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permitting private instructors to give instruction in the Victoria Swimming Pool?
CHAIRMAN:-I would like to look into that matter, Sir, but I would say that we did ask the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association whether they could help us in finding instructors and the answer was that they could not.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you.
MR. WATSON:-May I say in clarification that one private instructor does operate at the Victoria Park Swimming Pool, and that is Billy Tingle.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Since I had raised this question about a year ago and the Committee in question had approved that swimming instruction should be provided at the Victoria Swimming Pool, although on the basis of existing staff, I do feel that this is a convenience which the public could appreciate. May I suggest that this matter be referred back to the Committee for further consideration, if not for this year, then at least for next year.
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, may I, with your permission, as Chairman of that Select Committee, offer some comments on this matter. It was considered at length by the appropriate Select Committee and also by the only recognized body that could offer an opinion of any sense. It was thought that, at this stage of development in Hong Kong, we could not go beyond the reply that you gave. It is not possible to carry out instruction to any extent that would meet the requirements of the public. I have received many private inquiries from people asking me to recommend swimming instructors and, although I have investigated the matter, I have never been successful in making suitable arrangements.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask, Mr. Chairman, why then was approval given by the Committee for swimming instruction to be provided in the Victoria Park Swimming Pool?
MR. SALES: In principle.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-And using existing staff? May I now ask Question No. 4?
CHAIRMAN:-Thank you, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
"Will the Chairman be good enough to inquire from Government what are its plans to develop the waterfront area from the Dockyard leading up to Wan Chai into an Esplanade for the benefit of residents?"
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
213
"I have consulted my friend, the Director of Public Works, on this matter. He has informed me that while plans are under active consideration for development of the area in question, it is still too early for a definite answer to be given to your query regarding an esplanade.”
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask you, Mr. Chairman, in your dual rôle as Director of the Urban Services Department whether you are in favour of an esplanade.
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, may I with your permission, as Chairman of the appropriate Select Committee offer some comments on this point. Mr. Chairman, may I say that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN is taking advantage of the fact that you have not had much experience in handling him at our meetings. (Laughter). I suggest that firstly Mr. CHEONG-LEEN be invited to attend our Select Committee meetings, which would mean in effect that he would not do so. (Laughter). Secondly, may I suggest that the Select Committee in due course consider the possibilities of having a "Cheong-Leen Boulevard”.
Mr. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I am a very modest person. I do not think I personally would like to have it, but I am not sure about the Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"I have received a number of complaints from residents of the older resettlement estates, particularly the Shek Kip Mei Estate, to the effect that the communal toilet facilities are still not being adequately flushed, and that in the early hours of the morning and late hours of the evening, the toilets are disagreeably offensive to estate residents living nearby:
(a) Has the Commissioner recently studied the question of improving the communal toilet facilities in the older estates?
(b) If so, what specific steps are or will be taken to improve the situation?"
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
"The flushing system used and the total hours of supply of flushing water are generally the same in all the resettlement estates.
In the three oldest estates, however, the cisterns in some blocks are manually operated by the settlers themselves. This is an unsatisfactory system and it has led to these
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Page 115 of 118
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permitting private instructors to give instruction in the Victoria Swim- ming Pool?
CHAIRMAN:-I would like to look into that matter, Sir, but I would say that we did ask the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association whether they could help us in finding instructors and the answer was that they could not.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you.
MR. WATSON:-May I say in clarification that one private instruc- tor does operate at the Victoria Park Swimming Pool, and that is Billy Tingle.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Since I had raised this question about a year ago and the Committee in question had approved that swimming instruction should be provided at the Victoria Swimming Pool, although on the basis of existing staff, I do feel that this is a convenience which the public could appreciate. May I suggest that this matter be referred back to the Committee for further consideration, if not for this year, then at least for next year.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I, with your permission, as Chairman of that Select Committee, offer some comments on this matter. It was considered at length by the appropriate Select Com- mittee and also by the only recognized body that could offer an opinion of any sense. It was thought that, at this stage of development in Hong Kong, we could not go beyond the reply that you gave. It is not possible to carry out instruction to any extent that would meet the requirements of the public. I have received many private inquiries from people asking me to recommend swimming instructors and, although I have investigated the matter, I have never been successful in making suitable arrangements.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask, Mr. Chairman, why then was approval given by the Committee for swimming instruction to be provided in the Victoria Park Swimming Pool?
MR. SALES: In principle.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-And using existing staff? May I now ask Question No. 4?
CHAIRMAN:-Thank you, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
"Will the Chairman be good enough to inquire from Govern- ment what are its plans to develop the waterfront area from the Dockyard leading up to Wan Chai into an Esplanade for the benefit of residents?"
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
213
"I have consulted my friend, the Director of Public Works, on this matter. He has informed me that while plans are under active consideration for development of the area in question, it is still too early for a definite answer to be given to your query regarding an esplanade.”
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask you, Mr. Chairman, in your dual rôle as Director of the Urban Services Department whether you are in favour of an esplanade.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I with your permission, as Chairman of the appropriate Select Committee offer some comments on this point. Mr. Chairman, may I say that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN İS taking advantage of the fact that you have not had much experience in handling him at our meetings. (Laughter). I suggest that firstly Mr. CHEONG-LEEN be invited to attend our Select Committee meetings, which would mean in effect that he would not do so. (Laughter). Secondly, may I suggest that the Select Committee in due course consider the possibilities of having a "Cheong-Leen Boulevard”.
Mr. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I am a very modest person. I do not think I personally would like to have it, but I am not sure about the Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"I have received a number of complaints from residents of the older resettlement estates, particularly the Shek Kip Mei Estate, to the effect that the communal toilet facilities are still not being adequately flushed, and that in the early hours of the morning and late hours of the evening, the toilets are disagreeably offensive to estate residents living nearby:
(a) Has the Commissioner recently studied the question of improving the communal toilet facilities in the older estates?
(b) If so, what specific steps are or will be taken
to improve the situation?"
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
"The flushing system used and the total hours of supply of flushing water are generally the same in all the resettle- ment estates.
In the three oldest estates, however, the cisterns in some blocks are manually operated by the settlers themselves. This is an unsatisfactory system and it has led to these
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