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(5) and (6) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following questions (in English):
What is being done to remove the unlicensed hawker of newspapers outside 16 Anchor Street, since she is obstructing a doorway and pavement, besides abusing the licensed hawker at the same address?
Why is the de-licensed hawker, LEE Hon, allowed to operate illegally at the Chat Hei Restaurant in Kowloon City?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, it seems to be that today there is confrontation between Mrs. ELLIOTT and myself. There are four questions altogether and these two questions, numbers 5 and 6, will be answered at the same time.
Mr. Chairman, Mrs. ELLIOTT'S two questions, the one concerning a hawker, LEE Hon, and the other concerning an unlicensed hawker outside 16 Anchor Street, are, in fact, part and parcel of the general question of illegal hawking in Kowloon, and I propose to answer them as one question.
There are many thousands of unlicensed hawkers in Kowloon, and the whole problem of illegal hawking is, therefore, many-faceted and very difficult of solution. Members will appreciate that the Hawker Control Force has not operated in Kowloon since 1970, and in their stead has been an administrative arrangement whereby the Police undertake to control illegal hawkers there. That the Police can and do take action against unlawful hawker activities is shown by the 12,032 Kowloon hawker prosecutions in May, and 11,229 in June, of this year. However, they can only take action as and when their numerous other commitments allow. Action has been taken against both the hawkers indicated by Mrs. ELLIOTT, but it is not possible for the Police to concentrate solely on them, and they like many other hawkers are not deterred by prosecution from resuming their illegal activities. However, I have once more drawn the attention of the Police to these two cases.
In order to improve the general condition of hawker concentrations, the Hawkers Select Committee has recently
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approved the setting up of four General Duties Teams in Kowloon, and it is intended that in the Districts where these Teams are to operate, better control of illegal hawking will be eventually obtained.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English):—Mr. Chairman, concerning these General Duties Teams, will they be taking action against all unlicensed hawkers, or will they also take action against protected licensed hawkers, if you know what I mean?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU (in English):-Yes, I understand what Mrs. ELLIOTT means. Mr. Chairman, the four General Duties Teams will be formed in or about April next year, and consist of about 130 people. In certain cases, I should say in most cases, it will be supported by the Police so it is intended also to tackle the illegal hawking problem, although I must stress that their main duties are not to deal with illegal hawkers, but they can deal with the Police support.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I was Chairman of a Special Sub-Committee that was set-up, I think it was, four years ago to deal with two hawker appeals by hawkers hawking in the Chat Hei Restaurant area. In the course of our investigations, the name of LEE Hon constantly arose. We made a report to the Council about this particular man. Why is it therefore that, four years later, he is still apparently permitted to hawk in the same general area, and is it indeed just a question of illegal hawking generally, or is there some particular influence that LEE Hon has over the area that keeps him free of prosecutions generally?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Before I ask Mr. Henry Hu, perhaps you might clarify. Isn't LEE Hon a she, or at least an Ms?
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-A "he". There is a wife who is also an illegal hawker.
MR. HENRY H. L. HU (in English):-I understand that this Mr. LEE Hon is very notorious. I believe that he is still hawking somewhere, and Mrs. ELLIOTT told me the same thing. As I have said, we of course want to try enforcing the Hawker By-laws, but illegal hawkers were around mainly because the General Duties Teams are yet to be formed, and it is generally the duty of the Police to get rid of illegal hawkers. So, as I have said in my answer, we already once again drew the attention of the relevant authority about this matter.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-Please do not think I am criticizing in any way the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee,
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