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MR. B. A. BERNACCHI :-I had not intended speaking at all this afternoon, but there is one point arising out of what you have said that I feel I must say something on. You said that if the Motion is passed it will doubtless be referred to the appropriate Select Committee and they will have to give careful consideration to certain features of it. Whilst all that is undoubtedly true, I think that we must make it clear in our own minds this afternoon that we are being asked to accept something in principle and if we do accept that in principle then the Select Committee will automatically be bound to follow along the lines of the principle we have laid down. They may, of course, come back with certain recommendations to us but we are, by passing this Motion, if we do pass it, giving a definite guide to the Select Committee and directing them that this is the principle on which the Council wishes to work, and I think that that must be very clear in the minds of all those of us who, like myself, will be voting for it.
MR. C. Y. KWAN:-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion now before Council. I am aware that the motion calls for an initial public expenditure, but such an expenditure will ultimately be borne and paid for by the buyers of the burial sites. The advance of public money for such an expenditure will, I feel sure, receive public approval and support. In order to reduce the cost of burial sites which, except in certain cemeteries, is at present beyond the reach of an average person of modest means, and in order to make all the burial sites equitably share the cost of their formation or development, it is not only desirable but also necessary to revise the present system of developing and allotting burial sites, so far as new sites to be made available are concerned. I think, therefore, that the present motion is a timely one, now that new burial sites are to be developed at Cape Collinson. The motion only deals with general principles. There are, of course, details to be worked out. Some of such details have already been touched upon by other speakers, and I am contented to mention just two points, namely, that any new system should provide that not more than one burial site may be acquired by one party for the burial of one dead, and that acquisition of a burial site should be facilitated as much as possible without any red tape, such as requiring the applicant for a site to furnish a reference acceptable to the organization in charge of the allocation or disposal of the sites, or to get someone acceptable to such organization to sponsor or support his application. In view of the present shortage of land, we cannot afford to allot more than one site for the burial of one dead, and any such red tape as I have just mentioned may make it impossible for some applicants to acquire a site.
I am glad, however, that we have for the poorer and less fortunate section of the community the Wo Hop Shek Cemetery in Kowloon. The charge for a burial there is as little as $5 only, and in any case not more than $15. Everyone must agree that those charges are most reasonable, and that the provision of such a cemetery is a necessary service to the community.
With the above remarks, Sir, I have much pleasure in supporting the motion.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN :—Mr. Chairman, I would like to take my hat off to my Colleague, Mr. Sales, for giving the elected members this rare opportunity to second and to support a motion, especially a popular one, put forward by an appointed member.
I said that this was a popular motion. It is so because it asks Council to become a sort of leveller of men, to accept the principle that even in death there ought to be no discrimination, and as far as the use of public funds and public land are concerned, that there ought to be no inequity in the cost of burial. As representatives of the public, the Unofficial Members, both elected and appointed, will have no other recourse but to support this Motion.
What comes as a great surprise to me, Mr. Chairman, is to learn that the Official Members will most probably abstain from voting in favour of the Motion. If the principle enunciated in the Motion is to the public good, the official members should unquestionably support it. If they have any doubts in their minds concerning the Motion, they should publicly express their views in full and clear terms. It is generally accepted that there is freedom of expression in Hong Kong, and we hope this can reasonably be taken advantage of not only by Unofficial Members, but also by the Official Members as well.
I think when you spoke just now, Mr. Chairman, there was some mention made—please correct me if I am wrong—that if this Motion is passed it will be referred to the Select Committee for discussion in detail and should recommendations go up from then on to Government, these recommendations may not necessarily
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MR. B. A. BERNACCHI :-I had not intended speaking at all this afternoon, but there is one point arising out of what you have said that I feel I must say something on. You said that if the Motion is passed it will doubtless be referred to the appropriate Select Committee and they will have to give careful consideration to certain features of it. Whilst all that is undoubtedly true, I
think that we must make it clear in our own minds this afternoon that we are being asked to accept something in principle and if we do accept that in principle then the Select Committee will automatically be bound to follow along the lines of the principle we have laid down. They may, of course, come back with certain recommendations to us but we are by passing this Motion, if we do pass it, giving a definite guide to the Select Committee and directing them that this is the principle on which the Council wishes to work, and I think that that must be very clear in the minds of all those of us who, like myself, will be voting for it.
MR. C. Y. KWAN:-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion now before Council. I am aware that the motion calls for an initial public expenditure, but such an expenditure will ulti- mately be borne and paid for by the buyers of the burial sites. The advance of public money for such an expenditure will, I feel sure, receive public approval and support. In order to reduce the cost of burial sites which, except in certain cemeteries, is at present beyond the reach of an average person of modest means, and in order to make all the burial sites equitably share the cost of their formation or development, it is not only desirable but also necessary to revise the present system of developing and allotting burial sites, so far as new sites to be made available are concerned. I think, therefore, that the present motion is a timely one, now that new burial sites are to be developed at Cape Collinson. motion only deals with general principles. There are, of course, details to be worked out. Some of such details have already been touched upon by other speakers, and I am contented to mention just two points, namely, that any new system should provide that not more than one burial site may be acquired by one party for the burial of one dead, and that acquisition of a burial site should be facilitated as much as possible without any red tape, such as requiring the applicant for a site to furnish a reference acceptable to the organization in charge of the allocation or dis- posal of the sites, or to get some one acceptable to such organi- zation to sponsor or support his application. In view of the present shortage of land we cannot afford to allot more than one
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site for the burial of one dead, and any such red tape as I have just mentioned may make it impossible for some applicants to acquire a site.
I am glad, however, that we have for the poorer and less fortunate section of the community the Wo Hop Shek Cemetery in Kowloon. The charge for a burial there is as little as $5 only, and in any case not more than $15. Everyone must agree that those charges are most reasonable, and that the provision of such a cemetery is a necessary service to the community.
With the above remarks, Sir, I have much pleasure in supporting the motion.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN :—Mr. Chairman, I would like to take my hat off to my Colleague, Mr. Sales, for giving the elected members this rare opportunity to second and to support a motion, especially a popular one, put forward by an appointed member.
I said that this was a popular motion. It is so because it asks Council to become a sort of leveller of men, to accept the principle that even in death there ought to be no discrimination, and as far as the use of public funds and public land are concerned, that there ought to be no inequity in the cost of burial. As representa- tives of the public, the Unofficial Members, both elected and appointed, will have no other recourse but to support this Motion.
What comes as a great surprise to me, Mr. Chairman, is to learn that the Official Members will most probably abstain from voting in favour of the Motion. If the principle enunciated in the Motion is to the public good, the official members should un- questionably support it. If they have any doubts in their minds concerning the Motion, they should publicly express their views in full and clear terms. It is generally accepted that there is freedom of expression in Hong Kong, and we hope this can reasonably be taken advantage of not only by Unofficial Members, but also by the Official Members as well.
I think when you spoke just now, Mr. Chairman, there was some mention made-please correct me if I am wrong that if this Motion is passed it will be referred to the Select Committee for discussion in detail and should recommendations go up from then on to Government, these recommendations may not necessarily
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