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Efforts will continue to make good the shortfall but action is hampered by the lack of suitable sites for this purpose.
MR. PAO (in Cantonese):—In Dr. HUANG's answer, he talked about a number of improvements, but did not elaborate on the 100 minor on-street points. Could he elaborate on this? The second question is, I know it is very difficult to identify suitable sites for R.C.P.s, but I don't know whether we have asked Government to earmark more suitable sites to improve the problem of R.C.P.s?
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, about obtaining sites from the Government, from my 16 years' experience with the Urban Council, I have come across this problem very often. This is the responsibility of the Town Planning Board, but the Urban Council does not have any representative on the Board. As for the 100 minor on-street points (what I mean by 'minor' is the very small scale on-street points), if we provide screens for these points, I think it is not very practical and won't serve any purpose. They are just temporary and different from large scale R.C.P.s. The minor on-street points will only be functional for a few hours, they no longer exist once the refuse collection vehicle leaves. So I don't think it is necessary to provide screens for these minor on-street points, and I don't think the nearby residents will object.
MR. LAU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, in new private housing estates, which department is responsible for the R.C.P.s? If there are no R.C.P.s, how do we deal with the collection of refuse?
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):—Regarding R.C.P.s in private housing estates, we have discussed this issue at the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee for many times over the past few years. The final conclusion is that if they should provide a refuse collection chamber, not necessarily a refuse chute, we can still use our refuse collection vehicles to collect the refuse from the chambers. Until now, we have no legislation on this point. Perhaps we could urge the Government to pass the necessary legislation. I think it is also very helpful to the Clean Hong Kong Campaign which is now in operation.
6. MR. LEE CHIK-YUET asked the following question (in Cantonese):—What are the long term plans of library services in Sham Shui Po District? According to the representative of Housing Department in the Sham Shui Po District Board Meeting on 15 April 1983, space is reserved in Lai Kok Estate for library service. Will the Urban Council plan to set up a small static library there?
MRS. E. ELLIOTT, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—This question concerns library services for the Sham Shui Po District and is in two parts: (a) the long term plans for library provision; and (b) whether a small static library will be set up in the Lai Kok Estate.
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According to the 1981 census, the Sham Shui Po District has a population of just over 450,000 people, and under the approved policy of one district library for every 200,000 people, the Sham Shui Po District will be entitled to two district libraries. At present, the district is served by the Sham Shui Po Public Library in Hung Yue Mansion, which is a district library, and the Mei Foo Sun Chuen Public Library in Mei Foo Sun Chuen, which is also a district library. Both libraries provide a lending library service for adults and children, a 'quick reference' section, a newspapers/periodicals section, an extension activities room and a study room.
Plans have been made to accommodate a permanent district library in the Po On U.C. Complex which is due for completion in late 1985 and I may add that this is almost a year later than planned. Consideration is being given to the location of the second permanent district library in Sham Shui Po and again this project has been delayed.
With regard to the provision of small static libraries, the Housing Authority has to date not offered any premises for library use in the Lai Kok Estate, but if they do offer such premises, I am sure the Libraries Select Committee will be very happy to consider the proposal. However, suitable premises are being sought in the Pak Tin Estate to serve residents of Shek Kip Mei and Pak Tin Estates.
MR. LEE (In Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I have a supplementary question. The policy is that for every 200,000 people, there is one district library. If a district has about half a million residents, then is it going to provide two or three libraries for that district?
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—Are you talking about Sham Shui Po District? Mrs. ELLIOTT, Would you like to answer that in any case?
MRS. ELLIOTT (in English):—I will try to answer that. We still have the ideal of 200,000 people to one district library, but we do make up for excess population with the provision of mini libraries in convenient places which we feel are more needed by the people in some areas than the district library itself. We do try to make it up that way. I don't know whether you are satisfied with the answer.
ADJOURNMENT—4.54 p.m.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—That concludes the business of today's meeting. The Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 14 June 1983 at 4.00 p.m.
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