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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-The lost items were valued by the senior staff including, of course, the Curator, and they were valued on the sale price of similar objects sold at Sotheby's in London in recent months.
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-May I then confirm that, in fact, the items were valued after they were lost?
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-Present value "YES". I can tell you what they cost. They cost, in 1949,
very little.
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-What I did mean to point out, Mr. Chairman, and to have the Chairman of the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee confirm, was that in fact the items, when they were valued at all, were valued then. The valuer did not have the benefit of looking at items before doing so to arrive at the present value.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-That is correct.
MR. TSIN SAI-NIN (in Cantonese): --Mr. Chairman, I should like a clarification from the Chairman of the Select Committee the reason for not insuring our items. Otherwise the citizens would doubt our treasureship.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-It is general government policy, which has so far also applied to the Urban Council, to not insure items except items on loan from somebody else. This whole matter is before the Finance Select Committee.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-If there are no more supplementaries, may I make a brief statement. I am always very curious when discus- sion takes place on replacement of antiques. How can antiques be possibly replaced? Is an order placed for them to be manufactured again? How else! Once they are lost, I should imagine they are lost for all time unless they are recovered or similar objects bought. So, the question must be considered differently by the Select Committee but not as a matter of replacement. They cannot be replaced ever.
(8) MR. ALEX S. C. Wu asked the following question (in English):-
Now that the Council has taken over more responsibilities for licensing, what measures has it taken to consolidate and streamline all licensing procedures for the convenience of the public?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. PETER P. K. NG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENTS AND ADVERTISING SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Mr. Chairman, the additional licensing responsibilities given to the Council last year were for Places of Public Enter- tainment and Liquor Licensing.
The procedure for licensing of Places of Public Entertain- ment is currently being reviewed by the Licensing Sub- Committee, whose initial Report was submitted for consideration by the Select Committee at its meeting on 26th April, 1974, and the final report was just completed yesterday.
As far as liquor licensing is concerned, the reply we just heard from Mr. Charles SIN, Chairman of the Food Hygiene Select Committee is a clear indication that some progress is being made anyhow.
A Procedural guide for obtaining a public entertainment licence is now being considered and compiled, and it is hoped that it will be ready in the near future.
MR. ALEX S. C. Wu (in English): -Mr. Chairman, I don't want to start a competition between the two Committees as to who would be able to get out the procedural streamlining faster but, emphasizing on the word consolidating, may I ask Mr. NG whether he can assure Members that an applicant for a public entertainment licence would not be subjected to redundant procedure, as confronted by the holder of a valid light refreshment or a general restaurant, for a liquor licence or dancing endorsement?
MR. PETER P. K. NG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the Select Committee is very much aware of this problem and I can assure Mr. Wu that during our next Committee meeting when we study the final report, that matter will be borne in mind.
(9) MR. EDMUND W. H. CHOW asked the following question (in Cantonese): -
It has been said that certain beef retailers inject water into the beef on sale to the public in order to make the beef weigh heavier and thus reap a greater profit.
(a) Has the Council heard about it or ever received any
such complaint?