1958 — Page 107

of 139

Page 107 of 139

Page 107 of 139

194

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows

“I understand that a number of hawkers (in all probability unlicensed) do, in fact, operate near schools and tempt the children to spend their cents on games of chance. I shall take appropriate steps to have this situation remedied."

MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question :-

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"Can the Chairman say when construction work will begin on the model boat pool at Victoria Park which this Council has approved?"

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows :

"I regret that I cannot at this stage give a definite date. This is the construction of the model boat pool at Victoria Park. The necessary drawings have been prepared, and an estimate of cost is awaited. If this figure is not too high it may be possible to find the funds from this year's vote but if this is not possible it will have to come from the 1959/60 provision. I am hopeful that work will start next summer.

MR. Y. K. KAN asked the following question

"Is it not a fact that, in pursuance of By-law 5(ii) of the Scavenging By-laws, occupiers of domestic buildings in the Urban Area have to have their refuse carried by themselves or their servants from their premises to the Council's lorries even though such lorries stop at some distance from the premises of the occupiers ?"

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows :—-

"The answer to your first question, which is Question

No. 9, is "Yes"."

MR. KAN:-Can I take it from your answer that By-law 5(ii) of the Scavenging By-laws applies equally to the Peak District as well as the rest of the Urban Area?

CHAIRMAN:--The By-law applies to the Peak district in exactly the same manner.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

195

MR. Y. K. KAN asked the following question :—

"For the convenience of the general public will the Chair- man take the necessary steps to have the said By-law amended so that refuse shall be collected from premises in all districts in the Urban Area by the staff of the Urban Services Department as is now being done only in the Peak District ?”

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows :----

"In answer to your second question, I would point out that long and detailed consideration was recently given by the Law Revision Select Committee (of which you are a member) as to possible amendment of By-law 5(ii) of the Scavenging By-laws. The con- clusion reached was that there were too many difficulties to make it practicable for Urban Services Department staff to enter private premises for refuse collection. To do so would mean more than doubling the present staff as well as increasing the existing fleet of refuse collecting vehicles in order to maintain the present tight time schedules of collection. The practice of house-to-house collection of Peak refuse is due to inaccessibility of premises by road to refuse collecting vehicles e.g. Severn Road, Harlech Road, Lugard Road, Gough Hill and Bluff Path. This also applies to roads which are too narrow to permit generally of two lane traffic e.g. part of Barker Road.

This matter was previously raised by you in September last at a Law Revision Select Committee meeting when it was agreed "to leave to the department the question of discontinuing the practice wherever possible". A survey of the area in question has just been completed and a full report, together with recom- mendations, will be submitted to the relevant Select Committee (of which you are also a member) as soon as possible."

MR. KAN:-A supplementary question. Having regard to the answer which you gave to my supplementary question, under what authority is this Council at this moment according the special services to the Peak District ?

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