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CHAIRMAN:---No restriction, provided the place is licensable.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, it has always been my understanding that there has not been any restriction on the type of food that could be sold in such places provided they were properly licensed by the Urban Services Department for that purpose.
MRS. ELLIOTT: Mr. Chairman, I am asking the question because some people are getting summonses and trouble about it and they really want to know if they can sell noodles and so on.
MR. SALES: -Well in the event Mr. Chairman, might I suggest that those instances be referred to the Food and Food Premises Select Committee headed by our Colleague, Mr. P. K. NG, for investigation.
MR. BERNACCHI :-Mr. Chairman, surely the answer is really dependent on whether any kind of cooked food can be sold without either a restaurant or cafe licence. If the answer is "no" the answer is clear that some of these small shops cannot sell any kind of cooked food. If the answer is some cooked foods can be sold well then it is different.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -My answer was that some tenants might find it difficult to meet the requirements laid down by this Council.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, if the Commissioner for Resettlement and yourself are not clear, how could the tenants be clear?
CHAIRMAN: -You must agree, Mrs. ELLIOTT, the question is not giving us specific cause to be clear.
MR. C. K. CHAN:-Perhaps you know, Mr. Chairman, I can supply some details because I have come across.
CHAIRMAN:-Mr. CHAN, are you making a speech?
MR. C. K. CHAN:-I am not making a speech Your Worship (Laughter), I am questioning the accuracy of your answer.
CHAIRMAN:-Put the question then, Mr. CHAN.
MR. C. K. CHAN:-You have said that anybody can sell food in the resettlement shops and I just questioned the accuracy because I understand from reading a lot of files as a delegated member half the shops in a resettlement estate cannot be licensed as cafes because they are too small in size, whether it is a minor shop or a small shop. I just want this point confirmed or denied.
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CHAIRMAN:----I have already explained that it depends on size. This is spelt out in the schedule to the By-laws-the requirements of the kitchen and the seating accommodation. Everything is spelt out and if it is not licensable, obviously they can't cook food.
MRS. ELLIOTT:--Mr. Chairman, I am not talking about licensed restaurants or cafes, I am talking about cooked food which will be like a cooked food stall which is outside.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Would it be possible for the Department to give a reply to Mrs. ELLIOTT in writing?
MRS. ELLIOTT:-I really want it, yes. CHAIRMAN:-It can only be food premises of some kind, a food factory or a fresh provision shop or a food stall of some kind.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-But Mrs. ELLIOTT mentioned some time ago that quite often she is asked these questions in her Ward and for her reference and for the information of the people who ask, could this information be provided to her in writing by the department?
CHAIRMAN: Certainly, and if this enquiry had been put to the department surely an answer would have been given.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I just clarify. It was put to the department, it was put to you and I didn't say that I wanted the Commissioner to answer it. I just gave the question and anybody can answer it but the point is, may I clarify, I have a feeling we did make some concession on all these small shops, that they could sell certain things and that is what I wanted to know.
CHAIRMAN: --Well it was your committee that made the decision, Mrs. ELLIOTT. Perhaps you should know.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Well I thought you would, I thought somebody would have, I don't have papers five years back.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I would like an answer. I will reframe the question. Can any cooked food be sold except under either under a restaurant licence, a cafe licence and I would add also a food-factory licence?
CHAIRMAN:-Subject to correction, I would say "No".
(7) MR. PETER P. K. NG asked the following question:—
Can the Chairman disclose to this Council how many new squatters' huts have been erected within all of our Resettlement Estates up to the present moment?
Can the Chairman justify the failure of the Resettlement Department to stop such illegal practice at the early stage?
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