XN000022-1984-06-18 — Page 4

MONDAY, JUNE 18, 1984

3

THE NEW SITE, LOCATED AT KANSU STREET UNDERNEATH THE GASCOIGNE ROAD FLYOVER, WAS CAREFULLY SELECTED BY THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND ENDORSED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE LANDS DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

+ IT IS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE OLD MARKET AND CAN ACCOMMODATE OVER 400 HAWKERS SELLING SUCH ITEMS AS JADE ORNAMENTS, SILVERWARE AND ANTIQUES,+ MISS TSOI SAID.

TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY, A SERIES OF SITE SURVEYS WAS CONDUCTED BY THE CITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR.

AS A RESULT, 365 HAWKERS WERE IDENTIFIED, THEY WERE EACH ISSUED WITH A FIXED PITCH HAWKER LICENCE, AND MOVED INTO THE NEW BAZAAR ON MARCH 12 THIS YEAR.

MISS TSOI SAID THAT THOSE FAILING TO GET A FIXED PITCH WERE GIVEN A CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR CASE RECONSIDERED.

AS A RESULT, ANOTHER 27 HAWKERS RECEIVED LICENCES LAST MONTH AND 19 MORE WILL BE MOVING INTO THE NEW BAZAAR BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. IT WAS ALSO EXPECTED THAT 30 MORE PITCHES WOULD BE ALLOCATED.

PLANS ARE ALSO BEING DRAWN UP TO RESITE ON-STREET JADE WHOLESALERS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR LIVING,

THE BAZAAR, THOUGH TEMPORARY, IS WELL PLANNED AND ADMINISTERED. +THE PITCHES, EACH MEASURING 1.2 METRES BY 0.9 METRE, ARE NEATLY ARRANGED WITH SPACIOUS ALLEYS IN BETWEEN.

+ IT IS FENCED OFF FROM THE PAVEMENT AND IS KEPT CLEAN AND ORDERLY BY THE GENERAL DUTIES TEAMS WHO PAY REGULAR VISITS DAILY, SHE SAID.

THE YAU MA TEI DISTRICT BOARD HAS ALLOCATED $34 000 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TRADITIONAL CHINESE ORNAMENTAL ARCHWAY FOR THE NEW BAZAAR, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF CUSTOMERS ARE TOURISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN AND THAILAND.

IN ADDITION, THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION HAD EXTENSIVELY PUBLICISED THE NEW SITE OVERSEAS, SHE SAID.

ASKED HOW THE HAWKERS FELT ABOUT THE NEW BAZAAR, MR CHAN YUM- TONG, CHAIRMAN OF THE YAU MA TEI KAIFONG ASSOCIATION, SAID: +GENERALLY SPEAKING, HAWKERS ARE QUITE HAPPY WITH THEIR NEW HOME AS THEY NO LONGER NEED TO FLEE FROM GENERAL DUTIES TEAMS.+

+ BUSINESS IN THE NEW MARKET SO FAR HAVE BEEN SATISFACTORY AND THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO EVEN BETTER BUSINESS THIS SUMMER WHEN THE TOURIST SEASON BEGINS, MR CHAN SAID.

/4