HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Council will come to order. Before we transact today's business, I would like to offer Council's congratulations to our colleagues who have been re-elected, Mr Hilton CHEONG-LEEN, Mrs E ELLIOTT, Dr Denny HUANG and Miss Cecilia YEUNG.
DR THE HON. HENRY H. L. Hu (in English):-Mr Chairman, on behalf of the Council, I would like to congratulate you on being made a Commendatore of the Order of al Merito Della Republica Italiana. This is indeed a very high award from the Italian Government.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 13th February 1979 were confirmed.
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
The Standing Orders are the rules by which this Council lives and works. They work well and fulfil the intended purpose. They apply necessarily to one and all, without fear or favour. Indeed, this is the record.
There is nothing sinister or complicated about them. They are based on the law which constituted the Council in its present form and so cannot be repugnant to it evidently. They have also been amended to adapt matters of detail to changing needs. They presuppose common courtesy and mutual consideration. They conform to established practices and procedures universally observed and suit local requirements too. In sum, they are true to type. The object is simply to expedite the transaction of business in an orderly manner. Thus, Standing Orders regulate proceedings, arbitrate differences, ensure fair-play and protect all sides. They define rights, spell out obligations, afford equal treatment to all and also uphold decent standards in public life. And, for all these reasons and more, it would be imprudent to challenge their authority or to tamper with their application.
There must be give-and-take when applying them. At the same time, there should also be self-discipline and respect for the rights of others, if only to avoid useless friction which impedes progress and hampers development. The more disparate the conditions, the greater is the need obviously for a clear and straightforward definition of what can be done and what is beyond the pale. Otherwise, progress might grind to a halt in a free-for-all situation, without voluntary control or discipline. And so, these work-rules and procedures have grown up everywhere to ensure fair-play and maintain good order, and also to help find a consensus if possible; for this combined purpose, they enable swift and effective counteraction, in the interest of the whole group, to prevent the improper obstruction of business by a minority, to frustrate pressure tactics by a majority and to foil nugatory actions from any source, should such a situation arise.
Rules apart, there should always be good humour and a spirit of tolerance on all sides. In interpreting them sensible account should be taken of other factors too: for example, reasonable concession to local customs and tradition; due allowance for mistakes made in good faith; fair assessment of the interest, motive, experience and objectivity of the participating parties in any given situation.
Of course, the proper use of these Standing Orders by all advances the cause of the community. In no way do they inhibit the fair and truthful expression of views on matters of direct consequence to the Council. They may be said also to be in effect the practical application of the rule of law to the Council's work.
In the end, to play the game by the rules is still the surest way of all to win public confidence at any time.
PAPER
(Mr Tsin Sai-nin arrived during the Chairman's address.)
The following paper was laid on the table:-Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of February 1979.
QUESTION
MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):—Since unusually more rainfall is predicted for 1979, what further preventive measures will be taken to reduce mosquito nuisances and to act swiftly on complaints from the public on mosquito nuisances?
MRS GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns action against any mosquito nuisance in 1979.
Experience has shown that the degree to which mosquito nuisance occurs in Hong Kong depends very little on rainfall. On the contrary, heavy rain may have a 'flushing' effect on the eggs, larvae and pupae of mosquitoes and may temporarily reduce infestation in the areas where mosquitoes breed. The weather factor most strongly related to the degree of mosquito nuisance is temperature. This is because of the greatly increased feeding activity of these
Page 130 of 135
221
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 130 of 135.
Page 130
Page 131
Page 131 of 135