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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the Commissioner for Resettlement for the answers to my three questions. They have served to prove the point I set out to make. As I understand the Commissioner is not well, I will refrain from asking supplementary questions. Only the absolutely necessary ones were put today and I hope he gets well very soon.
(4) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
What plans, if any, does the Council have for organizing holiday camp activities for children?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
Holiday camps for children are organized on behalf of the Urban Council by the Hong Kong Boys Scouts Association, with the cost of these camps being paid for out of the Council's vote for public recreation activities which amounts to $350,000. Last year, 19 such four-day camps were held during July and August for some 4,000 children at a cost of $100,000.
A proposal for the Council's 1971-72 public recreation activities is being prepared for consideration by the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee at its next meeting according to standard procedure. It is intended that holiday camps will be part of this year's programme as well.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, has the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee considered on any previous occasion applying to Government for land in the New Territories so that it could operate a holiday camp all the year round for children in the urban areas and also in the New Territories?
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Sir, the Urban Council is always more than happy to go into the New Territories. We are prevented from so doing by Government policy. If you would like us to apply for areas in the New Territories to establish such camps and other recreation facilities we would be very happy to do so in the public interest.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:----Could the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee do look into this possibility, Mr. Chairman?
MR. A. de O. SALES:-Sir, we have looked into this possibility many times. It is a question of Government being willing to let the Urban Council go into the New Territories. Do you think Government is likely to agree?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN: --I shouldn't think so, Mr. Sales.
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MR. SALES: Can we record your answer as a categorical statement of policy on the part of Government?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Mr. SALES.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, has the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee at any time in the past made a specific application to Government for a holiday camp in the New Territories to be operated by the Urban Council?
MR. SALES: Sir, we have always been prevented from going into the New Territories; in fact when I do go into the New Territories it is with great trepidation. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I think we should try to separate Mr. SALES' sorties into the New Territories from the suggestion that the Committee should look into the possibility of asking Government to assign a piece of land for a year round holiday camp to be operated by the Urban Council. Mr. Chairman, that is the question that I am putting, and I think from what Mr. SALES has said so far he and his committee are very much in favour of the idea. But I do feel that we should pursue this idea with Government and I would be grateful if Mr. SALES could put it on the Agenda of his Committee at some future time and I would be very happy, if he doesn't mind, to attend.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, when I said "I go into the New Territories", I spoke symbolically of the Select Committee's attempts to go into the New Territories to look after and improve the beaches which were neglected by Government.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-My apologies to Mr. SALES that this symbolism didn't register with me.
MR. SALES-And secondly, Mr. Chairman, if you allow any Elected Member to make a speech at question time contrary to Standing Orders, do you allow an Appointed Member the same privilege?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:---On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, it was a question.
(5) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
Can the Chairman advise this Council what progress is being made in the provision of sufficient staff, land and equipment to implement the Urban Council's policy on the hawking trade? Can further steps be taken to expedite the provision by the Central Government of such staff, land and equipment which are so urgently required by the Urban Council?
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