XN000022-1974-06-19 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1974

TEMPORARY SITES FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS COMPILING A LIST OF AVAILABLE SITES, WHICH ARE RESERVED FOR FUTURE PROJECTS, FOR DEVELOPMENT AS TEMPORARY SITTING OUT AND RECREATIONAL AREAS.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT TO AVOID WASTE OF FUNDS AND EFFORT, SITES THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE AVAILABLE FOR AT LEAST TWO OR THREE YEARS ARE PREFERRED.

MR. ROBSON WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. PETER WILLIAMS ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE AVAILABLE AS SITTING OUT AREAS AS MANY AVAILABLE SITES AS POSSIBLE THAT ARE EARMARKED FOR FUTURE PROJECTS BUT WHICH WILL NOT BE REQUIRED FOR SOME TIME.

*THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY COMPILING A LIST OF SUCH SITES FOR FUTURE ALLOCATION AS TEMPORARY OPEN SPACES, AND A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF SITES HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED ON THIS BASIS, MR. ROBSON SAID.

THE POLICY FOR TEMPORARY ALLOCATION OF SUCH SITES HAD BEEN IN OPERATION FOR SOME YEARS, HE ADDED. EITHER SUITABLE SITES WERE OFFERED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO THE URBAN COUNCIL, OR THE COUNCIL WOULD ASK THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE ALLOCATION OF SUCH A SITE.

SPECIAL EFFORTS WERE ÁLSO MADE TO IDENTIFY SITES SUITABLE FOR THIS SORT OF TEMPORARY USE AS PART OF THE CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGN BOTH IN THE URBAN AREAS AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. ROBSON SAID.

NO MORE LANGUAGE BARRIER IN COMMITTEE MEETINGS

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED ADEQUATE FACILITIES FOR NON- ENGLISH SPEAKING MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN GOVERNMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. DENIS BRAY, IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. JAMES WU,

MR. BRAY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT IN CASES WHERE HOST OF THE PROCEEDINGS WERE IN CANTONESE AS IN THE CONSUMER COUNCIL INTERPRETATION WOULD BE PROVIDED FOR NON-CANTONESE SPEAKERS.

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