valid reason for not doing so. Furthermore, it is the Committee's policy that active games areas should be flood-lit wherever possible and there is a programme for this purpose which could be made available to Councillors who are not members of the Select Committee, if desired.
MR. WONG:—I would like to thank Mr. SALES for the answer. May I ask a supplementary? Could this Council be informed how many of the existing playgrounds are not adequately installed or equipped with floodlights?
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