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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
30
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):—Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. The meeting is called to order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 12 May 1981 were confirmed.
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—The 1981 Census gives Hong Kong a population of just over 5.1 million, which, together with our fine harbour and reputation as a free port and tourist centre with excellent shopping facilities, makes Hong Kong one of the world's great cities.
In recent years, improved education and higher living standards have helped to focus more attention on appreciation of the fine arts and the performing arts. The Hong Kong International Arts Festival, the Festival of Asian Arts, the Biennial Fine Arts Awards, the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the Chinese Literary Week, etc., are transforming Hong Kong into a cultural melting-pot.
The Urban Council gives substantial financial support to the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. The Council founded and fully supports the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and the newly formed Hong Kong Dance Company. Also, the Council supports the Hong Kong Ballet Group and the Academy of Ballet by staging their performances. And in the not too distant future the Council hopes to see a contemporary Chinese Opera Company comes into being.
These are only some aspects of the Urban Council's role as a Patron of the Arts.
Hong Kong is on the threshold of a flowering of the arts, and is stepping into an era of artistic creativity that is uniquely indigenous.
In the Performing Arts, in Music and in Creative Writing, more young people are coming forward with their offerings. This is a highly significant trend which the Urban Council has helped to shape and is committed to support.
Providing we can maintain our economic and social stability, Hong Kong can look forward to a 'golden age' of cultural, intellectual and spiritual vitality unrivalled ever in the history of Southern Asia.
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:—
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of May 1981.
QUESTIONS
1. MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question (in English):—
(a) What proposition was made by the Hong Kong Heritage Society to the Urban Council concerning the use of the Hong Kong Club Building for Urban Council work, and on what conditions was the offer made?
(b) To whom was the letter containing the proposition addressed?
(c) Which Select Committee studied the proposals, and what was its decision?
(d) Was the Standing Committee of the Whole Council consulted? If not, can it now be consulted? If it was consulted, what was its decision?
MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I will explain the position in reply to Mrs. ELLIOTT's question. The question as posed would be contrary to Standing Order 12(10) as questions must be confined to matters within the jurisdiction of the Council and the main part of the question concerns a subject which lies outside the Council's jurisdiction.
There have been three letters received by the Chairman, Urban Council, from the Heritage Society that I am aware of, one dated 20 April 1981 and the others dated 13 and 18 May 1981. The main proposal in these letters is that in order to save the Hong Kong Club Building from destruction Council obtains the Hong Kong Club Building as a venue for the Council's cultural services activities through the exchange of a portion of Chater Garden which is managed by the Council. I would point out that the proposal comes from two organizations who are not owners of the Club Building. So far as I am aware, no proposal has been made to the Council by the Club itself.
The matter of preserving old buildings is one which is outside the responsibilities of the Urban Council and there is no Select Committee with terms of reference covering the subject. Also, the Council has no power to dispose of any of the land allocated to it. It is thus not appropriate for the matter to be raised as an Agenda item at the Standing Committee or at a meeting of the Council.
I, therefore, do not consider that it is appropriate for this matter to be put on the Agenda of the Recreation Select Committee, of which I am the Chairman, or of any Select Committee for that matter, or of the Standing Committee or of the Whole Council.
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