Page 103 of 107
190
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 2nd February, 1960 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 February, 1960.
MR. A. DE O. SALES:
QUESTIONS.
Mr. Chairman, is there anything in Standing Orders to prevent me from yielding the floor to my lady colleague across the table so that it may never be said that an Appointed Member was so lacking in chivalry that he did not do so?
CHAIRMAN: I think it is very much in the spirit that prevails here.
DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:
"Is the Chairman aware that the Nullah in Nam Cheung Street which was locally known as the "Appendix of Kowloon" and which has been closed over for more than a year, has now become a stinking nauseating unsightly "Abscess" covered with rubbish and rubble?
Will the Chairman give assurance that some sort of immediate action will be taken by the drainage department and the departments responsible for road works and clearance to remove what constitutes a menace to public health and comfort?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
"This concerns the Nam Chang Street Nullah in Sham Shui Po. I am aware of the offensive smell in this street and I do not question your use of these descriptive adjectives. I am not sure, however, that it is appropriate to call the nullah an "appendix", which is something that can be snipped off by surgical intervention; whereas this particular nullah will always exist whether covered or uncovered.
The history of this nullah is briefly as follows:
(i) the Drainage Office completed work on the nullah decking in May, 1959, and in August, 1959, the attention of the Honourable Financial Secretary was called to the appalling state of the road. Consequently road construction was upgraded to A(ii) of the Public Works Programme.
(ii) it was not until October, 1959 however, that final agreement amongst all interested departments was reached on the siting of the hawker stalls on the nullah decking,
(iii) tenders were called for in December, 1959, and actual work on the site commenced at the end of January, 1960, and is proceeding.
(iv) the Nullah itself was cleared by the Drainage Office after the June, 1959 rainstorms and again recently rubbish from squatter areas, etc. has been removed from it at considerable expense.
(v) the paving of the area for Fixed Pitch Stalls in the centre of the street will probably be completed by about August (but even this will be dependent to a certain extent upon the departure of some 100 hawker stalls which have flocked back to the area in the intervening period and the clearance of large quantities of oil drums and other debris which have been dumped there).
You should not blame the Public Works Department for the present state of affairs. The real niggers in the woodpile are those who refuse to respond to Health Education and continue to dispose of refuse indiscriminately into drains, and on the Public thoroughfares.
The worst affected area is between Cheung Sha Wan Road and Un Chau Street where there are evil-smelling piles of debris from inside the Nullah, which are in process of removal.
I have been in touch with the Public Works Department over the matter and now give you the assurance you seek.”
MR. BERNACCHI: I have a supplementary question. The hundred or so hawker stalls that you referred to that have flocked back, are those licensed or unlicensed?
CHAIRMAN: I am unable to answer your question Mr. Bernacchi, but I think it could properly be conveyed to the next meeting of the Hawkers Committee.
DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question; —
"Exactly one year ago I asked you, Mr. Chairman, when development was to take place of the vacant land handed over by Crown Land department for a playground at
1
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
191
Page 104 of 107
107
Page 103 of 107
190
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 2nd February, 1960 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 February, 1960.
MR. A. DE O. SALES:
QUESTIONS.
-Mr. Chairman, is there anything in Stand- ing Orders to prevent me from yielding the floor to my lady colleague across the table so that it may never be said that an Appointed Member was so lacking in chivalry that he did not do so?
here.
CHAIRMAN: I think it is very much in the spirit that prevails
DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:
"Is the Chairman aware that the Nullah in Nam Cheung Street which was locally known as the "Appendix of Kowloon" and which has been closed over for more than a year, has now become a stinking nauseating unsightly "Abscess" covered with rubbish and rubble?
Will the Chairman give assurance that some sort of immediate action will be taken by the drainage department and the departments responsible for road works and clearance to remove what constitutes a menace to public health and comfort?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
"This concerns the Nam Chang Street Nullah in Sham Shui Po. I am aware of the offensive smell in this street and I do not question your use of these descriptive adjectives. I am not sure, however, that it is appropriate to call the nullah an "appendix", which is something that can be snipped off by surgical intervention; whereas this particular nullah will always exist whether covered or uncovered.
The history of this nullah is briefly as follows:
(i) the Drainage Office completed work on the nullah decking in May, 1959, and in August, 1959, the attention of the Honourable Financial Secretary was
1
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
191
called to the appalling state of the road. Con- sequently road construction was upgraded to A(ii) of the Public Works Programme.
(ii) it was not until October, 1959 however, that final agreement amongst all interested departments was reached on the siting of the hawker stalls on the nullah decking,
(iii) tenders were called for in December, 1959, and actual work on the site commenced at the end of January, 1960, and is proceeding.
(iv) the Nullah itself was cleared by the Drainage Office after the June, 1959 rainstorms and again recently rubbish from squatter areas, etc. has been removed from it at considerable expense.
(v) the paving of the area for Fixed Pitch Stalls in the centre of the street will probably be completed by about August (but even this will be dependent to a certain extent upon the departure of some 100 hawker stalls which have flocked back to the area in the intervening period and the clearance of large quanti- ties of oil drums and other debris which have been dumped there).
You should not blame the Public Works Department for the present state of affairs. The real niggers in the woodpile are those who refuse to respond to Health Education and continue to dispose of refuse indiscriminately into drains, and on the Public thoroughfares.
The worst affected area is between Cheung Sha Wan Road and Un Chau Street where there are evil-smelling piles of debris from inside the Nullah, which are in process of removal.
I have been in touch with the Public Works Department over
the matter and now give you the assurance you seek.”
MR. BERNACCHI:----I have a supplementary question. The hundred or so hawker stalls that you referred to that have flocked back, are those licensed or unlicensed?
CHAIRMAN:-I am unable to answer your question Mr. Bernacchi, but I think it could properly be conveyed to the next meeting of the Hawkers Committee.
DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question ; —
"Exactly one year ago I asked you, Mr. Chairman, when development was to take place of the vacant land handed over by Crown Land department for a playground at
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.