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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MOTIONS.

THE CHAIRMAN moved the following motion :—

"THAT for the purposes of enforcing the Ventilation By-laws, 1961 made under section 88 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, 1960, the Urban Council does hereby delegate, under section 142 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, 1960, and in accordance with section 60 of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, the powers contained in By-law 4 to the Committees named in the following schedule :

By-law

4

(in regard to mechan-

ical ventilation)

4

(in regard to natural

or ordinary venti- lation)

To whom delegated

Air Conditioning Select Committee

Environmental Hygiene Select Committee."

He said This proposed delegation of powers was the subject of a memorandum which is already in the hands of Members and to which I have nothing to add.

THE VICE-CHAIRMAN seconded.

DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, I think your motion is a reasonable one and I support it.

The question was put.

The motion was carried.

The following motion was next on the Agenda in the name of MR. A. DE O. SALES:

"THAT this Council urge Government to provide playgrounds and sitting-out areas in the projected Western Reclama- tion and also in the heavily over-crowded Western District when re-development takes place, since there are in fact no such amenities at sea-level from the Central District to Kennedy Town.”

MR. A. DE O. SALES:--Mr. Chairman, the second motion is in my name. Before I propose it, may I, with your permission and that of this Council, through you, modify the text by the deletion of the words "projected Western Reclamation and also in the"?

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MR. Y. K. KAN:---Mr. Chairman, I second it. CHAIRMAN: --Any objections to the modification in the motion? (There were no objections from Members)

DR. LEE-What is agreed now, Mr. Chairman? CHAIRMAN:--Mr. SALES, would you like to read the modified

motion?

MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, the text is:

"THAT this Council urge Government to provide playgrounds and sitting-out areas in the heavily over-crowded Western District when re-development takes place, since there are in fact no such amenities at sea-level from the Central District to Kennedy Town.”

He continued: The reason for the modification is that I appear to have made a false start-in effect, this Council has jumped the gun regarding the Western Reclamation. We are told that no such reclama- tion is projected and I am glad that we have accepted that statement.

There are, Mr. Chairman, no public recreational amenities at sea- level for the children living between the Central District and Kennedy Town. Neither, for that matter, are there sitting-out areas for adults. Yet this is perhaps one of our most densely-populated areas. Hence my motion must perforce attract the sympathy of all who live in Hong Kong. On its merits alone, it should find unanimous support in this Council.

Perhaps it should be known in this Council that in the Western District there are about 70,000 pupils enrolled in 208 schools. Of this number there must be over 40,000 in private schools, day and night sessions. Of the 97 such private schools with day sessions, only 9 are said to have playgrounds of their own. In effect, of the 208 schools

in that area, no more than 23 are equipped in this manner. Thus, in addition to the countless thousands of children without schooling who have to play in the streets, we find that even those who are fortunate enough to be at school are also mostly without recreational facilities. Should we not, then, urge Government to take early action to put an end to this unsatisfactory situation?

Whether Hong Kong is a signatory of the Charter of the Interna- tional Union for Child Welfare is not material for none can fail to subscribe to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Accordingly, all the care and protection which is in our power and within our means to give to children everywhere in Hong Kong should not be withheld.

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