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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and Gentlemen, may I call the meeting to order.
## MINUTES
The minutes of meeting held on 14 July 1992 were confirmed.
## PAPERS
The following papers were laid on the table:
(1) Reports to the Urban Council by the Secretary, Urban Council, for the months of July and August 1992.
## QUESTIONS
1. DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU on behalf of Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question (in English):-What progress has been made as regards the 'bill validating system', presently on trial at the Kowloon Park Swimming Pool? Can it now be extended to all other swimming pools?
MR. RONNIE WONG MAN-CHIU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE replied as follows (in English):-
This question is in two parts and asks:--
(a) what progress has been made regarding the 'bill validating system' presently on trial at Kowloon Park Swimming Pool; and
(b) whether it can now be extended to all other swimming pools.
I am very pleased to have this opportunity to update the information I gave to this Council on 9 June.
Just to recap briefly-last December, two bill validators were installed, on a free trial basis, at Kowloon Park Swimming Pool. These validators enable our turnstiles to accept ten dollar notes in addition to coins.
At the start of the trial, some minor technical defects occurred which caused valid notes to be rejected. Suitable adjustments were quickly made and subsequently the system has been working smoothly. In the trial period which ended on 31 August, some 155,000 adults and 33,000 children have successfully used the validators.
Recently, there was some adverse comment in the press. This suggested that the validators were inefficient and had caused long queues, particularly during peak admission periods. But, to set the record straight, the delay was really due to the fact that only two turnstiles were equipped with this special facility. However, I think this also illustrates the acceptability of the system to the public. As a result of the extensive trial, the department believes that with suitable publicity and instructions on site, this system will provide an effective and reliable means to overcome the 'no-change problem' which our pool users have previously experienced.
Against this background, I am, therefore, happy to report that proposals will soon come before Council to recommend that this system should be extended to the turnstiles at all our swimming pools. This conversion package will cost about $2 million and should be completed before the next swimming season.
2. MS. ANNA TANG KING-YUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):-
(a) As obscene magazines are sold at a good many newspaper stalls, what action will be taken by the Urban Services Department as the licensing authority of these hawkers?
(b) What requirements have been stipulated by the Urban Services Department for the operation scope of the newspaper stalls, their business hours and types of commodities to be sold?
MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—The first part of this question enquires what action will be taken by the Urban Services Department regarding the sale of obscene magazines at licensed newspaper hawker stalls.
The Urban Council does not have any jurisdiction under the Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance, which deals with the content of magazines and articles displayed for sale in the public. The staff of the Urban Services Department are neither empowered to take action in respect of the content of magazines or other articles sold by newspaper hawkers, nor are they in a position to make a judgement as to whether their content is obscene or indecent.
The second part of Ms. TANG's question enquires about the licensing conditions for newspaper hawker stalls. Each newspaper hawker licence specifies, inter alia, the location of the pitch, the authorized pitch size, and the commodities permitted, which comprise newspapers, magazines, periodicals and books. Subsequent to a policy review of July 1990, a number of additional small items commonly sold at newspaper stands were also allowed subject to permission given by the Council by application. In line with most categories of hawker licences, business hours are not specified.
MS. ANNA TANG KING-YUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I have two follow-up questions. Regarding newspaper hawker stalls extending their business beyond their permitted size, what action will be taken by the Department or the Council? Secondly, if they are selling commodities which are not permitted say video tapes and toys, what action will be taken by the Council?
MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, concerning the sale of video tapes by newspaper hawker stalls, whether they are video tapes of a pornographic nature or blank tapes, it is against the law. In the past six months, the Urban Services Department has already taken out enforcement action against such illegal newspaper hawkers which totalled to 1,112 cases. Sale of video tapes by newspaper hawkers is not allowed. If the hawkers have applied for the sale of some commodities which are approved by the Council such as lighters, candies or tissue papers which are purely for the sake of convenience of passers-by, then such sale will be permitted. As regards the first question concerning the illegal extension of the size of the newspaper hawker stall, I understand that each stall has its permitted size stipulated on the licence. The hawkers can only sell newspaper and magazines. They cannot sell video tapes.
3. DR. THE HON. SAMUEL WONG PING-WAI asked the following question (in Cantonese): Could this Council be informed of the estimated savings as a result of the privatization of the Council's abattoir activities a year ago?
With the continuous improvement in road transport and, if there is a gradual change in the shopping habits for fresh meats, would it be possible to concentrate all slaughter-house activities in one less populated area in Hong Kong so that the Kennedy Town Abattoir could be phased out in the near future, thus improving the environment of that area?
MR. PAO PING-WING, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This two-part question concerns abattoirs.
As regards the first part of the question, the slaughtering operations of the Kennedy Town Abattoir were leased to a private operator, namely the Hong Kong Slaughter House Co. Ltd., in November 1990. The Council's residual statutory role relates to the licensing of the slaughtering facility at Kennedy Town and the inspection of all freshly slaughtered meat. However, the By-products Plant in the Kennedy Town Abattoir compound is still a Council facility, as is the Abattoir at Cheung Sha Wan. The annual savings following the leasing out of the slaughtering facility at the Kennedy Town Abattoir are estimated at $36 million.
The second part of the question asks whether, in the light of changing circumstances, it would be possible to concentrate all slaughter-house activities in one less populated area in Hong Kong so that the Kennedy Town Abattoir could be phased out in the near future in order to improve the surrounding environmental conditions.
The desirability of closing down the existing Kennedy Town facility on environmental grounds is acknowledged. However, whilst the total number of animals being slaughtered has shown a significant decline over recent years, it is not possible to dispense with Kennedy Town, or any of the existing abattoirs, at least in the near future. Regarding Dr. WONG's suggestion on whether it is possible to concentrate abattoir operations in one less populated location in Hong Kong, I think this point deserves our further consideration.
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