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Road, and the other from Pokfulam Reservoir Road to a little beyond the access road to the Little Flower School.
With your permission, Sir, I would like to table the two plans for consideration by Council.
One hundred and thirty-one trees will be affected by the first scheme; all but one are within the grounds of the University of Hong Kong. Every effort has been made to reduce the disturbance of trees to a minimum, but I am advised it is not possible to re-align the road widening to avoid them. It will be possible to transplant a number of the trees within the University grounds, and the Urban Services Department has undertaken to assist in this work. In addition, Government will be providing 200 small trees for planting within the University grounds, which will in the course of time to some extent replace the belt of trees which has for so long been such an attractive feature. The Recreation and Amenities Select Committee was consulted on this particular project in February 1969, and reluctantly approved the felling of the one roadside banyan tree with which we are directly concerned.
The second scheme will affect 15 trees, of which one can be transplanted and one preserved, but the remaining 13 will have to be felled. When this scheme was put to the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee in June last year, the original intention was to fell 35 roadside trees and transplant 3. However, as a result of the Committee's representations the layout was redesigned to incorporate a central dividing strip containing trees, with the result that instead of 38 being affected only 15 were. The Committee subsequently accepted that it would not be possible to preserve any more trees and still meet the road requirements.
MR. HU, having been present at these Committee meetings, will be able to confirm that the Committee does not lightly endorse the felling of mature trees and, as in these and other cases, is often able to reduce the worst effects of road improvement proposals. Only when it is satisfied, after discussion with the engineer responsible, that no other practicable alternative is possible, does it concur in the removal of trees. Wherever possible, of course, new trees are planted as replacements. I would also like to record the co-operative attitude of the Public Works Department, which often goes to considerable extra trouble and expense to meet the Committee's wishes as far as possible.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, I should like to thank Mr. SALES for his very encouraging answer. I confirm that I was in the meeting, Sir, when the trees were discussed, and personally I am satisfied with the answer.
(14) MR. D. J. R. BLAKER asked the following question:-
(a) We have been informed that the Government considers that hawking matters should command priority. Does it still hold this view?
(b) After the revision of the hawker by-laws, which took some 4 months, this Council was informed that they were being forwarded to the Legal Department with the request that they be given the highest possible priority. Were they forwarded in these terms?
(c) It was hoped on the 3rd February that they would be available for consideration by this Council within four months from that date. More than eight months have elapsed since that hope was expressed. When are they expected?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
As far as I am aware, Government still considers that hawker matters should command priority.
The drafting instructions for the revision of the Hawker By-laws were passed to the Colonial Secretariat on 18th February for forwarding to the Legal Department with the request that they be accorded the highest possible priority. It was necessary for certain points to be clarified for the Colonial Secretariat and this was not satisfactorily settled until the end of March. The instructions were forwarded by the Secretariat to the Attorney General in mid-April with the request that they be given priority in drafting.
Despite (or perhaps because of) the very comprehensive nature of the drafting instructions, there have been innumerable points to be settled in the drafting process and the work has, therefore, taken longer than was originally expected. However, I am now informed by the Legal Draftsman that he anticipates being able to provide the complete draft within two to three weeks.
MR. BLAKER:-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can I be assured that the matter will be reviewed in two or three weeks time and in case it's necessary?
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