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MISS TAM (in English): On the particular method described by Mr. CHAINE I am not in a position to say one way or the other. But the general principle is that under section 12(1) Cap. 132, it says: the following matter shall subject as herein after provided be nuisances which may be coped with summarily under section 127 and 12(1)(e) says the emission of dust, fumes or effluvia from any premises in such a manner as to be a nuisance, could be abated by serving a notice on them or by prosecution in court, which can impose penalty of between $1,000 fine or a daily penalty of $20 or a $2,000 fine with a daily penalty of $50. So although I am unable to say that particular mechanism or installation is a contravention to the rules or not, I can say if it does emit any fumes, dust or effluvia it will fall under the sanction of the law under 12(1) as I've quoted.
MR. YOUNG (in English): Mr. Chairman, as the highest point of a building may not necessarily be higher than the building next door, do our regulations in fact also include preventing gaseous pollutants from being emitted near to windows of residents in buildings adjacent?
MISS TAM (in English): In respect of the sanction as described, we are concerned in respect of the height of the building on which the chimney is fastened or attached rather than the neighbouring buildings. I take Mr. Young's point, I think the circumstances if it is such as to emit fumes to neighbouring buildings which are about the same level of the chimney, it is quite possible to say that it has caused a nuisance although the circumstances may be such that is not possible to build the chimney that is safe to a height even higher than the neighbouring building. I would have thought that depends on the circumstances.
6. MR. STEPHEN LAU asked the following question (in Cantonese): Owing to long process of issuing factory canteen licence and there is an urgent need to clear illegal cooked food stalls at the back lanes of Kwun Tong industrial area,
(a) How many eating places are available at present for the working population approximately 150,000 in the district?
(b) What steps will Council take to assist in providing eating places to meet this acute shortage?
MR. SHUM CHOI-Sang, Chairman of the MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question concerns the number of eating places available to the working population in Kwun Tong and the steps Council will take to meet the shortage of such places.
In reply to the first part of the question, there are at present 347 licensed or licensable eating places in the Kwun Tong industrial areas. Of these, 125 are licensed general restaurants, 60 are licensed light refreshment restaurants and fast food shops, 74 are licensed cooked food stalls, and 88 are potentially licensable factory canteens.
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The Council is actively processing applications in respect of existing factory canteens as well as those for new ones in order that they may acquire the requisite licences now required. The licensing staff are fully assisting these applicants to obtain their factory canteen licences as quickly as possible.
In reply to the second part of the question, Council has approved a proposal to redevelop the existing cooked food bazaar at Tsun Yip Street which at present has 16 cooked food stalls. The new building will accommodate 60 cooked food stalls on two storeys. This project is still at the planning stage but is likely to be completed two years from now. The redevelopment of the cooked food bazaar at the Kwun Tong Ferry Concourse is presently under consideration by the Department.
Planning for additional cooked food centres is also in hand. The layout for a centre at Ting Yue Square is now being finalized and proposals will be put to the Council for consideration shortly. It is envisaged that the Ting Yue Square project will consist of 10 cooked food stalls and be completed in 12-15 months. Consideration is also being given to the feasibility of building a temporary cooked food centre at a site at Hoi Yuen Road, to accommodate about 10 cooked food stalls and also a large fast food kiosk in a garden to be built near the Kwun Tong Ferry Concourse.
MR. LAU (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I understand most of the workers in Kwun Tong are patronizing food factories apart from those 120 odd licenced food restaurants. That is why I have suggested that we should construct large scale eating centres in Kwun Tong and that would also help to solve part of the traffic problems. So I don't know whether my proposals will be considered in future.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, of course we always consider Mr. LAU's point.
7. Mrs. Selina Chow asked the following question (in English): Now that the Museum of History's lease of premises in Star House is expiring, where will the Museum move to in the short term and the long term?
MRS. GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE MUSEUMS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English): Mr. Chairman, the lease of the Museum of History is not due to expire until March 1985. However, there is a provision for the landlord to give the Council 12 months notice to vacant the premises. We are therefore, considering contingency arrangements should the need arise.
As a short-term measure, the Council intends to accommodate the Museum of History in Blocks 61 and 62 at Kowloon Park. A consultant has been appointed to carry out a feasibility study on the conversion of the blocks into display galleries and other museum facilities. The consultant's report with estimates is now expected in late June. It is hoped that the conversion work will be completed in 1982. This temporary accommodation will be used by the Museum of History until permanent accommodation is built.
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