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with the appropriate district health office, or telephone the general complaints number 5-95555. In each district, there are Health Inspectors who have undergone special training on control of noise from ventilating systems.
DR. WONG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask a supplementary question. How do you define the word "nuisance" and, secondly, according to the British Institutes definition, intolerable level of noise is 45DB and in streets is 55DB. Do we define as such?
MRS. Ho (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the Council Health Inspectors are equipped with equipment to take down the decibel points and this is compared against the standard, and if the standard is above that permissible then a warning is given and then prosecution is laid.
MR. FORSGATE (in English):-In the final sentence it says in the reply, Health Inspectors have undergone special training in control of noise. Should not that be on the measurement of noise as a nuisance factor or do they, when a complaint is made, go and advise the premises how to fix their noisy air-conditioner?
MRS. Ho (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the training course is carried out by the University under the Extra-Mural Department of the University of Hong Kong, and I believe that on each occasion when there is a complaint launched the Health Inspector goes to the premises, tests the decibel and if it is found in infringement, then they are told to remedy it. I do not think that Council has the responsibility to teach them how to fix their ventilating system.
MR. F. K. HU (in English):—Mr. Chairman, will there be a guide book issued in due course as to the standard of the noise level considered to be a "nuisance" in relation to the permitted noise level in any particular areas?
MRS. HO (in English):-Mr. Chairman, this is a new responsibility laid on the Council as from February this year. There are obviously a lot of details which must be ironed out as it goes on. We will certainly keep Mr. Hu's question in mind.
MOTION
MRS. GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in English):-
"RESOLVED that the Conservancy (Amendment) By-laws 1977 be made under section 29 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.”
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She said: Mr. Chairman as Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, I rise on the motion standing in my name.
That the Conservancy (Amendment) By-laws 1977 be made under section 29 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.
Under By-law 5(2) of the principal By-laws, it is an offence if the owner or occupier fails to provide at all times an adequate supply of water for flushing purpose, but it does not specify that the supply must be piped directly to the waterclosets and urinals. In effect, an owner or occupier is not contravening the said By-law 5(2) if he provides mains water in order that a watercloset or urinal may be flushed by bucketing even if the existing flushing system is entirely out of order.
The purpose of these amendments is to close this loophole.
I beg to move.
MR. AMBROSE K. C. CHOI (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I second the motion standing in my name.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT —— 4.35 P.M.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 14th June 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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