1958 — Page 101

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

CHAIRMAN :--Mr. Cheong-leen, the motion is on the desirability of appointing a policy select committee.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I say that I do agree with Dr. Lee's point of view that the name of the City Hall really should be the Civic Centre. Not because Civic Centre reminds me of Civic Association, but I think Dr. Lee is right. In most countries you will find that the facilities such as are envisaged are to be found in a Civic Centre.

MR. SALES :----May I avail myself of the right of reply?

CHAIRMAN :—-Yes.

MR. SALES :-In putting up this proposal I thought I would inject into the discussion some views which I had on the subject. That was by nature of an opening gambit as it were. The discussion has been most stimulating. The points made by the members are no doubt of considerable use to the Select Committee. I am glad to hear that Dr. Lee agrees with me that we are in fact going to have a Civic Centre by whatever other name we may call it. My great disappointment is the fact that our friend Mr. Bernacchi has not risen to the bait in his usual eloquent manner. At lunch today my seconder and I worked particularly hard to bait him and I see, if I may say so, that Mr. Bernacchi has mellowed with age! (laughter). With these words I sit down.

The question was put.

The motion was carried unanimously.

MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN moved the following resolution:

"RESOLVED that this Council give consideration

(a) to sponsoring a city-wide KEEP YOUR CITY CLEAN campaign;

(b) to inviting the Kaifongs and other community service organizations to participate in such a campaign,

and that this question be referred to the relevant Select Committee for detailed examination.'

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He said: How many times have I been asked by visitors to Hong Kong : "Can you explain why your main roads are about the cleanest in the Far East, while so many of your side streets are filthy and strewn with all kinds of rubbish ?”

I usually have a good stereotype reply for that: "Oh! The Urban Services Department looks after our side streets just as well as our main streets. In many cases, side streets are swept five or six times daily. But we have too many people living in Hong Kong, and it will take them some time to change their habits so as not to throw their rubbish any and everywhere."

You would agree Mr. Chairman, that that explanation appears to be very much on the defensive. It has to be so, because I am a proud citizen of Hong Kong. There are many citizens who are civic conscious enough to avoid throwing litter in the streets indiscriminately. But there are still many others who seem to take the streets as a vast rubbish dump and are throwing litter anyhow and anywhere as they please.

So here is our problem! How can we make more people in Hong Kong want to keep our city clean?

Do we wish to use the harsh methods which have been found to be effective in totalitarian states? I would say not!

Or do we want to be “laissez faire” about it, and say 'This is a matter of education, and people will come around to it in time!' I do not subscribe to this point of view, since if we did, we would be unable to see a cleaner Hong Kong within this generation.

I cannot help feeling that the answer lies in this Council taking more vigorous steps to encourage the public to want to keep their streets clean. I suppose it is always better to sell a man the idea of keeping his street free from rubbish rather than to bluntly tell him he would be prosecuted and brought to Court if he did not co-operate.

I therefore propose that we consider sponsoring a city-wide "Keep Your City Clean" Campaign, and to conduct this campaign with all the dramatic impact that this Council can muster.

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