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it mandatory for milk to be inspected also for radioactivity and I hope that some amendments will be made to this eventually so that we will have safeguards in case we have other accidents or in case nuclear testing contaminates grasses in places from where we import milk. With these words, I support the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
2. MR. LEE CHIK-YUET, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I rise to move the motion standing in my name.
'RESOLVED that the Hawker (Urban Council) (Amendment) (No. 2) By-laws 1987 be made under section 83A of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.'
In 1977 the Court of Appeal ruled in the case of Attorney General v. CHAN Kei-lung that by-law 5(1) of the Hawker (Urban Council) By-laws was impliedly revoked by the enactment of Public Health and Urban Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Ordinance 1973. It is therefore necessary to delete by-law 5(1). Consequently provisions in the Hawker (Urban Council) By-laws having reference to by-law 5(1) have to be either deleted or substituted by corresponding provisions in the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance. Hence by-law 12(3) needs to be amended by deleting 'by-law 5(1)' and substituting section 83B of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance'. By-law 56(1) has to be deleted since the penalty for unlicensed hawking is already provided in the Ninth Schedule of Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance.
With these remarks, I beg to move.
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, seconded the motion (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
3. MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, As Chairman of the Recreation Select Committee, I wish to make some important points before moving the motion which proposes an increase in the admission fees of public swimming pools.
Firstly, the Urban Council's 13 public swimming pool complexes have been operating at growing deficits, which totalled $53.06 million in 1986-87 and would rise to an estimated $56.40 million in 1987-88 if the admission fees and hire charges remain unchanged.
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Already we have adopted new management procedures to minimise staff costs by introducing a 'core' staff scheme whereby temporary staff are employed during the swimming season to augment permanent staff to meet seasonal requirements.
But this is as far as staff economies can go, and if we are to halt this heavy drain on Council funds there is no remaining alternative to increasing admission charges.
Secondly, it is two years since there were any revisions in admission fees, which have remained unchanged since 1 June 1985.
Thirdly, even with the proposed increases, the subsidy level in 1987-88 would still be very high, standing at 70 per cent of the full costs of the operation of the 13 swimming pool complexes.
This will still constitute an enormous subsidy from the Urban Council of more than $50 million at the ratepayers' expense.
Taking all of these points into consideration, it is proposed to revise the admission fees as from 1 June.
The new fees will be $8 for adults, representing an increase of $2, and $4 for children, or an increase of $1. Hire charges will remain unchanged.
These increases have been decided upon only after painstaking consideration of all the factors involved, and we believe that in the light of the figures given earlier, the new admission charges are justified, and will prove acceptable to the general public.
Sir, with these remarks, I beg to move the motion standing in my name:—
'Resolved that the Public Swimming Pools (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-Laws 1987 be made under section 42 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.'
MR. FAN KAM-PING, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, seconded the motion (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I support the motion but I would like to raise one point. MR. WONG said that staff costs could not be further reduced. I think there is a way to go about it. I recalled some months ago, the Deputy Director of the Urban Services said that USD was studying the coin-operated turn-stile system similar to those at the Star Ferry and other places in order to cut down two staff members. As a result, we can save money in this regard. In supporting the motion, I hope that the Select Committee under the leadership of
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