Page 13 of 118
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I welcome the establishment of the new Cemetery and Crematorium at Cape Collinson though it is rather unfortunate that government is unable to meet the wishes of Members that the whole Cemetery should be under the control of the Council, otherwise members of the public would be able to secure a burial plot at a reasonable price instead of having to pay an exorbitant price from the private permanent cemeteries.
At the last annual debate I spoke on the improvements that should be made on election and voting procedure in future Urban Council Elections. There should be an up-to-date register of electors, and more polling stations for the convenience of voters should be provided. We hope government will have these ready for the 1961 Election.
With these few remarks, I fully support your motion before Council.
DR. R. H. S. LEE: - Mr. Chairman, allow me to preface my remarks today by thanking you for allowing me to give my speech sitting down. You know I am always grateful for these small mercies.
In spite of the Council's growing function every year, its most important responsibility still lies in the realm of public health and sanitation. We have tried our utmost to improve it by means of regular health education and campaigns, and greater attention is given to obtain a more efficient and reliable health inspectorate, more hygienic methods of nightsoil removal, more frequent street cleansing and so on. Although these are very necessary measures for the maintenance of urban health and sanitation, there is no doubt that there is a limit as to what we can do. If we want to achieve even greater and more lasting results for this over-crowded and over-populated city, we will have to consider yet further steps in other directions.
I don't know whether Members are aware of the smell that is noticeable in many densely populated areas like Wan Chai, Shau Kei Wan, Yau Ma Tei, Shum Shui Po or not, I certainly notice in the course of my duties as a Councillor that it is most pronounced in tenements where thick dirt is collected, and where the floor hasn't been washed for a long time. I know that there are other factors to account for this insanitary state of affairs, but I think you will agree, Mr. Chairman, that the acute shortage of water plays a very important part. I know life in an over-crowded urban area is difficult enough, but if we want to keep a place reasonably clean, we must have an adequate supply of water on hand for washing purposes. There is little doubt that Hong Kong will continue to grow not only naturally but also industrially. It is important that there must be an adequate supply of water for its needs and in this connexion, I need hardly stress that as far as possible we should be self-reliant on this score. We must press on with our projects at Sek Pik, Plover Cove and Hebe Haven. On the other hand, we must not lose sight of the potential of salt water conversion, even though the process is in its embryonic stage because, if we do succeed by this method, water will forever cease to be a problem.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
11
We are fully aware of the over-crowded and insanitary conditions under which most people in the urban area have to live, and the continued prevalence of endemic disorders, such as Tuberculosis, Typhoid and Dysentery, in the Colony. It is pertinent therefore to ask what steps has the Government taken to implement the recommendations of the Special Housing Committee because unless this question of slum clearance is resolved, whatever measures this Council take in dealing with urban health problems would be largely only palliative.
Now that the Government has acquired a portion of the Naval Dockyard it will be useful to reserve some part of it for open spaces, and to build a promenade linking the Central District with Victoria Park. I think our Planners are well advised to use a part of the Central Reclamation for open sitting out spaces because the built-up area in the centre of the city is badly in need of it.
If we can clear the roof-top squatters from the urban area, I think we can say that we have made a substantial contribution towards improving the health and sanitation of the city. I wonder whether the Commissioner for Resettlement would care to give an indication as to when this most desirable clearance is likely to take place. It will certainly remove a constant source of legitimate complaint from the regular tenants who have had to bear this for so long.
Another sore point, particularly to the residents of Kennedy Town, is the tolerance of offensive trades like bone factories in predominantly residential areas. I feel strongly that the time has come for all offensive trades to move away from the urban area to the outlying districts because these offensive trade zones are becoming not only more residential in character but definitely deterrents to investors who want to develop it.
Mr. Chairman, we want to raise the standard of cleanliness wherever we can. I think we can set an example by placing refuse drums at strategic points in hawker's bazaar areas to receive discarded bits of vegetable and other things now scattered on the roads and streets. When I made a tour of the markets in Kowloon on the 21st of last month I noticed that they were conspicuous by their absence.
It is gratifying to know that Government has now accepted suggestions from this Council to improve the bathing beaches in the New Territories. We should concentrate our attention to the more popular bathing beaches and make them more attractive. We should ask the...
