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MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-It is not? The facts speak for themselves, Mr. Chairman, because nothing has been done for 4 years continuously. May I ask another supplementary question with regard to the fourth paragraph of your reply? In this connexion, I would like to draw your attention, Sir, to a news item which appeared in the Hong Kong Tiger Standard dated August 14th, wherein it says: "Government department heads have been asked to draw up the estimated expenditure and revenue of their departments for the next five years, a government spokesman confirmed yesterday.” Can I have your assurance, Sir, that when this programme of estimates over the next 5 years is drawn up by this Department, the requirements for markets will be borne in mind?
CHAIRMAN: --The requirements for markets have been borne in mind, Sir.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"(a) Will the Chairman please state what has been done since the beginning of this year to improve sanitary conditions among roof-top dwellers and among residents living in the backlanes of the more congested districts?
(b) Is the Chairman able to say whether sanitary conditions in such places, particularly in the Wan Chai, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po districts, have shown a distinct improvement since the beginning of the year? (c) Does the Chairman know whether there has been any significant increase in the number of roof-top dwellers and persons living in backlanes in the various urban districts?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"In reply to the first part of the question, the measures taken this year are the same as in previous years, i.e., the District Health Inspector concerned, in the course of regular house inspection, visits roof-tops, backyards and scavenging lanes, looking for nuisances. Where these are found action is taken to have them abated. The Inspector visits the premises in his district as a matter of routine once a quarter. In addition, he makes special visits if nuisances are reported.
Perhaps I should also mention that, with a view to improving sanitary conditions in scavenging lanes and removing obstructions, a special cleansing operation extending over four weeks was carried out in July and August in a selected area of South-West Kowloon. Lessons emerging from this operation are being studied prior to extending
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action to the scavenging lanes of all the more congested districts. The advice of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee is now being sought on this matter. As regards the second part of the question, I am not able to say with any assurance whether sanitary conditions in the districts mentioned have improved or deteriorated since the beginning of the year. My impression is that their condition is much what it was in 1960. However, with regard to the area covered by the operation I have just mentioned, I can say definitely that the scavenging lanes were left in a much more hygienic condition than that in which they were found. How long the improvement remains depends to a very large degree on the residents themselves.
As regards the third part of the question, my friend the Commissioner for Resettlement informs me that the annual count of squatters in the urban area will not take place until October, and it is not possible, therefore, to give precise details. He is satisfied, however, that there has been no appreciable augmentation of numbers except in so far as this arises from natural increase amounting to about 5.75% a year. This has been offset to a limited extent by the resiting of about 2,400 roof-top squatters on account of fires and redevelopment. The Squatter Control Staff are most vigilant in curbing the erection of new squatter dwellings, both on roof-tops and in backlanes, and my friend the Commissioner feels certain that only a small number of additional persons could possibly cram into existing tolerated dwellings."
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-A supplementary, Mr. Chairman. May I ask our friend, the Commissioner for Resettlement, through you, how accurate he considers this percentage of 5.75% a year?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-It is a figure averaged over 4 years.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I say, Mr. Chairman, that I am rather doubtful about that percentage because, if that was accurate, it would mean that Hong Kong has the highest rate of natural increase in the world, which is about twice the average rate as supplied in United Nations statistics.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
"A number of residents have suggested that the Council should organize with the Medical Department Health Exhibition Display at the forthcoming Annual
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MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-It is not? The facts speak for themselves, Mr. Chairman, because nothing has been done for 4 years continuously. May I ask another supplementary question with regard to the fourth paragraph of your reply? In this connexion, I would like to draw your attention, Sir, to a news item which appeared in the Hong Kong Tiger Standard dated August 14th, wherein it says:
"Government
department heads have been asked to draw up the estimated expenditure and revenue of their departments for the next five years, a government spokesman confirmed yesterday.” Can I have your assurance, Sir, that when this programme of estimates over the next 5 years is drawn up by this Department, the requirements for markets will be borne in mind?
CHAIRMAN: --The requirements for markets have been borne in mind, Sir.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
"(a) Will the Chairman please state what has been done since the beginning of this year to improve sanitary conditions among roof-top dwellers and among residents living in the backlanes of the more congested districts?
(b) Is the Chairman able to say whether sanitary conditions in such places, particularly in the Wan Chai, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po districts, have shown a distinct improvement since the beginning of the year? (c) Does the Chairman know whether there has been any significant increase in the number of roof-top dwellers and persons living in backlanes in the various urban districts?"
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
"In reply to the first part of the question, the measures taken this year are the same as in previous years, i.e., the District Health Inspector concerned, in the course of regular house inspection, visits roof-tops, backyards and scavenging lanes, looking for nuisances. Where these are found action is taken to have them abated. The Inspector visits the premises in his district as a matter of routine once a quarter. In addition, he makes special visits if nuisances are reported.
Perhaps I should also mention that, with a view to improving sanitary conditions in scavenging lanes and removing obstructions, a special cleansing operation extending over four weeks was carried out in July and August in a selected area of South-West Kowloon. Lessons emerging from this operation are being studied prior to extending
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
123
action to the scavenging lanes of all the more congested districts. The advice of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee is now being sought on this matter. As regards the second part of the question, I am not able to say with any assurance whether sanitary conditions in the districts mentioned have improved or deteriorated since the beginning of the year. My impression is that their condition is much what it was in 1960. However, with regard to the area covered by the operation I have just mentioned, I can say definitely that the scavenging lanes were left in a much more hygienic condition than that in which they were found. How long the improvement re- mains depends to a very large degree on the residents themselves.
As regards the third part of the question, my friend the Commissioner for Resettlement informs me that the annual count of squatters in the urban area will not take place until October, and it is not possible, therefore, to give precise details. He is satisfied, however, that there has been no appreciable augmentation of numbers except in so far as this arises from natural increase amounting to about 5.75% a year. This has been offset to a limited extent by the resiting of about 2,400 roof-top squatters on account of fires and redevelopment. The Squatter Control Staff are most vigilant in curbing the erection of new squatter dwellings, both on roof-tops and in backlanes, and my friend the Commissioner feels certain that only a small number of additional persons could possibly cram into existing tolerated dwellings."
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-A supplementary, Mr. Chairman. May I ask our friend, the Commissioner for Resettlement, through you, how accurate he considers this percentage of 5.75% a year?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-It is a figure averaged over
4 years.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I say, Mr. Chairman, that I am rather doubtful about that percentage because, if that was accurate, it would mean that Hong Kong has the highest rate of natural increase in the world, which is about twice the average rate as supplied in United Nations statistics.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
а
"A number of residents have suggested that the Council should organize with the Medical Department Health Exhibition Display at the forthcoming Annual
Page 69 of 110
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