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themselves to put forward suggestions in this field. In regard to the two items of equipment specifically mentioned, gloves are issued to some of the staff whose duties are considered to make this necessary, though not to those engaged in the duties you mention. There is no issue of masks, which are not considered necessary. Hoods for protection of head and shoulders were tried out some years ago but were not liked by the staff. We are now making ten experimental sets of leggings, cap and cape to be tried out at the refuse dump.
MR. BERNACCHI asked the following question:
"Is the Estimates Select Committee yet in a position to report on the question of financing Urban Services controlled by the Urban Council?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:--
The short answer to this is: "No, sir". (Laughter). There has been a delay for which I am primarily responsible. The sequence of events is as follows: on the 16th June, 1956 the Estimates Select Committee agreed that the first step in this matter was to request you, sir, to produce a paper setting out your views and the grounds for holding the views you did. On the 20th September the paper was received and distributed to members of the committee but by that time the work on the preparation of the 1957/58 Estimates was already far advanced. I formed the view that the wisest course would be to wait until the handling of these Estimates for next year had been completed-by which time, incidentally, the procedure and processes involved would be fresh in the minds of members-and to proceed with discussion of this somewhat controversial matter after that stage had been reached. That stage has just now been reached and a meeting of the Estimates Select Committee has been called for next week. I have explained the delay and the reason why I thought it was wise to hold this matter over, but the responsibility was entirely my own.
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MR. BERNACCHI asked the following question:-
"Will the Chairman consider as a matter of urgency the existing dangerous and disgusting sanitary arrangements in respect to roof-top squatters and in particular can consideration be given to the erection on roof-tops of temporary pail system latrines until the squatters can be cleared from the roof-tops altogether?"
THE CHAIRMAN tabled the following written reply:-
"I share your concern about the danger to health which may arise in this connexion.
My information, which is based on the observations of the Health Inspectorate and of the Resettlement Department's roof-top patrols, is that conditions vary considerably. In general it is reported that conditions are not bad, having regard to all the circumstances, but bad cases certainly come to light from time to time.
Over the last twelve months we have received from the public in Kowloon an average of ten complaints a month about sanitary nuisances said to arise from the presence of roof-top squatters. All these have been investigated, and in almost every case it has appeared that the complainant's real wish is for the removal of the squatters rather than for an improvement of sanitary conditions.
I am inclined to think that we should concentrate on specific action in individual bad cases rather than undertake the provision of the general facilities which you propose, and which would cost about half a million dollars in the first year and about $250,000 per annum in subsequent years. It seems to me possible also that action on the lines you propose would be open to legal objections. But these are matters on which I think we require the advice of a committee, and I propose to refer the general question to the Disease Prevention (Domestic
Page 13 of 35
Page 13 of 35
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themselves to put forward suggestions in this field. In regard to the two items of equipment specifically mentioned, gloves are issued to some of the staff whose duties are considered to make this necessary, though not to those engaged in the duties you mention. There is no issue of masks, which are not considered necessary. Hoods for protection of head and shoulders were tried out some years ago but were not liked by the staff. We are now making ten experimental sets of leggings, cap and cape to be tried out at the refuse dump."
MR. BERNACCHI asked the following question:
"Is the Estimates Select Committee yet in a position to report on the question of financing Urban Services controlled by the Urban Council ?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:--
The short answer to this is: "No, sir". (Laughter). There has been a delay for which I am primarily responsible. The sequence of events is as follows: on the 16th June, 1956 the Estimates Select Committee agreed that the first step in this matter was to request you, sir, to produce a paper setting out your views and the grounds for holding the views you did. On the 20th September the paper was received and distributed to members of the committee but by that time the work on the prepara- tion of the 1957/58 Estimates was already far advanced. I formed the view that the wisest course would be to wait until the handling of these Estimates for next year had been completed-by which time, incidentally, the procedure and processes involved would be fresh in the minds of members- and to proceed with discussion of this somewhat controversial matter after that stage had been reached. That stage has just now been reached and a meeting of the Estimates Select Committee has been called for next week. I have explained the delay and the reason why I thought it was wise to hold this matter over, but the responsibility was entirely my own.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
231
MR. BERNACCHI asked the following question :-
"Will the Chairman consider as a matter of urgency the existing dangerous and disgusting sanitary arrange- ments in respect to roof-top squatters and in particular can consideration be given to the erection on roof-tops of temporary pail system latrines until the squatters can be cleared from the roof-tops altogether?"
THE CHAIRMAN tabled the following written reply :—
"I share your concern about the danger to health which
may arise in this connexion.
My information, which is based on the observa. tions of the Health Inspectorate and of the Resettlement Department's roof-top patrols, is that conditions vary considerably. In general it is reported that conditions are not bad, having regard to all the circumstances, but bad cases certainly come to light from time to time.
Over the last twelve months we have received from the public in Kowloon an average of ten com- plaints a month about sanitary nuisances said to arise from the presence of roof-top squatters. All these have been investigated, and in almost every case it has appeared that the complainant's real wish is for the removal of the squatters rather than for an improvement of sanitary conditions.
I am inclined to think that we should concen- trate on specific action in individual bad cases rather than undertake the provision of the general facilities which you propose, and which would cost about half a million dollars in the first year and about $250,000 per annum in subsequent years. It seems to me possible also that action on the lines you propose would be open to legal objections. But these are matters on which I think we require the advice of a committee, and I propose to refer the general question to the Disease Prevention (Domestic
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