1960 — Page 113

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(vii) The staff as recommended for the new Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool has been agreed in principle. A final decision will be made towards the end of this month whether financial provision for the 49 posts involved is to be made in the estimates, or by special warrant depending on the latest assessment of the date for completion of the project.

(viii) The full staff requirements for the City Hall will be provided by supplementary provision during 1961/62.

Members are now welcome to address the Council.

MR. BERNACCHI:- May I add, Mr. Chairman, to what I said earlier, that I feel we should have a meeting in Committee to discuss the apparently serious—let me not commit myself further—the apparently serious situation created by the refusal to give us the number of market watchmen that we require and indeed to expand the Control Force, the whole object of the Control Force being on its face defeated, because of course at the moment it is only a very small number to get things going and if it is not going to be expanded appropriately then it would appear to me that the expense of creating this Force at all was unjustified and we need not and ought not to have had it. There is also the question of the Government comments on our requirements which I think the Council should consider in detail in Committee, and I would ask that an appropriate time be appointed for us to discuss all these matters in Committee.

QUESTIONS.

MR. CHAN SHU-WOON asked the following question:

"Mr. Chairman, I was informed that there were thirty or more squatter huts being demolished in the neighbourhood of the Choy Lee Shipyard, Ngau Tau Kok, on the morning of the 23rd February by officers and coolies of the Urban Services Department. All building materials were being confiscated and carried away by the Department's staff; even the earthenware jars for water storage which they did not take away were destroyed, thus arousing complaints from all those concerned.

(a) Is the Chairman aware of this matter?

(b) Does the Chairman know of similar matters happened elsewhere?

(c) Will the Chairman take measures to prevent it from happening?"

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-

"Now that the new Kwun Tong Road has reached this area and is being used, the Police are anxious to improve traffic conditions on the side streets leading into the new road from surrounding factory permit areas. These side streets were obstructed by flimsy temporary structures, half being unlicensed cooked-food stalls and the rest domestic huts, and they had to be moved to restore a semblance of order to the area. 85 unauthorized structures and about 250 persons were involved and they were all resited on land behind the Amoy Canning Factory at Ngau Tau Kok.

From 18th January, four verbal warnings were given that these streets had to be cleared, and formal written notices were issued on 1st February (for the clearance of 23 structures on 23rd February) and on 13th February (for the clearance of 11 structures on 24th and 25th February). The actual demolition work was of course done by the Resettlement Department. This department's rôle in the operation was to remove unusable building material and goods abandoned by the occupants, and to clean up the area afterwards. In all, eight lorry loads of abandoned material and rubbish were removed. As for household items, the owners themselves put all such things to one side before clearance started and later removed them all except one small water-jar which was therefore treated as unwanted and removed as refuse. Nothing of any value was destroyed and I am assured by the senior Police and Resettlement officers at the clearance that there were in fact no complaints.

As regards your second and third questions, I am sure that Members will agree that the procedure followed in this case was entirely reasonable and humane, and that no variation in it is necessary."

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

"I have been asked by quite a number of educators to urge Government to redouble its efforts in providing more library facilities in Hong Kong; will the Chairman please state:

(a) How many children's libraries in playgrounds will definitely be built during 1961?

(b) What is the programme to provide more children's libraries in playgrounds during the next 3 to 5 years?"

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