Page 18 of 110
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Thus some owners may refuse to pay the subscription for the maintenance because their flats have not been let, and first-floor tenants refuse to pay for the maintenance of the lift because they seldom use them. When a public health nuisance is created in these buildings it often takes many months before the nuisance can be rectified. This is because statutory notices have to be sent to every one of the owners before remedial action can be taken, and since some of the premises may not be owner-occupying, their owners have to be located and this causes unnecessary delay. Although this Council has the power to abate the nuisance and recover all reasonable expenses from such owners, this power is very seldom used. It is time now for Government to introduce measures so that every owner is made responsible for the maintenance of these buildings.
It is highly regrettable that progress has been so slow in the market reconstruction programme.
It is now well over three years since the last new market at Yau Ma Tei was opened. It is also nearly two years now since the Select Committee approved the sketch-plans for the new Tang Lung Chau market, and fifteen months since the changes later proposed in these plans were also approved. Market-stalls vacated the site early in January this year, yet piling for the new market has not begun, and indeed there is no sign of the market being built at all. I hope that every effort will be made to ensure that this market will be built and ready for operation by the end of this year, and that every year hereafter will see the construction of still more urban markets. With the rapid increase in population, the necessity of building more markets is not merely for market facilities, but also for cleaner streets freed of pedlars and other hawkers, and for barrack accommodation for Hawker Control Force personnel.
After many years of deliberation, the problem of market-rent revision has been decided upon. Council has made very careful study and observations in order to arrive at a fair rental, and the larger increases being spread over three years will not place an intolerable burden on the stall-holders, some of whom have not had their rents altered since the beginning of the century.
The Health Education Campaign is progressing successfully. The response from the Resettlement Estates is stimulating: in fact, in some of the estates the settlers have formed their own Health Education Committees and started the campaign among themselves. The interest taken by the schools in the Health Education Campaign is also most encouraging. In the last oratorical contest, not only was there a large number of entries, but the speeches were also of superb quality. In the recent slogan contest among primary schools, 421 entries representing 81 schools were forwarded for final judging, and this was due entirely to the help and efforts of the Education Department, to whom we are grateful. To achieve the maximum benefit, however, the Campaign needs to be intensified to make it spread farther and wider, and for this we require the cooperation of other Government Departments such as the Medical Department.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
21
With these few remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure to support the Motion before Council to-day.
MR. FUNG HON-CHU: --Mr. Chairman, may I first extend to you and the fellow members of the Council my thanks for the most kind concern over my arm. I am well on the road to recovery. (Laughter).
Sir, the Annual Statement of Progress and Policy under review is most informative and you are to be congratulated on the concise and candid form in which the Statement has been presented. Much has been achieved during the past year and I take pleasure, Mr. Chairman, to support the motion for adoption of the Statement.
I have a few observations to make which, I feel, merit consideration. Criticism has often been voiced by the public concerning detection, prevention and correction of nuisances. For instance, there is need for satisfactory control of exposed garbage containers awaiting collection by the Department's removal vehicles. It is also observed that while some of the main thoroughfares are regularly swept and the pavements washed, the state of the other of our avenues leaves much to be desired. Admittedly, the Department has never failed to focus attention on this problem and a great deal has been accomplished. In fact, I am glad to observe that one of the major aims of the Department laid down for the ensuing year is the modernization of the Department's cleansing machinery. I am of the opinion, however, that a more effective organization of the Department's inspection system is indeed necessary. It is rightly pointed out that many of these nuisances can only be eliminated with the full co-operation of the public, and I think we must do more to obtain this co-operation and to instil in the public mind a civic pride in the clean appearance of the Colony. Perhaps we can obtain from the Kaifong some more active assistance in this matter.
