XN000022-1986-07-06 — Page 4

SUNDAY, JULY 6, 1986

3

WHEN THE HAWKERS MOVED INTO THE BAZAAR IN 1961 THEY WERE ALL LICENSED AS FIXED-PITCH HAWKERS. HOWEVER, STARTING FROM JUNE THE SAME YEAR, THEY BEGAN TO EXTEND THEIR STALLS ILLEGALLY BEYOND THE PERMITTED LIMITS.

REPEATED ENFORCEMENT ACTION WAS TAKEN BUT CONTROL WAS NOT EFFECTIVE DUE TO THE RELATIVELY MILD SENTENCES. HAWKERS THEN COMBINED THE IR STALLS AND EXTENDED THEM RIGHT UP TO THE FENCE, AND LATER EVEN DEMOLISHED THE FENCE TO BECOME A COMMERCIAL SQUATTER AREA.

THE SITUATION AND THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE ILLEGAL STRUCTURES WERE FIRST BROUGHT UP FOR DISCUSSION IN THE DISTRICT BOARD IN DECEMBER 1981, IT AGREED THAT THE ILLEGAL STRUCTURES SHOULD BE CLEARED, AND A WORKING GROUP UNDER THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WAS SET UP TO HANDLE THE ISSUE.

HOWEVER, WHILE THE ISSUE WAS BEING DISCUSSED, THE STRUCTURES HAD TAKEN UP EVERY INCH OF THE NULLAH DECKING, LEAVING ONLY NARROW PASSAGEWAYS AT POINTS.

MANY HAD GROWN TO DOUBLE STOREYS AND IN ONE PARTICULAR SECTION, THE EXTENSION UPWARDS WAS SUCH THAT THE SAFETY OF THE STRUCTURES WAS DOUBTFUL FIRE HAZARD ALSO EXISTED OVER CERTAIN WORKSHOPS WHERE USED CHEMICAL CONTAINERS WERE STOCKPILED.

THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AFTER A SERIES OF WARNING, DECIDED THAT ALL THE HAWKERS' LICENCES WOULD NOT BE RENEWED AS FROM APRIL 1983.

HONG KONG-CHINA FERRY TERMINAL PLANS APPROVED

*****

PLANS FOR A HONG KONG-CHINA FERRY TERMINAL AT CANTON ROAD IN TSIM SHA TSUI HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE (B.0.0.).

THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE 2.44-HECTARE SITE, BOUGHT BY CASH TENDER AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR BY MILLION SUCCESS LIMITED, WILL INCLUDE A SEVEN-LEVEL PODIUM AND A THREE-STOREY PIER STRUCTURE.

THE PODIUM DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE TWO LEVELS FOR CAR PARK ING, AND TWO LEVELS FOR A TRAFFIC INTERCHANGE AND SHOPS,

A FURTHER TWO LEVELS WILL BE OCCUPIED BY VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING IMMIGRATION, CUSTOMS AND EXCISE, MARINE, MEDICAL AND HEALTH AND THE POLICE.

ON THESE LEVELS THERE WILL ALSO BE THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE HALLS, WAITING AND GREETING AREAS, BAGGAGE CLAIM AND HANDLING AREAS, SHOPS, TICKET OFFICES AND Á LUGGAGE CHECK-IN COUNTER.