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of its rate revenue is consumed by heavy staff salaries and on-costs. Indeed, however beneficial they may be to the community, the Council's ambitious plans must not run away with its capacity to pay for them.
I so move.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Finance Select Committee, I am happy to second this motion.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—Thank you very much. The motion has been proposed by me and seconded by Mr. BERNACCHI, Chairman of the Finance Select Committee.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(2) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in English):—
"RESOLVED that the Urban Council Financial (Amendment) By-laws 1977 be made under section 37 of the Urban Council Ordinance Cap. 101."
He said:
Mr. Chairman, as the Chairman of the Finance Select Committee, I rise on the motion standing in my name.
The purpose of the new Amendment affects By-laws 11 and 12 of the (Financial) By-laws. Its purpose is to authorise the City Hall and Entertainments Select Committee and the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee to incur expenditure, without recourse to tender, of amounts not exceeding the provisions for public cultural and entertainment activities and public recreation activities respectively appearing in the approved estimates of expenditure as is already the case with the Museums and the Libraries Select Committees under By-law 11(1)(b) and (c).
The City Hall and Entertainments Select Committee is responsible for organizing an increased number of cultural presentations involving internationally renowned orchestras, drama companies, and opera companies. Under Financial By-law 9(a) all supplies or services required by the Council are required to be procured by invitation to tender. In the case of these presentations, however, it is impractical for many of the services required, such as contracts for artists, air passages, and the making of sets and costumes, to be obtained in accordance with the normal tender procedure.
Similarly, the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee is responsible for the promotion of recreational activities, such as tennis tournaments, cycling, soccer and mini-soccer, basketball and table tennis competitions and a large variety of other activities. Again, because of the nature of these activities, it is impractical to organize them or to procure supplies required through the normal tender procedure.
As in the case of the expenditure by the Museums Select Committee and the Libraries Select Committee, the City Hall and Entertainments Select Committee and the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee will make a report within one month to the Finance Select Committee of any expenditure incurred without recourse to tender.
I beg to move.
MR. P. F. CHAN (in English):—I am pleased to second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(3) MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in Cantonese):—
"RESOLVED that the Hawker (Amendment) (No. 2) By-laws 1977 be made under section 83A of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance Cap. 132.”
She said: Mr. Chairman, as Vice-Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee I rise on the motion standing in my name.
This minor amendment relates to a new issue of fixed pitch licences to street barbers. These barbers normally operate in scavenger lanes and they provide a relatively inexpensive service to certain sectors of the community. On this account, the Hawkers Select Committee has agreed to treat them as a special kind of fixed pitch hawker and to charge them an annual pitch fee of $50 regardless of the size of their stalls. The licences issuable to them will be known as Fixed Pitch (Barber) Licences. The fee for this type of fixed pitches has been approved by the Standing Committee, and should now be incorporated into the Fee Schedule to the Hawker By-laws.
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