1958 — Page 55

Page

|

139

Page 55 of 139

90

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

CHAIRMAN :—I regret that I have not got the record with me but I am quite certain from the reading of the Minutes of that Select Committee the decision as mentioned in my reply is correct.

DR. P. F. Woo asked the following question :—

"The Botanical Garden is the only public park in the mid-level. For the benefits of those residents in this area who want to make use of this Garden, would the Chairman consider the possibility of

(u) Extending the closing time; and

(b) Setting aside a section of this Garden where lights can be installed, so that residents could make full use of the Garden, especially in the summer months ?"

CHAIRMAN :-This is a question on the hours of opening of the Botanical Gardens. I shall be happy to refer these proposals to the appropriate Select Committee but various factors, such as the feasibility of erecting fencing without detracting from the beauty of the Garden and the necessity for ensuring the security of green-houses and nurseries in other parts of the Garden, will have to be borne in mind.

DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question

"Will the Chairman please state the present position regarding proposals for the control of air condition- ing in premises opened to the public on which this Council has a Select Committee ?"

CHAIRMAN:-This concerns air conditioning and ventilation. "The present position is that the proposed Air Condition- ing and Ventilation Ordinance and Regulations has a low drafting priority. What this means in terms of the time it will take to have this legislation ready for enactment is difficult to say.

At a meeting of the Law Revision Select Committee last week consideration was given to the possibility of including these provisions in the new Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, which is now in final draft. It was, however, felt firstly that this would probably lead to delay in enacting the main Ordinance and secondly that an independent Ordinance would be more appropriate for legislation of this nature.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

91

I understand that Members of the Air Conditioning Select Committee propose to meet as soon as possible to consider what measures should now be taken to expedite the drafting of the legislation.”

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

"Will the Chairman refer to the Standing Orders and Procedure Select Committee, the question as to whether or not the rules of debate under Standing Orders should restrict the right of a member in open meeting to indicate to any other member or members how they should vote on the Motion before Council?"

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows :-

"As you, being a member of the Standing Orders and Procedure Select Committee, are aware a paper has been issued to members of that committee regarding certain deficiencies in our Standing Orders. This paper included an invitation to members of the select committee to advise the Secretary of any other points which they felt should be raised. This particular point will be referred to the select committee, as you request."

"1

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

"Can the Chairman indicate when the new scale of car park charges already approved by this Council will be considered by Government?"

CHAIRMAN :-This concerns charges in the car park.

"The recommendations of the relevant Select Committee,

with some later amendments agreed upon by the Committee-notably that the holder of a season ticket will not have to pay for the use of the car park at any time whilst the ticket is valid-have been in- corporated in the revised draft of the Road Traffic (Parking and Waiting) Regulations 1958, which cover a wide variety of matters other than control of multi-storey car parks. I understand that it is hoped to submit these Regulations shortly to the Governor in Council but I regret that I am not in a position to give any exact date when they will become law."

Page 55Page 56