TNAG-1724-FCO40-2437-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 4

MR.

CHEONG-LEEN : Sir, when will the

preliminary

assessment of public opinion be completed by CNTA?

And,

apart from the factor which has just been mentioned by the

Chief Secretary, what

what other important factors would make

Government decide to take the matter further?

extra

preliminary

CHIEF SECRETARY : Sir, I think that the

assessment will take about another month and at the end of

that period there will have to be another decision as to

whether we are going to take matters further. There are a

large number of advantages and disadvantages of summer

time. The advantages are of course that it does provide

hours light for people who are anxious for

recreation in the

the evening and there is said to be some

fuel saving as I have described. I understand from my

friends on the Urban Council that there would be

considerable saving on the parks which they operate

because of the need to cut down on lighting in the

evenings at a time when parks are used quite frequently.

On the disadvantages, of course it is troublesome to

adjust clocks twice a year. Some people, as Members have

suggested, do like to get up early, even before 6 o'clock,

and take their exercise and that would have to be in the

dark. And for people living in crowded conditions it is a

fact that earlier sunset brings relief from the summer

heat. And so these are just some of the factors that will

There are many more, Sir.

be taken into account.