HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 78 of 107
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 6th October, 1959, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of October, 1959.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st July, 1959 to 30th September, 1959.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st July, 1959 to 30th September, 1959.
QUESTIONS.
MR. A. DE O. SALES asked the following question:
"Will the Chairman please give the following information regarding the two car parks controlled by this Council: (a) the number of monthly tickets now issued; (b) the number of cars left overnight each day in October; (c) the number of commercial vans included in these statistics; (d) the number of cars which are left overnight often enough to suggest that they are garaged rather than parked there?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"Before proceeding to the statistics which this question seeks, I think I should refer to the expression used in the question, of the car parks 'controlled by this Council'. This Council does not in fact 'control' these car parks in the accepted sense of the word, in that the Council has no control over the type of vehicle which may use the car parks. This power rests with the Commissioner of Police. I mention this point only for the sake of clarity. For the month of October 428 monthly passes were sold. These are valid for both car parks. The number of cars left overnight each day averaged 83. This figure includes 3 commercial vehicles. The expression 'commercial vehicle' in this case means a vehicle which is clearly seen to be such, and is not the technical division according to the colour of the number plate. As members will be aware, it is not uncommon to find station wagons registered as commercial vehicles.
The last question—the number of cars which are left overnight often enough to suggest that they are garaged rather than parked there is difficult to answer, but on the assumption that a vehicle left for ten days or more is being garaged rather than parked, then the figure is an average of 83. I would add that since the car parks are open twenty-four hours a day, there would seem to be no reason why motorists should not garage their cars overnight and thus assist to pay the overhead expenses."
MR. SALES: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. May I now put some supplementary questions? The first supplementary question concerns your first paragraph, Mr. Chairman. If the car park is indeed under the overall jurisdiction and administrative responsibility of the Urban Council as such, would you be prepared then to refer this matter to the appropriate Select Committee so that control over the type of vehicle may also be exercised by the Council and not the Commissioner of Police?
CHAIRMAN: I am afraid that the Council has no authority in the matter. The authority is the Commissioner of Police.
MR. SALES: My question was framed, Mr. Chairman, in a way to ask whether you would be prepared to refer this matter to the Select Committee concerned for their consideration.
CHAIRMAN: If the Select Committee concerned would like to consider the matter I should be very happy to refer the issue to them.
MR. SALES: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My next supplementary question—the three commercial vehicles which have been checked and found to be parked there are they the same all the time?
CHAIRMAN: I am afraid I cannot answer that question definitely. I am under the impression that they are.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman—again the second paragraph of your answer is it possible that the colour of the number plate has been confused with the colour of the parking labels which the Police are now in the habit of issuing and which apparently has caused a degree of snobbishness in Hong Kong?
CHAIRMAN: I know of no cases of myopia amongst the staff.
MR. SALES: You have not—
CHAIRMAN: I think that is sufficient.
107
140
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 78 of 107
141
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 6th October, 1959, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of October, 1959.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st July, 1959 to 30th Septem- ber, 1959.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st July, 1959 to 30th September, 1959.
QUESTIONS.
MR. A. DE O. SALES asked the following question:·
"Will the Chairman please give the following information
regarding the two car parks controlled by this Council: (a) the number of monthly tickets now issued; (b) the number of cars left overnight each day in October; (c) the number of commercial vans included in these
statistics;
(d) the number of cars which are left overnight often enough to suggest that they are garaged rather than parked there?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"Before proceeding to the statistics which this question seeks, I think I should refer to the expression used in the question, of the car parks "controlled by this Council". This Council does not in fact "control" these car parks in the accepted sense of the word, in that the Council has no control over the type of vehicle which may use the car parks. This power rests with the Commissioner of Police. I mention this point only for the sake of clarity. For the month of October 428 monthly passes were sold. These are valid for both car parks. The number of cars left overnight each day averaged 83. This figure includes 3 commercial vehicles. The expression "commercial vehicle" in this case means a vehicle which is clearly seen
to be such, and is not the technical division according to the colour of the number plate. As members will be aware, it is not uncommon to find station wagons registered as commercial vehicles.
The last question--the number of cars which are left overnight often enough to suggest that they are garaged rather than parked there is difficult to answer, but on the assumption that a vehicle left for ten days or more is being garaged rather than parked, then the figure is an average of 83. I would add that since the car parks are open twenty four hours a day, there would seem to be no reason why motorists should not garage their cars overnight and thus assist to pay the overhead expenses."
MR. SALES: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. May I now put some supplementary questions? The first supplementary question concerns your first paragraph, Mr. Chairman. If the car park is indeed under the overall jurisdiction and administrative responsibility of the Urban Council as such, would you be prepared then to refer this matter to the appropriate Select Committee so that control over the type of vehicle may also be exercised by the Council and not the Commissioner of Police?
CHAIRMAN: -I am afraid that the Council has no authority in the
The authority is the Commissioner of Police.
matter.
MR. SALES: -My question was framed, Mr. Chairman, in a way to ask whether you would be prepared to refer this matter to the Select Committee concerned for their consideration.
CHAIRMAN: If the Select Committee concerned would like to consider the matter I should be very happy to refer the issue to them.
MR. SALES: -Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My next supplementary question-the three commercial vehicles which have been checked and found to be parked there are they the same all the time?
CHAIRMAN: I am afraid I cannot answer that question definitely. I am under the impression that they are.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman-again the second paragraph of your answer is it possible that the colour of the number plate has been confused with the colour of the parking labels which the Police are now in the habit of issuing and which apparently has caused a degree of snobbishness in Hong Kong?
CHAIRMAN: ---I know of no cases of myopia amongst the staff.
MR. SALES--You have not—
CHAIRMAN: -I think that is sufficient.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.