WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1973
17
UNOFFICIALS EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT
NOISE-BAN EXEMPTIONS
******
AN AD HOC GROUP OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNOFFICIALS FORMED TO STUDY THE SUMMARY OFFENCES (AMENDMENT) BILL HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE POWERS OF THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO GRANT EXEMPTIONS FROM THE RESTRICTIONS ON CONSTRUCTION NOISE.
SPEAKING AT THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, CONVENOR OF THE AD HOC GROUP, THE HON. T.S. LO SAID THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT THE POWERS SHOULD ONLY BE EXERCISED IN CASES OF REAL NECESSITY.
+WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT SUCH EXEMPTIONS WILL ONLY BE GRANTED FOR EMERGENCY WORK WHERE IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST TO ENSURE EARLY COMPLETION AND WHERE, FOR TECHNICAL REASONS, CONTINUAL OR NIGHT OPERATION IS UNAVOIDABLE,+ HE SAID.
THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION IS ALSO EXEMPTED FROM THIS ASPECT OF THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE. +A COMBINATICI: OF THE DIN PRODUCED EY THE MTRC AND THAT PERMITTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS GIVEN RISE TO THE CHARGE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BECOME A SELF-APPOINTED OPERATOR OF THE NOISE POLLUTION: NONOPOLY, + MR. LO SAID.
HE ASKED BOTH THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MTRC TO WEIGH CAREFULLY THE COMPARATIVE MERITS OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST THAT REQUIRES A PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED EARLY AND THAT WHICH REQUIRES THAT A MAN AND HIS FAMILY HAVE A GOOD NIGHT'S REST.+
ON THE BILL ITSELF, THE AD HOC GROUP HAS HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS ITH THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND HIS STAFF, AND ONE MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF EPCOM.
THE BILL IS CONCERNED WITH TWO TYPES OF NOISE NUISANCE, THAT CREATED BY PROPRIETORS OF RECORD SHOPS AND HAWKERS WHO PLAY RECORDS AND TAPE CASSETTES AT AN UNREASONABLY HIGH VOLUME TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS, AND THAT CREATED BY CONSTRUCTION.
MR. LO SAID WHILST THE DESIRABILITY OF CONTROLLING THE FIRST TYPE OF NOISE POLLUTION WAS NOT IN DISPUTE, HE AND HIS UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT THERE WAS NOT ALREADY THE NECESSARY LAW TO ACHIEVE THIS NOR THAT THE CLAUSE IN THE BILL AS DRAFTED WOULD BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE APPROACH, IF ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIC WERE REQUIRES.
FOR THESE REASONS THEY HAD NOT FELT ABLE TO SUPPORT THE ENACTMENT OF THIS CLAUSE.
/AS TO