XN000022-1981-03-06 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1981

+MR DIRECTOR, AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE LONG ADMIRED THE DEDICATION TO SERVICE, THE COMMITMENT TO THE PUBLIC FOR WHICH THE FIRE SERVICES IS SO RENOWNED. THE PUBLIC HOLDS YOU IN HIGH REGARD WE ADMIRE, SOMETIMES MARVEL, AT YOUR COURAGE, YOUR BRAVERY. THANK YOU.

+AND TO TODAY'S GRADUATES, I SAY THAT I AM SURE YOU CAN BE DEPENDED UPON TO SERVE HONG KONG AS NOBLY AND WELL AS HAVE YOUR PREDECESSORS AND THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE PROUD INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION WHICH YOUR SERVICE HAS SO DESERVEDLY EARNED.+

PUBLIC CHANGES VIEW ON HAWKER CONTROL ******

THERE IS A DIFFERENT FEELING IN THE AIR NOW CONCERNING OFFICIAL CONTROL OF HAWKERS, THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES, MR BRIAN WILSON, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

+THE OLD ATTITUDE THAT ANY SORT OF OFFICIAL HAWKER CONTROL AMOUNTED TO BREAKING THE RICE BOWL OF A POOR MAN TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING HAS CHANGED COMPLETELY, HE SAID.

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON NORTH, MR WILSON POINTED OUT THAT THE MAJORITY OPINION APPEARED TO BE THAT, WHILST HAWKERS SERVE A USEFUL ECONOMIC PURPOSE AND HELP TO CUSHION THE EFFECTS OF A RECESSION, SOME FORM OF CONTROL SHOULD BE EXERCISED OVER THEM IN THE INTEREST OF THE REMAINDER OF THE PUBLIC.

IN OTHER WORDS, HE SAID, HAWKERS ARE ACCEPTABLE AS PART OF THE HONG KONG WAY OF LIFE, PROVIDED THEY HAWK IN THE RIGHT MANNER AND IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

HOWEVER, HE STRESSED THAT THE OFFICIAL POLICY WAS NOT THAT OF TRYING TO GET RID OF HAWKERS ALTOGETHER.

+WE SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH HAWKING, AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT CREATE PROBLEMS OF CONGESTION, ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, FIRE RISK OR HEALTH HAZARD.+

HE SAID THAT ON-ROAD HAWKERS ARE OF COURSE LIABLE TO CAUSE ALL THOSE PROBLEMS, SIMPLY BECAUSE ROADS AND PAVEMENTS WERE DESIGNED FOR OTHER PURPOSES AT THE TAX-PAYERS' EXPENSE,

MR WILSON ALSO FELT THAT HAWKING SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS A WELFARE MEASURE AND THAT IT WAS NOT A PROPER ACTIVITY FOR THE DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY.

THEY CANNOT COMPETE PHYSICALLY WITH ABLE-BODIED HAWKERS AND TOO OFTEN THEY GET INTO TROUBLE WITH ATTEMPTS AT ILLEGAL SUB-LETTING OR FROM COERCION BY STRONG-ARM MEN, HE SAID.

THE SPEAKER NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD RECENTLY BEGUN IN A QUIET WAY TO TIGHTEN UP ITS CONTROL ON HAWKERS IN VIEW OF A DIFFERENT CLIMATE CF OPINION.

THE FIRST STEP, HE SAID, IS TO PROVIDE AN ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE.

THE URBAN