Page 130 of 150
244
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
My predecessors and I have been aware of this nuisance for a long time. It has been the subject of much concern and the Urban Services Department has been carrying out experiments for over a year with a view to reducing it to the minimum.
The bones are now dipped in a solution of chloride of lime on arrival at the sheds and this reduces fly breeding for some time if carried out properly. The effectiveness of this treatment depends on the co-operation of the licensees and it lasts only for a limited period, normally a few days at the most. If there is a poor demand for bones and they have to be stored for longer periods, the control of fly breeding becomes more difficult.
Conditions are, I think, better now than they have been for some time, but the health staff will continue to keep the area under close observation and to take all steps possible to abate this nuisance.
The problem arises largely from the primitive methods of storage and treatment used by the licensees. Many of them have expressed willingness to purchase modern equipment, but this could not be installed in the present premises. The final solution of the problem would seem to lie in the provision of new sites for the trade.
DR. LEE: When the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services said that conditions are better now than they have been for some time, I wonder, Mr. Chairman, when he last visited the bone sheds?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: The place was visited just a few days ago and Dr. van de LINDE also confirms that there has been much improvement.
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, may I ask you to go down to Kennedy Town and visit these bone sheds, because from our own personal visit before I framed the question I saw thousands of flies swarming in the bone sheds and they were surrounded with maggots. That can be confirmed by other Members who visited with me.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: May I ask you, Mr. Chairman, if you are aware of the conditions described by Dr. LEE?
CHAIRMAN: I will be glad, Sir, to visit the bone sheds again within the next few days. My experience has been that in the summer months they are generally bad, but in the winter they are better. I have visited the place several times before.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
245
DR. LEE: May I ask, Mr. Chairman, who are the owners of these sheds?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: They are private companies, Sir.
DR. LEE: I am given to understand that these structures are built on permits issued by the Director of Public Works. Is that right?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: I will obtain the information for you.
DR. LEE: Thank you very much.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Conditions as described by Dr. LEE are certainly most descriptive and I would like to ask the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services, through you, Sir, whether the storage sheds are just as primitive as the method of storage and treatment used by the licensees?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: The sheds are not elaborate structures, but simple sheds.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: In other words, they are just primitive?
CHAIRMAN: They are not primitive structures, but sheds with four walls and a roof.
MR. SALES: May I suggest that if another site has to be found for this trade it also be located on the Island? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: You are anticipating the next question, Sir.
(Laughter).
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
In view of the fact that Kennedy Town is predominantly a commercial and residential district, does not the Chairman agree that the time is ripe to remove and exclude dangerous and offensive trades from Kennedy Town and find other more suitable areas in the New Territories for these types of trade?
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
I am not aware of any dangerous trades in Kennedy Town; these trades are, in any case, the concern of the Labour and Fire Services Departments.
Page 130
Page 131
of 150
150
Page 130 of 150
244
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE DEPUTY Director of MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
My predecessors and I have been aware of this nuisance for a long time. It has been the subject of much concern and the Urban Services Department has been carrying out experiments for over a year with a view to reducing it to the minimum.
The bones are now dipped in a solution of chloride of lime on arrival at the sheds and this reduces fly breeding for some time if carried out properly. The effectiveness of this treatment depends on the co-operation of the licensees and it lasts only for a limited period, normally a few days at the most. If there is a poor demand for bones and they have to be stored for longer periods, the control of fly breeding becomes more difficult.
Conditions are, I think, better now than they have been for some time, but the health staff will continue to keep the area under close observation and to take all steps possible to abate this nuisance.
The problem arises largely from the primitive methods of stor- age and treatment used by the licensees. Many of them have expressed willingness to purchase modern equipment, but this could not be installed in the present premises. The final solution of the problem would seem to lie in the provision of new sites for the trade.
DR. LEE: When the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services said that conditions are better now than they have been for some time, I wonder, Mr. Chairman, when he last visited the bone sheds?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-The place was visited just a few days ago and Dr. van de LINDE also confirms that there has been much improvement.
DR. LEE:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask you to go down to Kennedy Town and visit these bone sheds, because from our own personal visit- before I framed the question-I saw thousands of flies swarming in the bone sheds and they were surrounded with maggots. That can be confirmed by other Members who visited with me.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: May I ask you, Mr. Chairman, if you are aware of the conditions described by Dr. LEE?
CHAIRMAN: --I will be glad, Sir, to visit the bone sheds again within the next few days. My experience has been that in the summer months they are generally bad, but in the winter they are better. I have visited the place several times before.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
245
DR. LEE: May I ask, Mr. Chairman, who are the owners of these sheds?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-They are private companies, Sir.
DR. LEE:-I am given to understand that these structures are built on permits issued by the Director of Public Works. Is that right?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I will obtain the information for you.
DR. LEE:---Thank you very much.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Conditions as described by Dr. LEE are cer- tainly most descriptive and I would like to ask the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services, through you, Sir, whether the storage sheds are just as primitive as the method of storage and treatment used by the licensees?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-The sheds are not elaborate structures, but simple sheds.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: In other words, they are just primitive?
CHAIRMAN:-They are not primitive structures, but sheds with four walls and a roof.
MR. SALES: -May I suggest that if another site has to be found for this trade it also be located on the Island? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN:-You
(Laughter).
are anticipating the next question, Sir.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:—
In view of the fact that Kennedy Town is predominantly a commercial and residential district, does not the Chairman agree that the time is ripe to remove and exclude dan- gerous and offensive trades from Kennedy Town and find other more suitable areas in the New Territories for these types of trade?
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
I am not aware of any dangerous trades in Kennedy Town; these trades are, in any case, the concern of the Labour and Fire Services Departments.
Page 130Page 131
AST of 150
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.