Page 13 of 118
Page 13 of 118
10
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I welcome the establishment of the new Cemetery and Crematorium at Cape Collinson though it is rather unfortunate that government is unable to meet the wishes of Members that the whole Cemetery should be under the control of the Council, otherwise members of the public would be able to secure a burial plot at a reasonable price instead of having to pay an exorbitant price from the private permanent cemeteries.
At the last annual debate I spoke on the improvements that should be made on election and voting procedure in future Urban Council Elections. There should be an up-to-date register of electors, and more polling stations for the convenience of voters should be provided. We hope government will have these ready for the 1961 Election.
With these few remarks, I fully support your motion before Council.
DR. R. H. S. LEE: -Mr. Chairman, allow me to preface my remarks today by thanking you for allowing me to give my speech sitting down. You know I am always grateful for these small mercies.
In spite of the Council's growing function every year, its most important responsibility still lies in the realm of public health and sanitation. We have tried our utmost to improve it by means of regular health education and campaigns, and greater attention is given to obtain a more efficient and reliable health inspectorate, more hygienic methods of nightsoil removal, more frequent street cleansing and so on. Although these are very necessary measures for the maintenance of urban health and sanitation, there is no doubt that there is a limit as to what we can do. If we want to achieve even greater and more lasting results for this over-crowded and over-populated city, we will have to consider yet further steps in other directions.
I don't know whether Members are aware of the smell that is noticeable in many densely populated areas like Wan Chai, Shau Kei Wan, Yau Ma Tei, Shum Shui Po or not, I certainly notice in the course of my duties as a Councillor that it is most pronounced in tenements where thick dirt is collected, and where the floor hasn't been washed for a long time. I know that there are other factors to account for this insanitary state of affairs, but I think you will agree, Mr. Chairman, that the acute shortage of water plays a very important part. I know life in an over-crowded urban area is difficult enough, but if we want to keep a place reasonably clean, we must have an adequate supply of water on hand for washing purposes. There is little doubt that Hong Kong will continue to grow not only naturally but also industrially. It is important that there must be an adequate supply of water for its needs and in this connexion, I need hardly stress that as far as possible we should be self-reliant on this score. We must press on with our projects at Sek Pik, Plover Cove and Hebe
#
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
11
Haven. On the other hand, we must not lose sight of the potential of salt water conversion, even though the process is in its embryonic stage because, if we do succeed by this method, water will forever cease to be a problem.
We are fully aware of the over-crowded and insanitary conditions under which most people in the urban area have to live, and the con- tinued prevalence of endemic disorders, such as Tuberculosis, Typhoid and Dysentery, in the Colony. It is pertinent therefore to ask what steps has the Government taken to implement the recommendations of the Special Housing Committee because unless this question of slum clearance is resolved, whatever measures this Council take in dealing with urban health problems would be largely only palliative.
Now that the Government has acquired a portion of the Naval Dockyard it will be useful to reserve some part of it for open spaces, and to build a promenade linking the Central District with Victoria Park. I think our Planners are well advised to use a part of the Central Reclamation for open sitting out spaces because the built- up area in the centre of the city is badly in need of it.
If we can clear the roof-top squatters from the urban area, I think we can say that we have made a substantial contribution towards improving the health and sanitation of the city. I wonder whether the Commissioner for Resettlement would care to give an indication as to when this most desirable clearance is likely to take place. It will certainly remove a constant source of legitimate complaint from the regular tenants who have had to bear this for so long.
Another sore point, particularly to the residents of Kennedy Town, is the tolerance of offensive trades like bone factories in predominantly residential areas. I feel strongly that the time has come for all offensive trades to move away from the urban area to the outlying districts because these offensive trade zones are becoming not only more resi- dential in character but definitely deterrents to investors who want to develop it.
Mr. Chairman, we want to raise the standard of cleanliness wherever we can. I think we can set an example by placing refuse drums at strategic points in hawker's bazaar areas to receive discarded bits of vegetable and other things now scattered on the roads and streets. When I made a tour of the markets in Kowloon on the 21st of last month I noticed that they were conspicuous by their absence.
It is gratifying to know that Government has now accepted sugges- tions from this Council to improve the bathing beaches in the New Territories. We should concentrate our attention to the more popular bathing beaches and make them more attractive. We should ask the
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