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against vandalism and immorality, to name but a few. In my opinion it would be undesirable to state specifically that any one of these considerations should receive more weight than another.
With regard to the last part of the question, I have no reason to suppose that the Council's recommendations are not given due weight before Government decides upon its final programme for street lighting. It seems to me that the Council must continue to act in an advisory capacity in this matter and that the Director of Public Works and the Financial Secretary are in a better position to decide the ultimate order of priority and the programme which can be carried out in any year.”
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask a supplementary question, Mr. Chairman? Since the Director of Public Works is a member of this Council, is there any reason to assume that this Council is not in just as good a position as the Director of Public Works and the Financial Secretary together, to decide on the ultimate order of priority or even to prepare recommendations for such order of priority to be presented to Government?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:—Yes, Sir. The Director of Public Works is in close liaison with the people who do the installation and he fits in his programme as far as is possible to suit them.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask a further supplementary, Mr. Chairman? Since the head of the Urban Services Department is also Chairman of this Council and a very good friend of the Director of Public Works, is he not also in just as good a position to liaise a bit with the Director of Public Works and other departments as well?
CHAIRMAN:-I would point out, Sir, that the Police are also closely concerned with this programme.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I presume, Mr. Chairman, that you are also in very close touch with the Police? (Laughter).
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"About a year ago, I asked a question in Council meeting concerning the possibility of building a lighted fountain in a Chinese architectural design in the Sung Wong Toi Garden. Will the Chairman please state what progress has been made in exploring this suggestion?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"After you raised this matter at the Council meeting in February 1960, it was considered by the Urban Amenities Select Committee and a traditional design for the fountain embodying carp and lily-leaves was approved. The cost is estimated to be about $30,000. The project will be included in the department's suggestions for next year's Public Works Non-Recurrent Programme."
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MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"In the past few months, I have heard several tourists complaining about the offensive smell at the airport, resulting presumably from sewage being drained into the sea; would the Chairman please inquire from Government whether there is any immediate or long-term plan to dispose of this objectionable nuisance?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
"An inquiry into the causes of this nuisance has been proceeding in the Public Works and Urban Services Departments for some months. A solution to the problem obviously requires the proper development of the squatter and sub-standard areas surrounding the airport. These are low-lying and present considerable difficulty from the standpoint of drainage engineering and disposal of sewage matter.
Investigations are still proceeding to determine what, if anything, can be done in the short term."
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
"(a) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please state whether it is now Government's policy to develop the Community Centre as an instrument of policy for community integration?
(b) If so, will the Commissioner advise whether Government proposes to build a community centre in each new resettlement estate?
(c) Will the Commissioner also state whether the provision of community centres in the older resettlement estates and areas has been considered by Government?”
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
"This question concerns Community Centres similar to the one completed last year in Wong Tai Sin and the answers are as follows.
(a) Community Centres are one means of assistance towards integrating newcomers into the Hong Kong Community. In the course of a speech made at the opening of the Tsuen Wan Community Centre on June 19th, His
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Page 56 of 110
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against vandalism and immorality, to name but a few. In my opinion it would be undesirable to state specifically that any one of these considerations should receive more weight than another.
With regard to the last part of the question, I have no reason to suppose that the Council's recommendations are not given due weight before Government decides upon its final programme for street lighting. It seems to me that the Council must continue to act in an advisory capacity in this matter and that the Director of Public Works and the Financial Secretary are in a better position to decide the ultimate order of priority and the programme which can be carried out in any year.”
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask a supplementary question, Mr. Chairman? Since the Director of Public Works is a member of this Council, is there any reason to assume that this Council is not in just as good a position as the Director of Public Works and the Financial Secretary together, to decide on the ultimate order of priority or even to prepare recommendations for such order of priority to be presented to Government?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:—Yes, Sir. The Director of Public Works is in close liaison with the people who do the installation and he fits in his programme as far as is possible to suit them.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask a further supplementary, Mr. Chairman? Since the head of the Urban Services Department is also Chairman of this Council and a very good friend of the Director of Public Works, is he not also in just as good a position to liaise a bit with the Director of Public Works and other departments as well?
CHAIRMAN: -I would point out, Sir, that the Police are also closely concerned with this programme.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I presume, Mr. Chairman, that you are also in very close touch with the Police? (Laughter).
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"About a year ago, I asked a question in Council meeting concerning the possibility of building a lighted fountain in a Chinese architectural design in the Sung Wong Toi Garden. Will the Chairman please state what progress has been made in exploring this suggestion?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"After you raised this matter at the Council meeting in Febru- ary 1960, it was considered by the Urban Amenities Select Committee and a traditional design for the fountain
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
97
embodying carp and lily-leaves was approved. The cost is estimated to be about $30,000. The project will be included in the department's suggestions for next year's Public Works Non-Recurrent Programme."
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"In the past few months, I have heard several tourists complaining about the offensive smell at the airport, resulting presumably from sewage being drained into the sea; would the Chairman please inquire from Government whether there is any immediate or long-term plan to dispose of this objectionable nuisance?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
"An inquiry into the causes of this nuisance has been proceed- ing in the Public Works and Urban Services Departments for some months. A solution to the problem obviously requires the proper development of the squatter and sub- standard areas surrounding the airport. These are low- lying and present considerable difficulty from the stand- point of drainage engineering and disposal of sewage
matter.
Investigations are still proceeding to determine what, if
anything, can be done in the short term."
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question :
"(a) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please state whether it is now Government's policy to develop the Community Centre as an instrument of policy for com- munity integration?
(b) If so, will the Commissioner advise whether Government proposes to build a community centre in each new resettlement estate?
(c) Will the Commissioner also state whether the provision of community centres in the older resettlement estates and areas has been considered by Government?”
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
"This question concerns Community Centres similar to the one completed last year in Wong Tai Sin and the answers are as follows.
(a) Community Centres are one means of assistance towards integrating newcomers into the Hong Kong Community. In the course of a speech made at the opening of the Tsuen Wan Community Centre on June 19th, His
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Private notes are available after approval.