Page 55 of 110
94
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
would probably be better to plant flowering shrubs or trees there.
The Superintendent of Gardens is already working on a scheme to make flower beds at certain other places in the urban areas, including one very close to Victoria Park. The proposal will be referred to the Urban Amenities Select Committee for consideration.”
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, just a question of clarification. Does the Superintendent of Gardens in your department consult the Chairman of the Urban Council, who has a propensity for looking after gardens, in matters of this nature?
Sir.
CHAIRMAN: -He and I endeavour to work together harmoniously,
MR. SALES: -We are most reassured.
MR. CHAN SHU-WOON asked the following question:-
"In view of the fact that the squatter huts are still in existence along the pavements of Fuk Wa Street, Fuk Wing Street and Kweilin Street, in the vicinity of Yen Chow Street, Kowloon after a period of two years since the squatters moved into these areas from Li Cheng Uk Village when the storm had wrecked their huts in the previous year, I would like to know, Mr. Chairman, when and where will these squatters be resettled?"
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
"This question concerns a group of 36 huts spaced out on 3 sides of a torchlight factory off Yen Chow Street, Sham Shui Po. 2 of the huts contain pavement squatters, who have been there for some years, and the remaining huts, about 200 persons, who lost their homes at Li Cheng Uk in the torrential rains of June 1959. There are no tenement buildings within the block and there is a new bath-house/latrine within 100 yards.
In May of this year, 15 other huts involving 85 other persons were resited at Ma Tau Chung Resite Area to allow development of part of the block for a cinema. There is no intention at present of redeveloping the balance of the block, and there is consequently no urgent need to move the remaining squatters. I have already mentioned that sanitation facilities exist close by and that domestic dwellings are not affected.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
95
These squatters will eventually be resettled but, as they neither inhibit development nor give rise to serious obstruction nor are a danger to sanitation, it is regretted that their priority will be low. They will therefore only be considered for resettlement as and when spare accommodation in the Estates becomes available. I am not in a position to commit myself on a guess as to when this will be."
MR. CHAN SHU-WOON: -A supplementary question, Mr. Chairman. May I know the reason why the priority for accommodation for this area should be lower than that in any other area?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -There is no question of priority for a particular district. Priorities are based on the need for redeveloping land required for development.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"(a) Will the Chairman please state to what extent this Council has a say in the provision of street lighting facilities in the urban areas?
(b) Is it the view of the Urban Services Department that the provision of street lighting in the urban areas of Hong Kong and Kowloon has now arrived at the stage where street lighting should be planned and provided more as an amenity than as a public safety measure?
(c) Will the Chairman be good enough to request Government whether it would now agree that the Urban Council should be the principal authority for coordinating and establishing the order of priority in the provision of street lighting in the urban areas?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
"Each year the Department prepares a list of suggested priorities for street lighting to be installed in the following financial year. This list is circulated to Members of the Urban Amenities Select Committee who are free to comment upon it and to suggest changes in the order of priority, as well as additions or deletions. After this has been done, the list is forwarded to my friend, the Director of Public Works, who relates it to the views of other departments and to his own programme of road reconstruction and improvement, before making firm proposals to Government for inclusion in the annual estimates.
As regards the second part of the question, the need for street lighting in a particular area is considered from many angles - as an aid to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, to provide greater security for property, to act as a deterrent
!!
Page 55
Page 56
10
Page 55 of 110
94
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
would probably be better to plant flowering shrubs or trees there.
The Superintendent of Gardens is already working on a scheme to make flower beds at certain other places in the urban areas, including one very close to Victoria Park. The proposal will be referred to the Urban Amenities Select
Committee for consideration.”
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, just a question of clarification. Does the Superintendent of Gardens in your department consult the Chair- man of the Urban Council, who has a propensity for looking after gardens, in matters of this nature?
Sir.
CHAIRMAN:-He and I endeavour to work together harmoniously,
MR. SALES-We are most reassured.
MR. CHAN SHU-WOON asked the following question:-
"In view of the fact that the squatter huts are still in existence along the pavements of Fuk Wa Street, Fuk Wing Street and Kweilin Street, in the vicinity of Yen Chow Street, Kowloon after a period of two years since the squatters moved into these areas from Li Cheng Uk Village when the storm had wrecked their huts in the previous year, I would like to know, Mr. Chairman, when and where will these squatters be resettled?"
THE COMMISSIoner for ReseTTLEMENT replied as follows:-
"This question concerns a group of 36 huts spaced out on 3 sides of a torchlight factory off Yen Chow Street, Sham Shui Po. 2 of the huts contain pavement squatters, who have been there for some years, and the remaining huts, about 200 persons, who lost their homes at Li Cheng Uk in the torrential rains of June 1959. There are no tene- ment buildings within the block and there is a new bath- house/latrine within 100 yards.
In May of this year, 15 other huts involving 85 other persons were resited at Ma Tau Chung Resite Area to allow development of part of the block for a cinema. There is no intention at present of redeveloping the balance of the block, and there is consequently no urgent need to move the remaining squatters. I have already mentioned that sanitation facilities exist close by and that domestic dwellings are not affected.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
95
These squatters will eventually be resettled but, as they neither inhibit development nor give rise to serious obstruction nor are a danger to sanitation, it is regretted that their priority will be low. They will therefore only be consi- dered for resettlement as and when spare accommodation in the Estates becomes available. I am not in a position to commit myself on a guess as to when this will be." MR. CHAN SHU-WOON:-A supplementary question, Mr. Chairman. May I know the reason why the priority for accommodation for this area should be lower than that in any other area?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -There is no question of priority for a particular district. Priorities are based on the need for redeveloping land required for development.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question :-
"(a) Will the Chairman please state to what extent this Council has a say in the provision of street lighting facilities in the urban areas?
(b) Is it the view of the Urban Services Department that the provision of street lighting in the urban areas of Hong Kong and Kowloon has now arrived at the stage where street lighting should be planned and provided more as an amenity than as a public safety measure?
(c) Will the Chairman be good enough to request Government whether it would now agree that the Urban Council should be the principal authority for coordinating and establish- ing the order of priority in the provision of street lighting in the urban areas?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows: -
"Each year the Department prepares a list of suggested priorities for street lighting to be installed in the following financial year. This list is circulated to Members of the Urban Amenities Select Committee who are free to com- ment upon it and to suggest changes in the order of priority, as well as additions or deletions. After this has been done, the list is forwarded to my friend, the Director of Public Works, who relates it to the views of other departments and to his own programme of road recon- struction and improvement, before making firm proposals to Government for inclusion in the annual estimates.
As regards the second part of the question, the need for street lighting in a particular area is considered from many angles-as an aid to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, to provide greater security for property, to act as a deterrent
!!
Page 55Page 56
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.