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permit grass to grow. Would the Chairman consider making a gate in this fence to enable people to use this grass area in summer and if necessary for growth of grass in the winter months, the gate may be closed?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"The grassed area referred to has been kept fenced off from the public because it was thought desirable to retain at least one patch of green in this rather drab neighbourhood.
I am afraid that the suggested solution of allowing the public to use this grassed area in the summer and closing it in the winter could not be made to serve the dual purpose of giving increased space to the public and preserving the grass.
From our experience just across the road, it is likely that within a month of opening this area to the public, the grass will have entirely disappeared and no amount of rest in the winter months would repair the situation.
The Department is now reconsidering what to do with this area and a suggestion will shortly be put to the Select Committee that it and the adjacent areas should be paved and fully opened to the public."
DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:
"There is a temporary car park fenced off with an untidy broken down wooden fence immediately in front of the North Kowloon Magistracy which is hardly in keeping with this dignified building. Would the Chairman please see that this Area even if used for a car park is made more attractive by the Gardens Section?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"The fence has now been removed and iron hoops of the type used in our parks and sitting-out areas are being erected in its place. The proper development of this small area will be undertaken in due course."
DR. BELL: May I ask a supplementary question, Mr. Chairman? Was the fence removed and were the iron hoops replaced before or after I gave notice of the question?
CHAIRMAN: After. (Laughter and Applause).
DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:
"Adjacent to the North Kowloon Magistracy at the west side and also on the opposite side of the road and behind the Tai Po Road children's playground there are ugly untidy piles of wood and rubbish and hundreds of tin barrels stored—these are quite unsightly and detrimental to the amenities of the area. Would the Chairman please see if they can be removed?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"I am given to believe that these piles of rubbish and barrels belong to holders of temporary Crown Land permits. My friend, the Director of Public Works, has undertaken to see if they can be removed or at least made a little more sightly."
DR. BELL: A supplementary, Mr. Chairman. This Crown land is on temporary permit. Could the Director of Public Works tell us whether the temporary permits were given for the storage of these things or if not, what is the reason for their being given this piece of Crown land?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: It is thought that there is probably a mixture of permittees and squatters now on the land. I am not sure which are squatters and which are permittees and the notice given of the question has provided us with insufficient time to find out which is which. It is proposed that the area should be cleared in stages. We shall then be able to determine when we are clearing squatters and when permittees.
DR. BELL: That is still not what I wanted to know. I want to know whether the original permits granted were, for instance, for the stacking of wood and accumulations of that sort, or whether the land was granted for any other purpose.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: I cannot answer that question.
MOTIONS.
MR. A. DE O. SALES, Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, moved the following motion:
"THAT the Urban Council as the Authority under Section 107(1) of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, No. 30 of 1960 resolves, for the purposes of management and control of public pleasure grounds, that the areas listed in the attached schedule be submitted to His Excellency the Governor under Section 106(1) of the same Ordinance with the request that he order, under Section 106(6) of the Ordinance, these scheduled areas to be added to the list of public pleasure grounds contained in the Fourth Schedule of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance."
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permit grass to grow. Would the Chairman consider making a gate in this fence to enable people to use this grass area in summer and if necessary for growth of grass in the winter months, the gate may be closed?”
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"The grassed area referred to has been kept fenced off from the public because it was thought desirable to retain at least one patch of green in this rather drab neighbourhood.
I am afraid that the suggested solution of allowing the public to use this grassed area in the summer and closing it in the winter could not be made to serve the dual purpose of giving increased space to the public and preserving the grass.
From our experience just across the road, it is likely that within a month of opening this area to the public, the grass will have entirely disappeared and no amount of rest in the winter months would repair the situation.
The Department is now reconsidering what to do with this area and a suggestion will shortly be put to the Select Committee that it and the adjacent areas should be paved and fully opened to the public."
DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question :·
"There is a temporary car park fenced off with an untidy broken down wooden fence immediately in front of the North Kowloon Magistracy which is hardly in keeping with this dignified building. Would the Chairman please see that this Area even if used for a car park is made more attractive by the Gardens Section?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:·
"The fence has now been removed and iron hoops of the type used in our parks and sitting-out areas are being erected in its place. The proper development of this small area will be undertaken in due course."
DR. BELL: May I ask a supplementary question, Mr. Chairman? Was the fence removed and were the iron hoops replaced before or after I gave notice of the question?
CHAIRMAN: After. (Laughter and Applause).
DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question :-
"Adjacent to the North Kowloon Magistracy at the west side and also on the opposite side of the road and behind the Tai Po Road children's playground there are ugly
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untidy piles of wood and rubbish and hundreds of tin barrels stored-these are quite unsightly and detrimental to the amenities of the area. Would the Chairman please see if they can be removed?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"I am given to believe that these piles of rubbish and barrels belong to holders of temporary Crown Land permits. My friend, the Director of Public Works, has undertaken to see if they can be removed or at least made a little more sightly."
DR. BELL:-A supplementary, Mr. Chairman. This Crown land is on temporary permit. Could the Director of Public Works tell us whether the temporary permits were given for the storage of these things or if not, what is the reason for their being given this piece of Crown land?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-It is thought that there is probably a mixture of permittees and squatters now on the land. I am not sure which are squatters and which are permittees and the notice given of the question has provided us with insufficient time to find out which is which. It is proposed that the area should be cleared in stages. We shall then be able to determine when we are clearing squatters and when permittees.
DR. BELL:-That is still not what I wanted to know. I want to know whether the original permits granted were, for instance, for the stacking of wood and accumulations of that sort, or whether the land was granted for any other purpose.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:---I cannot answer that question.
MOTIONS.
MR. A. DE O. SALES, Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, moved the following motion:
"THAT the Urban Council as the Authority under Section 107(1) of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, No. 30 of 1960 resolves, for the purposes of management and control of public pleasure grounds, that the areas listed in the attached schedule be submitted to His Excellency the Governor under Section 106(1) of the same Ordinance with the request that he order, under Section 106(6) of the Ordinance, these scheduled areas to be added to the list of public pleasure grounds contained in the Fourth Schedule of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance."
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