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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
injected meat" or "possessing tools which can be used for the purpose of injecting water into meat" is an offence and that apart from preferring a charge against the offenders, the Council will take action to suspend or cancel the licence?
MR. CHARLES C. C. SIN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, this question concerns the illegal practice of injecting water into beef.
The answer to the first part is that five summonses have been taken out in the Urban Areas-one for injecting water into beef and four for possessing instruments for the purpose of injecting water. The person prosecuted for injecting water into beef was convicted and fined $1,500 as were the three who were convicted for possessing instruments intended for this purpose. The other case has not yet been heard.
The answer to the second part of the question is that injecting water into any meat sold or to be sold for human consumption and possession of instruments for this purpose is a contravention of by-law 27 of the Food Business By-laws and any person guilty of this offence is liable on conviction to a fine of two thousand dollars and to imprisonment for three months. Under the existing Council policy, a licence is subjected to suspension only when 3 convictions under the Public Health & Urban Services Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation are registered against the licensee within a period of 12 months. Unless the Council is prepared to change this policy, it would not be possible for the Department to suspend the licence upon the first conviction.
The answer to the third part of the question is that injecting water into meat is not a new discovery. By-law 27 of the Food Business By-laws has been in existence since 1960 and the meat trade is well aware that such a practice constitutes an offence. The issue of warning letters is not considered necessary, especially in view of the useful publicity there has been in newspapers on this subject.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
STATEMENT BY MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE MAJOR SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):--Mr. Chairman, I would like to report briefly to Council on the major supplementary provisions which have been approved by the Finance Select Committee during the past few months:
(1) The Council has purchased the complete equipment for a Planetarium costing $3 million, of which $1.7 million is expected to be paid this year. The Planetarium should be ready by 1976 and will be the first completed part of the massive Cultural Complex at Tsim Sha Tsui.
(2) $400,000 has been approved for provision of the Aberdeen Branch Library, as part of the Council's policy of establishing libraries in all major districts.
(3) Another $400,000 has been approved by Finance Select Committee towards the planning of the important Urban Council Exhibition to be held on the site of the City Hall and Edinburgh Plaza. This Exhibition will enable the people of Hong Kong to know more clearly about the Council's extensive activities in the fields of public health, recreation and culture and the arts, and to be more closely identified with the Council's work.
(4) A sum of $300,000 was voted as a subsidy this year for the Hong Kong Arts Festival as a visible expression of the Council's support for culture and the arts.
(5) A maintenance contract in the sum of $776,000 was agreed upon to ensure that all litter containers are kept in a fit and proper state for use by the public. This expenditure is necessary to keep Hong Kong as a clean and healthy city. Besides the above, the Finance Select Committee has accepted an estimated commitment of $6.35 million for the Aberdeen Swimming Pool (which is in addition to the $10 million outside donation for the building of this Pool).
Other commitments are $2.5 million for general improvements at Morse Park and another $2.5 million for the purchase of 20 Speed Packer vehicles for use by Urban Services Department.
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