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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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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 9 June 1981 were confirmed.
(Mr. Edmund W. H. CHOW and Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG arrived at this point.)
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—
Clean Hong Kong Campaign
When the territory-wide Clean Hong Kong Campaign commences in October, the Urban Council through its 'Clean Hong Kong Committee' will go all out to actively involve the public to make the ten urban districts cleaner and greener.
Urban Councillors will have to reach down to the grass roots of their district communities to support the Campaign and to be involved at City District or District Board level on matters for the improvement of their living environment. I hope that students and young people, who represent a vital force in our community, will become actively involved in the Clean Hong Kong Campaign in their respective districts.
All persons who have resided in Hong Kong for seven years or more are, with few exceptions, Hong Kong belongers and will in future have the right and privilege to vote for the Urban Council and District Board elections. Such Hong Kong belongers have a duty and responsibility to do everything they can to support the Clean Hong Kong Campaign.
Clean streets, clean restaurants, clean homes, have an important function in improving the living environment of Hong Kong people. The Urban Council and the City District Committees or District Boards will play a vital role in this respect.
Market Complexes
The Urban Council plans to build ten new market complexes in the next five years at a cost of about $500 million at today's prices. These complexes will accommodate not only market stall-holders and hawkers, but will also have floors reserved for cultural and sports and recreational activities.
There are also another sixteen market buildings which require re-construction for which no funds are as yet available. We are currently reviewing this list to see if any of these buildings can be included in the next revised 5-year Approved Capital Works Programme.
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 June 1981.
QUESTIONS
1. MR. PETER P. F. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):- Electronic or TV games are getting very popular among young people and children in Hong Kong to the extent that such popularity worries many community leaders. May I ask whether these games are lawful or unlawful. If they are unlawful, are the licensees of the premises licensed by the Council liable under By-law 10(b) of the Places of Amusement By-laws, Cap. 132?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the matter of Electronic or TV games and is in two parts. Firstly whether the games are lawful and, secondly, if they are unlawful, whether the licensees of the premises licensed by the Council are liable to prosecution under By-law 10(b) of the Places of Amusement By-laws.
In answer to the first part of the question, television or other electronic games machines that are considered suitable for children are, under the current licensing policy, permitted in premises licensed under the Places of Amusement By-laws, provided they are installed with the permission of both the Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing and the Urban Council. The Commissioner for Television and Entertainment Licensing is the licensing authority for automatic machines and the Council is the licensing authority for places of amusement.
In answer to the second part of the question, if these machines are provided in places of amusement without the necessary approval of the authorities, action can be taken under By-laws 10(b) and 7(b) of the Places of Amusement By-laws. Contravention of By-law 10(b) is summonsable and that of By-law 7(b) renders a licence issued under the Places of Amusement By-laws e.g. a Public Billiard Saloon Licence, a Public Bowling Alley Licence, a Public Skating Rink Licence or a Public Table Tennis Saloon Licence, liable to be non-renewable or revoked. Additionally, action can also be taken against the licensee of the premises for breaching a licensing condition which prohibits the premises from being used for another class of business. For this breach, the licence is again liable to be suspended, made non-renewable or cancelled under section 125(1)(b) of the Public Health & Urban Services Ordinance.
The Council is fully aware of the popularity of such machines and their influence on the younger generation. Consequently, the Commissioner for Television & Entertainment Licensing has been consulted on the classification
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