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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

CHAIRMAN :—Before proceeding with the first item on the Agenda I am sure Members would wish me on their behalf to con- gratulate Mr. C. Y. Kwan on the award of the O.B.E. by Her Majesty the Queen. (Applause).

MR. FUNG PING FAN :--Mr. Chairman, on behalf of my col- leagues and myself I would like to extend the same congratulations to Mr. C. Y. Kwan.

MR. LI YIU BOR :-On behalf of Dr. Woo, Mr. Cheong-Leen and myself I associate myself with your remarks on the award of the O.B.E. on Mr. C. Y. Kwan in the New Year's Honours List. The award is richly deserved and we wish Mr. Kwan and Mrs. Kwan many happy years to enjoy the signal honour.

MINUTES.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 2nd December, 1958, were confirmed.

PAPERS.

THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper :-

Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of December, 1958.

QUESTIONS.

MR. LI YIU BOR asked the following question :-

"Will the Chairman consider the feasibility of installing

public telephone booths in Resettlement Estates? understand that the only telephone in the Estates are in the Area Offices, and that it is difficult for settlers to make telephone calls in case of emergency."

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THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows :-- "At present settlers in resettlement estates are allowed to use the telephones in the estate offices in an emergency. However, it is agreed that it would be desirable to have a public telephone box in each estate and I should be glad to take up the question with the Telephone Company."

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MR. LI YIU BOR asked the following question :—

"I have been given to understand that the site of the old No. 2 Police Station at the junction of Johnston and Wan Chai Roads, Hong Kong, is Crown land. If the site has not been earmarked for a Government building, will be Chairman consider developing it into a rest garden and children's playground when the present building is demolished ?”’

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows :-

"This concerns No. 2 Police Station, Wan Chai, the old

No. 2.

I regret that I have been unable to obtain any definite information as to the future of this build- ing, but if later information indicates that the site is to become available I will put in a bid for it."

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

"Can the Chairman ascertain from Government when it plans to remove the Kowloon Railway Station from Tsim Sha Tsui and whether or not all or part of the land thus released would be made available to the Urban Council for the purpose of improving the recreational or other amenities of Kowloon ?"

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:--

"The proposal that the Kowloon Railway Terminal should be re-sited elsewhere is still under examination and the complexity of the problem is such that an early decision is out of the question. The need to improve public amenities is of course kept well in mind when new layouts are being planned."

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask a supplementary question? It has been mentioned to me that Government is perhaps thinking of disposing of this very valuable site cither by private treaty or by auction. Can the Chairman confirm or deny?

CHAIRMAN :-I am afraid I have already answered that question. The answer is that the matter is still under discussion.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN ;- A supplementary question again. I understand that a survey of the location of the new Railway Terminal was carried out last year. Since this Council is very

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