1959 — Page 66

Page 66 of 107

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Mong Kok

Hung Hom

To Kwa Wan

At Kun Chung Market it is proposed to try out a Hawker Bazaar first before considering whether a new Market is necessary.

The present programme should not be considered as a final one, and in fact Departmental staff are already drawing up proposals to include in it additional markets both in Hong Kong and Kowloon.

Kowloon City and Sham Shui Po Markets are in Category B(i) of the Public Works Non-Recurrent Pro- gramme which means that planning should commence during the current financial year. It is expected that private architects will be appointed shortly. Mong Kok is in Category C which means that it is approved in principle but that the details require further consideration and no design staff are at present available.

(b) In Kowloon, the senior staff employed on Hawkers and Markets comprise 1 Senior Health Inspector and 3 Health Inspectors who have a number of overseers in charge of markets and/or hawker areas (I am sorry to quote statistics but I have no alternative). In order to improve condition in markets I recently arranged for overseers to be posted to all main markets and also to take charge of groups of smaller markets. In the case of the markets named by you the staffing position is as follows:-

Kun Chung

Mong Kok

1 Overseer

1 Ganger

3 Sanitary Coolies

1 Overseer

1 Ganger

3 Sanitary Coolies

Sham Shui Po

1 Overseer

1 Ganger

6 Sanitary Coolies

(This team also looks after the adjacent hawker bazaar.)

Further supervision is excrcised in the case of the gangers and coolies by Class III Foremen (one for each district of Kowloon-3 in all) and one Class II Foreman.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

117

The general rule is for Markets to be washed twice

daily at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. and swept as often as necessary."

MR. SALES-I would like to thank you for your very clear reply. That satisfies my "constituents", I am sure.

CHAIRMAN:-Thank you.

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

"Will the Commissioner for Resettlement advise to what extent the Squatter Patrol Unit is co-operating with the Police to curb drug addiction and dope peddling in the areas and rooftops patrolled by the Unit?”

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-

"Whenever squatter patrols find evidence that a squatter hut is being used for offences against the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance a report is made to the Police. The Police also inform me whenever a conviction is obtained under this Ordinance for an offence committed in a squatter hut and the hut is then demolished by the patrols."

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask a supplementary, Mr. Chairman, of the Commissioner? How many cases have been reported in the past six months?

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: ---No case has been reported in the last six months because I understand that although the Squatter Patrols are looking out for these cases, the people are also looking out for the Squatter Patrols.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-How often does the Squatter Patrol patrol any particular area? How many times during a month, for instance?

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I am not sure I can answer that one straight off. They are in constant touch with these areas but I cannot give you the exact figures.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, is the Commissioner for Resettlement satisfied with the manner in which this co-operation is being provided with the Police?

THE COMMISSIONER for Resettlement: -Yes, I am satisfied and I think the Police are as well.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Despite the fact that for the past six months there have been no cases reported?