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accepted. The casework involved in making recommendations might prove a formidable task for my Department, which I should nevertheless welcome in principle, and subject to staff needs.
More than one Member has mentioned the substantial contributions reaching Hong Kong as a result of the World Refugee Year Appeal. It may accordingly be appropriate to refer to one major project, designed primarily to meet the needs of those who live in resettlement estates, towards which two big donations have already reached Hong Kong; I refer to the establishment of Community Centres.
The first of these, financed by donations from the United States Government, is almost completed in terms of stone and mortar between blocks F and Q at Wong Tai Sin, and will, I hope, be humming with activity in another month or two. A second Centre is about to be built at Tsuen Wan with funds from the United Kingdom World Refugee Year Committee. The buildings are very similar to a 24-classroom Government primary school, but their purpose is something different and constitutes a new experiment. At Wong Tai Sin the building will house trade training classes in diesel engine maintenance, etc., a family casework centre, group activities for young people, a day nursery for the care of up to 200 children from the Estate while their mothers are at work, a library for adults and children, a mothers' club, vocational training for the blind and deaf, and facilities, including a small hostel, for the training of social workers, together with large ground floor and playground space which can be used for all kinds of entertainment and recreation. These services will be provided and run partly by a number of voluntary welfare organizations and partly by the Social Welfare Department as a joint effort, in close co-operation.
Now you will notice, Sir, that some of these services are in themselves similar to what is already provided on rooftops and elsewhere throughout the Estates, but concentrated in a separate building under one roof. Our aim is, by providing services which the settlers need and value, to encourage them to use this building widely and gradually to stimulate the growth of a community sense among people who may not yet feel that they belong fully to their environment.
In other words, this experiment has the ambitious aim of helping those whom it will serve to form new communities and to become self-reliant citizens of Hong Kong.
With these remarks Mr. Chairman, I beg to support the motion before Council.
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, I should like to compliment members on the concise yet comprehensive manner in which they dealt with such a wide variety of subjects in their speeches. I propose to reply to certain questions raised by four members of Council only.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
59
Dr. R. H. S. LEE raised again the question of re-siting offensive trades and there is not a great deal to add to what I said in reply to a similar question by Mr. U Tat-chee last year. In short my reply was that these Trades are unwelcome neighbours and I should be glad of constructive suggestions from Members. Since then, sites have been proposed at Tsing Yi Island and on part of Gin Drinkers Bay near the refuse dumps. I understand however that there are difficulties which have not yet been resolved and it may be some time therefore before suitable arrangements can be made. Dr. LEE also referred to the need for more car parks and suggested underground car parks in the open spaces of the central area. We had proposals for this some years ago but they fell through and in recent months several new sketch plans have been made; perhaps some of them may prove feasible in time. Meanwhile plans for the multi-storey car park in Murray Parade Ground are well advanced. I regret to say that our short-term plans for a multi-storey car park for the Tsim Sha Tsui area were overtaken by long term planning so that there we have to start all over again. Our proposals for a multi-storey car park in Nathan Road were opposed by this Council but we have not given up hope of finding another site. If the Council wants the next site for an open space too then we may have to follow Dr. LEE's suggestion and try to have both in the same place. It is not impossible and may even prove practical and I entirely agree that something should be done.
Mr. Ernest WONG spoke of forward planning with particular emphasis on resettlement housing and he wisely alluded to the attendant necessities of water, electricity, sanitation, roads and “nearby venues of employment". I assure Mr. WONG that we are doing all that we can and I am confident that we can attain and maintain the figures previously quoted, provided that funds continue to be made available.
Now to turn to the speech of Mr. BERNACCHI. He says that I am "An outspoken opponent of the principle that this Council should become a Highway Authority"-he is correct, I am. It seems just possible that that may supply one very small part of the answer to his earlier query as to why I serve on this Council! However, it is not in my province to bandy words with the Member on the constitution of this Council so let me deal with his next question "Are we in the least bit concerned with Public Works?" Members will find on Pages 107 and 108 of the Colony Estimates that they have a $40M interest in these works alone; $134M of this is to be spent in the current year and a further $40M on Resettlement. On Page 140 of the Estimates there is a Block item and on Page 156 a sizable list of Urban Council proposals to be carried out by the P.W.D. and Members are aware, because they frequently deal with them, of the extra projects added each year, during the year, in addition to these shown in the estimates. There is no need for me to dwell at greater length on the many and varied interests as
Page 38 of 118
Page 37 of 118
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
accepted. The casework involved in making recommendations might prove a formidable task for my Department, which I should nevertheless welcome in principle, and subject to staff needs.
