1960 — Page 103

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. CHAN SHU-WOON asked the following question:-

"Mr. Chairman, I have received complaints from the proprie- tors of public laundries saying that they are prohibited to use the kitchens in their premises for the purposes of cook- ing thus causing much inconvenience and inefficiency to their workers and staff but, on the other hand, clinics and hospitals are allowed to cook their food within their premises. Will the Chairman advise the relevant Select Committee to consider this matter, and if necessary, amend the regulations concerned?”

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-

"The matter is already being investigated by the department and a paper on the subject will shortly be referred to the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee for considera- tion."

MR. CHAN SHU-WOON asked the following question:--

"I understand there are thirteen classes of licence for hawkers, ranging from $5 to $350, whereas the business registration fee for business concerns is fixed at $25 per annum, ir- respective of their volume of business or capital. Does the Chairman think this is rather high for certain licences and will he take measures to reduce the annual fees for hawkers?"

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-

"With due respect, Sir, I do not think that a parallel can properly be drawn between Business Registration Certifi- cates and Hawker Licences.

The 'Objects and Reasons' for the Business Regulation Bill, 1952, explain that the Bill was intended to carry out the recommendation of a Committee appointed by the Governor to review the system of taxation and to consider new sources of revenue. This recommendation was to the effect that an annual licence fee should be imposed on all businesses and the intention was primarily to supplement the contemplated Profits Tax which was imposed by the Inland Revenue Ordinance, Chapter 112.

When moving the first reading of the Business Registration Bill, 1959 in Legislative Council on 21st January, 1959, in which Bill certain amendments to the Ordinance of 1952 were proposed, the Financial Secretary stated that 'The

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main objects of registration of businesses are two. to oblige businesses to disclose details of their partners for the information of the Inland Revenue Department with a view to taxation, and also for the information of the public generally, any member of which can, on payment of a small fee, obtain particulars of the make-up of any business from the registration office, so being in a position to know with whom he is going to deal. The other object is to raise revenue.' He went on to explain that it was proposed to reduce the annual registration fee from $200 to $25, because $200 a year constituted a real hardship in many cases and because the figure of $25 a year would offer little inducement for fraud.

The present scale of hawker licence fees was fixed by this Council in the Hawker By-laws, 1960, on the recom- mendations of the Hawkers (Policy) Select Committee. These recommendations were made after exhaustive re- search and discussion and in making them the Committee was influenced by the cost to Government of hawker control. There is also the consideration that hawker pitches occupy Crown land and it is reasonable that some charge should be made for this privilege.

I am sure that you, Sir, will agree that effective hawker control is a most important part of this Council's activities and one which, as far as possible, should not be a burden on the taxpayer. I do not think that any of the present fees for hawker licences are too high, but while I am not will- ing to recommend to this Council that it should consider any general reduction in hawker licence fees, I would be glad to refer any specific representations regarding partic- ular fees to the Hawkers Select Committee for considera- tion."

DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-

"In view of the great demand for a children's playground in Ap Lei Chau, can the Chairman state when this Council will be in a position to provide the innumerable young inhabitants of this outlying district with the necessary recreational facility?"

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-

"A similar question to this, asked by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, was answered by my predecessor, at the meeting of this Council on 4th October, 1960.