1977

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CHAIRMAN (in English):-No, I did not think that the time was too limited. I decided that there was no urgency to justify waiving Standing Orders for that question to be accepted long after the time-limit had passed. I ask Dr. Henry Hu to reply to your question No. 7.

(7) MR. PETER C. K. CHAN asked the following question (in English):- Can this Council be informed as to what happened during the GD Team's raid on Yung Shu Tau hawkers at Temple Street on the night of 4th March, 1977? Can this Council also be informed of the reasons for the raid and what was the outcome?

DR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-

A joint Police/USD operation was carried out at the Yau Ma Tei Community Centre Rest Garden (known as Yung Shu Tau) and its immediate vicinity on 4th March, 1977. The operation was a routine one, necessary to re-establish hawker control in the Yau Ma Tei district. The nuisance created by illegal hawking in and around the Yung Shu Tau had increased to a point where it could no longer be tolerated by the residents, and was the subject of frequent and bitter complaints by members of the public. These complaints were channelled through the press, the Environment Branch of the Government Secretariat, the Transport Department, and the UMELCO Office, or made direct to the USD.

As a result of this joint operation, 6 unlicensed cooked food hawkers and 5 unlicensed hawkers hawking other commodities or playing music were arrested; and 42 catties of cooked food and some hawker paraphernalia including musical instruments such as amplifiers, loud-speakers, drums, etc. were seized.

The operation was effective as control has been re-established in Yung Shu Tau, at least for the time being. As a long term measure, the Community Centre Rest Garden has now been fenced off leaving several entrances open to the public; bollards have also been installed at the entrances to prevent the entry of hawkers and their handcarts into the Garden. Observations in the past few weeks have shown that the Garden is clear of hawkers.

(8) MR. F. K. Hu asked the following question (in English):

As Hong Kong is still short of stadium facilities, could the Council be informed of the seating capacities, present situation and estimated completion dates of Morrison Hill Indoor Stadium, Hung Hom Indoor Stadium and Ho Man Tin Football Stadium?

(Note: The reply to question (8) was included in the reply to question (2).)

MOTION

(1) MR. WONG SHIU-CHEUCK, CHAIRMAN OF THE CEMETERIES, CREMATORIA AND FUNERAL PARLOURS SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in Cantonese):

"RESOLVED that the Cremation and Gardens of Remembrance (Amendment) By-laws 1977 be made under section 124E of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132."

He said:-Mr. Chairman, as the Chairman of the Cemeteries, Crematoria and Funeral Parlours Select Committee, I rise on the motion standing in my name:

"That the Cremation and Gardens of Remembrance (Amendment) By-laws 1977 be made under section 124E of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.”

The main purpose of the amendment is to give the Council discretion to permit the deposit of cremated ashes in columbaria under its management and control.

I beg to move.

MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG (in English): -Mr. Chairman, I beg to second the motion.

The question was put.

The motion was carried unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT (4.35 P.M.)

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 10th May, 1977 at 4.00 p.m.

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. R. LEE, GOVERNMENT PRINTER AT THE GOVERNMENT PRESS, Java ROAD, HONG KONG

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