1960 — Page 94

ཡ ཡ ----- -- - —

Page 94 of 118

172

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Accountant General and the difficulty of monthly pass holders finding spaces in the car parks except very early in the morning, are you willing to recommend to Government that the monthly pass holders be allowed to park at parking meters without paying any extra charge?

CHAIRMAN: ---I am not prepared to recommend that without looking into the question. I gather that the question was considered by a Select Committee of this Council recently.

MR. WATSON: ---Could I just clarify that, Mr. Chairman. I do not think that it has yet been considered. Would you then ask the Select Committee to consider that suggestion?

CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.

MR. WATSON:-Thank you.

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

"Can the Chairman give the amount of meat slaughtered in the New Territories on sale in the urban areas, and what action has been taken to ensure that proper meat vans are used for its conveyance therefrom?"

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-

"During the first ten months of this year, 428,071 lbs. of beef and 284,381 lbs. of pork were brought into urban markets from private New Territories slaughterhouses at Tai Po, Yuen Long, and Tai Pak on Lantau Island.

In addition, 2,156,083 lbs. of beef from Australian cattle slaughtered at Tai Pak went direct to cold storage whole- salers and compradores. Thus, the total amount of meat which reached the urban area from the New Territories in that period was

2,584,154 lbs. of beef and

284,381 lbs. of pork.

Some meat, mostly pork, undoubtedly bypasses the urban markets and goes direct from New Territories wholesalers to food shops and pig-roasting establishments in the urban area, but it is extremely difficult to assess the amount. Conveyance of meat into the urban area is done in several

ways. In the case of beef from Lantau, the private com- pany which runs the slaughterhouse has its own insulated barges and fully-equipped meat vans for dealing with large quantities. When only small quantities are conveyed, the meat is conveyed by motor-junk, usually in an impro- vised cold store chilled by lumps of ice. In the case of meat from the private slaughterhouses at Yuen Long and

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

173

Tai Po, properly designed meat vans usually convey the meat to the markets or food shops, but there is nothing

to prevent a butcher taking delivery of meat from the slaughterhouse and conveying it in his own transport. This frequently happens, and all that departmental staff can do at present is to check that the method of transport- ing the meat to Urban Council markets is suitable and does not contravene basic concepts of food hygiene. Until recently the only law on this matter in the urban area was By-law 45 of the Slaughterhouses By-laws, relating to the conveyance of meat from abattoirs to markets in Govern- ment transport, but, with the recent introduction of the Food Business By-laws, additional control may be exercis- ed under By-laws 10 and 12, which enjoin persons engaged in any food business to protect food from the risk of con- tamination. Instructions in this connexion were issued to Market staff as soon as these By-laws came into force and action is already in hand to expedite the production of new and up-to-date Food Business Regulations in the New Territories."

I

DR. LEE:-I have a supplementary to ask, Mr. Chairman. notice that you have made allusion to the transportation of meat in insanitary vehicles and in the boots of passenger cars. Does not the Chairman agree that this unhygienic method of transporting meat should cease?

CHAIRMAN:-I agree. I am not satisfied with the present position and am prepared to take the matter up further with the New Territories authorities.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask a supplementary, Mr. Chairman. Are you aware whether or not the up-to-date food business regulations for the New Territories will be on a par with regulations for the urban areas?

CHAIRMAN:-I think that is the intention.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Have you any idea, Sir, when the regulations for the New Territories are coming into force?

CHAIRMAN:-I cannot say at the moment.

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

"I understand the wire fences erected in the middle of Lock- hart and Cheung Sha Wan Roads have annoyed the residents who complain of the fact that these fences make the area look like prison compounds. Will the Chairman take measures to have the ugly fences removed and put up iron railings such as those erected at Yee Woo Street?"