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hawkers while allowing the unlicensed hawkers to go free and get free service. Now in the G.D. Teams, we realize that as the same with any other teams in the Urban Council, the cost is very high and most of the time they have to devote more effort on the unlicensed hawkers than the licensed hawkers. The licensed hawkers are paying more than the unlicensed hawkers but the unlicensed hawkers are earning more than the licensed hawkers. The Council said just now that we had the same number of licensed hawkers and unlicensed hawkers. I would say that is not correct because there are more unlicensed hawkers than the licensed hawkers and I think on this aspect the unlicensed hawkers are also earning a lot, so why can't we retrieve their income due to us from these unlicensed hawkers? I do not support the increase in licence fees for the licensed hawkers and I hope that we could first of all consider good management before we increase the fees. So I cannot support the motion.
MR. TSIN SAI-NIN (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I sympathize with the statement by the Chairman of the Street Traders Select Committee, because we have increased the fees for several years and yet we cannot find some significant improvement on the hawker situation and our expenses have been increasing year after year. I did suggest a comprehensive review on our hawker policy but, unfortunately, the Council and the Urban Services Department did not accept my suggestion so that I find it very disappointing and I do not propose to support the motion this time.
CHAIRMAN (in English): Does any other Member wish to speak on this motion? (No Member wished to speak). I will now invite Mr. SHUM to exercise his right of reply.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, those Members who spoke did not argue whether the increase of fees is fair or not, but stressed on the control of the hawker situation and the control of unlicensed hawkers. I can report to Members that as far as unlicensed hawkers are concerned our Select Committee is now considering the method of control, but it is still under discussion. I have no result to report to Members yet, but we have taken the first step already and we hope that Members will propose the way to control unlicensed hawkers to us and the other suggestion that we should first increase our control before we increase the fees. Now, we have the G.D. Teams and because the increase of the G.D. Teams we have to increase our expenditure. The increase of G.D. Teams is meant to be able to control the hawkers better. Without the G.D. Teams, I am sure the hawker situation would be even worse. So I think that we have strengthened our control and that is why we have to increase our expenditure and I quite agree to have other sources of income although no member has objected to the principle of the increase of the fees.
The question was put.
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The motion was carried with 16 votes for, 4 against and 2 abstentions. (The Chairman did not vote.)
2. MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:
RESOLVED that the Pleasure Grounds (Amendment) (No. 2) By-laws 1979 be made under section 109 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.
He said (in English): Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee, I rise on the motion standing in my name:
RESOLVED that the Pleasure Grounds (Amendment) (No. 2) By-laws, 1979, be made under section 109 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.
The purpose of the amendment By-laws is to increase fees for the use of hard-surface tennis courts at public pleasure grounds. The present fees were introduced in 1975 and it is now necessary to raise them to take account of increases in maintenance and staff costs.
Sir, I beg to move.
THE HON. F. K. HU (in English): Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure to second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried with 21 votes for and 1 abstention. (The Chairman did not vote.)
3. MR. PETER P. F. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND ABATTOIRS SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:
'RESOLVED that-
(a) a Declaration be made under section 79(1) of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132, to amend further the Declaration of Markets in Urban Areas first published in the Gazette as Government Notice Number 1620 of 1960; and
(b) the Public Health and Urban Services (Public Markets) (Designation and Amendment of Tenth Schedule) (No. 5) Order 1979 be made under section 79 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.'