More than one Member has mentioned the substantial contributions reaching Hong Kong as a result of the World Refugee Year Appeal. It may accordingly be appropriate to refer to one major project, designed primarily to meet the needs of those who live in resettlement estates, towards which two big donations have already reached Hong Kong; I refer to the establishment of Community Centres.
The first of these, financed by donations from the United States Government, is almost completed in terms of stone and mortar between blocks F and Q at Wong Tai Sin, and will, I hope, be humming with activity in another month or two. A second Centre is about to be built at Tsuen Wan with funds from the United Kingdom World Refugee Year Committee. The buildings are very similar to a 24- classroom Government primary school, but their purpose is something different and constitutes a new experiment. At Wong Tai Sin the building will house trade training classes in diesel engine maintenance, etc., a family casework centre, group activities for young people, a day nursery for the care of up to 200 children from the Estate while their mothers are at work, a library for adults and children, a mothers' club, vocational training for the blind and deaf, and facilities, including a small hostel, for the training of social workers, together with large ground floor and playground space which can be used for all kinds of entertainment and recreation. These services will be provided and run partly by a number of voluntary welfare organizations and partly by the Social Welfare Department as a joint effort, in close co-operation.
Now you will notice, Sir, that some of these services are in them- selves similar to what is already provided on rooftops and elsewhere throughout the Estates, but concentrated in a separate building under one roof. Our aim is, by providing services which the settlers need and value, to encourage them to use this building widely and gradually to stimulate the growth of a community sense among people who may not yet feel that they belong fully to their environment.
In other words, this experiment has the ambitious aim of helping those whom it will serve to form new communities and to become self- reliant citizens of Hong Kong.
With these remarks Mr. Chairman, I beg to support the motion before Council.
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, I should like to compliment members on the concise yet comprehensive manner in which they dealt with such a wide variety of subjects in their speeches. I propose to reply to certain questions raised by four members of Council only.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
59
Dr. R. H. S. LEE raised again the question of re-siting offensive trades and there is not a great deal to add to what I said in reply to a similar question by Mr. U Tat-chee last year. In short my reply was that these Trades are unwelcome neighbours and I should be glad of constructive suggestions from Members. Since then, sites have been proposed at Tsing Yi Island and on part of Gin Drinkers Bay near the refuse dumps. I understand however that there are difficulties which have not yet been resolved and it may be some time therefore before suitable arrangements can be made. Dr. LEE also referred to the need for more car parks and suggested underground car parks in the open spaces of the central area. We had proposals for this some years ago but they fell through and in recent months several new sketch plans have been made; perhaps some of them may prove feasible in time. Meanwhile plans for the multi-storey car park in Murray Parade Ground are well advanced. I regret to say that our short-term plans for a multi- storey car park for the Tsim Sha Tsui area were overtaken by long term planning so that there we have to start all over again. Our proposals for a multi-storey car park in Nathan Road were opposed by this Council but we have not given up hope of finding another site. If the Council wants the next site for an open space too then we may have to follow Dr. LEE's suggestion and try to have both in the same place. It is not impossible and may even prove practical and I entirely agree that something should be done.
Mr. Ernest WONG spoke of forward planning with particular emphasis on resettlement housing and he wisely alluded to the attendant necessities of water, electricity, sanitation, roads and “nearby venues of employment". I assure Mr. WONG that we are doing all that we can and I am confident that we can attain and maintain the figures previously quoted, provided that funds continue to be made available.
Now to turn to the speech of Mr. BERNACCHI. He says that I am "An outspoken opponent of the principle that this Council should become a Highway Authority"-he is correct, I am. It seems just possible that that may supply one very small part of the answer to his earlier query as to why I serve on this Council! However, it is not in my province to bandy words with the Member on the constitution of this Council so let me deal with his next question "Are we in the least bit concerned with Public Works?" Members will find on Pages 107 and 108 of the Colony Estimates that they have a $40M interest in these works alone; $134M of this is to be spent in the current year and a further $40M on Resettlement. On Page 140 of the Estimates there is a Block item and on Page 156 a sizable list of Urban Council proposals to be carried out by the P.W.D. and Members are aware, because they frequently deal with them, of the extra projects added each year, during the year, in addition to these shown in the estimates. There is no need for me to dwell at greater length on the many and varied interests as
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