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worried that these notifications themselves would become refuse, so this was not approved. Instead, we use the form of publicity that members see on the streets now.
3. MR. AMBROSE K. C. CHOI asked the following question (in Cantonese):--- The rental for the use of Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour of the Council is much cheaper than that charged by the businessmen who run the private ones. Is the Council's business as good as theirs? If not, has the Council ever thought about the reasons?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the business of the Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour.
The aim of the Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour is to provide the public with dignified but inexpensive funeral services. The fees charged by the Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour are therefore lower than those charged by commercially run funeral homes but are at about the same level as those charged in funeral homes run on a non-profit-making basis.
The Council is aware that the usage rate of the Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour is low. The main reason for this seems to be the public preference for the non-profit-making funeral homes run by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. These funeral homes which were opened after the Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour was built, provide a wider range of services and, in consequence, prove convenient to the relatives of people who die.
The Department is now examining whether there is a need for the Council to continue to provide funeral facilities and, if the need still exists, what improvements to the existing facilities and services are required.
MR. CHOI (in Cantonese):-Thank you, Dr. HUANG for your answer.
4. MR. AMBROSE K. C. CHOI asked the following question (in Cantonese):—In order to encourage frequent public visits to the Space Museum and to increase attendance at the Space Theatre, is it possible for the Council to exempt from the admission charges to Exhibition Hall and the Hall of Solar Sciences, like those in the Foreign countries, such as the Los Angeles Griffith Observatory in the United States?
THE HON. F. K. HU, Chairman of the CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-The question concerns admission charges at the Space Museum.
The admission charges to the Exhibition Hall and the Solar Hall are $3 and $2 respectively. Both halls are popular, and crowd control is a problem, particularly at week-ends and public holidays. This problem would be aggravated if free admission is allowed. Moreover, too many people in a museum within a confined space might be counter-productive in that visitors would not be able to examine the exhibits in detail and security of the exhibits would be difficult to maintain.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The present level of admission charges appears reasonable and necessary. Moreover, a concessionary rate of $2 for the Exhibition Hall and $1 for the Solar Hall is available to students and underprivileged groups during off-peak hours.
The situation will, however, be kept under constant review in the light of further operational experience at the Space Museum.
5. MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in English):----In line with Council's beautification programme, are there plans to increase the greenery in Central District? In particular, are there plans for further beautifying Connaught Road Central?
MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, Chairman of the Recreation Select Committee, replied as follows (in English):-This question relates to the amenity planting programme in the Central District and is in two parts. The first part concerns plans to increase the greenery in the Central District.
The main problem encountered in the Central District is the lack of suitable sites. Most public areas are too congested for further landscape development to be possible. The established gardens such as Statue Square, the Central Promenade, and Chater Garden are already maintained to a high standard and the crowds which visit them bear witness to their popularity. Other planning schemes that have been completed recently include sites around the junction of Cotton Tree Drive and Harcourt Road. The plants used for these schemes include 1588 shrubs, 36 trees and 4674 ground-covering plants.
Other planting works in the Central District that have been completed are the Garden Road/Robinson Road roundabout, the Central Promenade, and areas beneath the Cotton Tree Drive flyover. The number of plants used for these plots totals 363 shrubs and 1050 ground-covering plants.
Because of the shortage of suitable planting sites in Central, a scheme to provide plant displays in 101 large concrete flower pots will be carried out at various locations this season. They include:-
(a) Chater Road, opposite the old Hong Kong Club.
(b) Connaught Road Central at ground level and on the elevated walkway.
(c) Murray Road near the Admiralty Mass Transit Railway Station bus terminus.
The number of plants to be placed in pots for this scheme will total 1212 shrubs, 52 trees and 3030 ground-covering plants.
The second part of the question concerns plans for the beautification of Connaught Road Central. In this connection, discussions are already in hand
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