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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. NG: Mr. Chairman, the restaurants are not allowed to operate for three years unlicensed except if they run illegally. As I say, we are looking into means to cease this operation. We will have to look for new legislation. May be our present legislation is not good enough.
(10) MR. R. H. LOBO asked the following question:-
Can the Chairman please inform me of the progress, if any, in regard to the request made repeatedly over the years for a Public Relations Officer to serve the Urban Services Department and the Urban Council?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
Subject to the approval of the Finance Committee, a post of Principal Information Officer for the Urban Services Department's public relations unit will be included in the 1972-73 estimates and an officer will be seconded from the Information Services Department as soon after 1st April, 1972 as possible.
MR. LOBO:-Thank you Mr. Chairman, I will take it up with you after the debate.
(11) MR. R. H. LOBO asked the following question:
(a) Which department is in charge of the lighting within the Government car parks?
(b) Has there been any requests for improvements of lighting in these car parks?
(c) Has any inspector or officer in charge of the day-to-day running of these car parks ever suggested that there was the need for improvements in the lighting of same?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:--
The following are answers to the three-part question on lighting in our car parks:-
(a) The Government Building Services Engineer of the Architectural Office of the Public Works Department is responsible for the lighting within Urban Council car parks.
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(b) As far as can be ascertained no requests from the public have been received in recent years.
(c) No suggestions have been made.
MR. LOBO:-Thank you Mr. SALES for the very precise answer. I have no supplementaries.
(12) MR. PETER P. K. NG asked the following question:
I have made a proposal to convert the two large lecture halls at the 8th floor of the City Hall into a Council Chamber with suitable facilities for simultaneous translation and public gallery. Can this Council be advised:
(a) Has the Department given this matter due consideration?
(b) If the answer to (a) is "yes", has the Department made any progress to produce a plan for consideration by the Council?
(c) If the answer to (a) above is "no", can the Chairman advise us the reasons?
(d) Has the Department thought of the idea that if such a room is constructed, it could be used by the general public as well when the Council is not in session?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
As far as I can ascertain, Mr. NG's suggestion (to convert the large lecture room in the City Hall High Block into a chamber for this Council) was made by him at a meeting of the Local Administration Select Committee in August 1971. The suggestion was discussed at the Standing Committee of the Whole Council at its meeting on 14th September, 1971, but was not pursued, largely on the grounds that the usage of the City Hall facilities was so heavy that there were not enough available now and the public should not be deprived of any of the existing facilities.
Subsequently, the layout plans of the High Block were studied in the Department, but it was considered that in any event the structure and layout of the block precluded the provision of a suitable Council Chamber and that it would be preferable to plan for a new and fitting Council Chamber elsewhere in the City Hall complex and (with Members' permission) I would like to pursue this-in the first instance with the Cultural Affairs Select Committee.
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