My next observation concerns quite a different matter. I think there is need for the construction of a Shed at the Vehicular Ferry for motor cars. These cars have to queue up for a considerable time waiting for their turns to cross, especially at week-ends and on holidays when one has often to wait for over an hour. In the intense heat of summer, and when there is no breeze, conditions become unbearable, almost inhuman. Not merely is there acute discomfort, but also a menace to health. I notice that this question was raised last January before the Traffic Advisory Board, and as summer is fast approaching, I submit that this matter be given priority, unless the present conditions of queuing up are considerably improved in the immediate future,
Page 20
20
Page 21
།
Page 18 of 110
20
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Thus some owners may refuse to pay the subscription for the main- tenance because their flats have not been let, and first-floor tenants refuse to pay for the maintenance of the lift because they seldom use them. When a public health nuisance is created in these buildings it often takes many months before the nuisance can be rectified. This is because statutory notices have to be sent to every one of the owners before remedial action can be taken, and since some of the premises may not be owner-occupying, their owners have to be located and this causes unnecessary delay. Although this Council has the power to abate the nuisance and recover all reasonable expenses from such owners, this power is very seldom used. It is time now for Govern- ment to introduce measures so that every owner is made responsible for the maintenance of these buildings.
It is highly regrettable that progress has been so slow in the market reconstruction programme.
It is now well over three years since the last new market at Yau Ma Tei was opened. It is also nearly two years now since the Select Committee approved the sketch- plans for the new Tang Lung Chau market, and fifteen months since the changes later proposed in these plans were also approved. Market- stalls vacated the site early in January this year, yet piling for the new market has not begun, and indeed there is no sign of the market being built at all. I hope that every effort will be made to ensure that this market will be built and ready for operation by the end of this year, and that every year hereafter will see the construction of still more urban markets. With the rapid increase in population, the necessity of building more markets is not merely for market facilities, but also for cleaner streets freed of pedlars and other hawkers, and for barrack accommodation for Hawker Control Force personnel.
After many years of deliberation, the problem of market-rent revision has been decided upon. Council has made very careful study and observations in order to arrive at a fair rental, and the larger increases being spread over three years will not place an intolerable burden on the stall-holders, some of whom have not had their rents altered since the beginning of the century.
The Health Education Campaign is progressing successfully. The response from the Resettlement Estates is stimulating: in fact, in some of the estates the settlers have formed their own Health Education Committees and started the campaign among themselves. The interest taken by the schools in the Health Education Campaign is also most encouraging. In the last oratorical contest, not only was there a large number of entries, but the speeches were also of superb quality. In the recent slogan contest among primary schools, 421 entries representing 81 schools were forwarded for final judging, and this was due entirely to the help and efforts of the Education Department, to whom we are grateful. To achieve the maximum benefit, however, the Campaign
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
21
needs to be intensified to make it spread farther and wider, and for this we require the cooperation of other Government Departments such as the Medical Department.
With these few remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure to support the Motion before Council to-day.
MR. FUNG HON-CHU: --Mr. Chairman, may I first extend to you and the fellow members of the Council my thanks for the most kind concern over my arm. I am well on the road to recovery. (Laughter).
Sir, the Annual Statement of Progress and Policy under review is most informative and you are to be congratulated on the concise and candid form in which the Statement has been presented. Much has been achieved during the past year and I take pleasure, Mr. Chairman, to support the motion for adoption of the Statement.
I have a few observations to make which, I feel, merit con- sideration. Criticism has often been voiced by the public concerning detection, prevention and correction of nuisances. For instance, there is need for satisfactory control of exposed garbage containers awaiting collection by the Department's removal vehicles. It is also observed that while some of the main thoroughfares are regularly swept and the pavements washed, the state of the other of our avenues leaves much to be desired. Admittedly, the Department has never failed to focus attention on this problem and a great deal has been accomplished. In fact, I am glad to observe that one of the major aims of the Depart- ment laid down for the ensuing year is the modernization of the Department's cleansing machinery. I am of the opinion, however, that a more effective organization of the Department's inspection system is indeed necessary. It is rightly pointed out that many of these nuisances can only be eliminated with the full co-operation of the public, and I think we must do more to obtain this co-operation and to instil in the public mind a civic pride in the clean appearance of the Colony. Perhaps we can obtain from the Kaifong some more active assistance in this matter.
My next observation concerns quite a different matter. I think there is need for the construction of a Shed at the Vehicular Ferry for motor cars. These cars have to queue up for a considerable time waiting for their turns to cross, especially at week-ends and on holidays when one has often to wait for over an hour. In the intense heat of summer, and when there is no breeze, conditions become unbearable, almost inhuman. Not merely is there acute discomfort, but also a menace to health. I notice that this question was raised last January before the Traffic Advisory Board, and as summer is fast approaching, I submit that this matter be given priority, unless the present conditions of queuing up are considerably improved in the immediate future,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.