1957 — Page 94

Page 94 of 115

172

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT : - I think the answer to that question is that they are temporary arrangements because the area itself is temporary. Chaiwan Resettlement Area is a temporary area and these temporary arrangements are being made by the Public Works Department because the lighting companies are not able to put in lighting in these areas at the present time, there being so many streets on Hong Kong island which still are not lit. Therefore my friend the Director of Public Works has kindly agreed to make special arrangements for this. It is not the responsibility of the Public Works Department to provide lighting. This is a special arrangement which has been made.

CHAIRMAN : — To put the matter more plainly, so far from it being a matter in which the Director of Public Works has "finally come around to making some arrangements," this is something unusual which the Public Works Department does not normally undertake at all but for which in the circumstances special arrangements are being made.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN : -- May I ask another supplementary question? At the rate how Chaiwan is growing both in population and development how can it be considered that Chaiwan development or the area itself is only temporary in nature?

CHAIRMAN : - I think it is open to a little doubt whether it is really a matter for a supplementary question, but I have no objection to answering it. Chaiwan is a temporary resettlement area and the fact of the new development which we see in Chaiwan is all the more reason to regard it as such. I have no doubt that permanent development in Chaiwan must take the place of the temporary development we see there today in the not too far distant future.

Mr. Cheong-LEEN : - I shall not dispute that with you, Sir, today.

MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question :-

"Would the Chairman please advise whether or not this Council has recently given consideration to processing local refuse into compost with fertilizer value, either by natural or mechanical means?"

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

THE CHAIRMAN tabled the following written reply :-

"No, Sir, not recently.

173

Between 1950 and 1954 the Government gave lengthy and serious consideration to establishing a salvage and composting plant as a method of refuse disposal for the Colony. It became apparent that many of the relevant facts could not be ascertained without carrying out an experimental pilot scheme. There was, for example, no other way of determining the quality of the compost which Hong Kong refuse would produce, or of finding out how acceptable it would be to the farmers. The departments concerned were not in a position to conduct such an experiment and the proposal was dropped at all events for the time being."

MR. CHEONG-LEEN : - May I ask, Sir, considering the fact that this whole question was given lengthy and serious consideration for five years between 1950 and 1954 and when the conclusion was arrived at that the relevant facts could not be ascertained without an experimental pilot scheme being carried out, what were the reasons for the departments concerned to consider that they were not in a position to conduct the experiment?

CHAIRMAN : - I cannot answer that in specific terms. I imagine that the primary reasons were probably staff considerations and other commitments, and the question of having to decide to what end the available resources would be best devoted.

I am afraid that is not a very satisfactory answer but I cannot speak in detail on the matter.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN : — I do appreciate that, Sir, and therefore I hope you would not object if I have a supplementary question to the effect that would the Chairman agree to having a paper prepared on the subject to be circulated to the relevant sub-committee and have the matter put on the agenda of the next meeting of this Select Committee?

CHAIRMAN : - Yes, in the sense that I can scarcely say anything else. There is in fact already a paper which has been prepared by the Assistant Director concerned. It does exist and there is no objection to it being placed before the committee, but

Page 94 of 115

172

...