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has complied with this Standing Order? Whilst still upstanding, may I call your attention, Sir, to Section 13 of the Urban Council Ordinance and enquire whether you should not send him a warning that he is in danger of automatically ceasing to be a Member of this Council if he continues to be absent much longer?

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, on a point of order, may I ask whether Section 13 of the Ordinance refers to Urban Council meetings or whether it includes meetings of Select Committees?

CHAIRMAN:- My reading of Section 13 is that it refers to meetings of the Council. May I say that the Secretary has informed me that Mr. CHAN has not attended the last 4 meetings. On the question of whether he has acquainted the Secretary of his inability to attend I cannot tell you at the moment. I do not think, in the circumstances, that the application of Section 13 arises as yet.

MR. BERNACCHI:- I agree. I merely enquired whether it would be advisable to send him a notification that he is in danger of falling under Section 13 of the Ordinance if he continues to be absent much longer.

CHAIRMAN:- Sir, if a Member fails to turn up for 5 consecutive monthly meetings of the Council the Secretary will then address a letter to him, inviting his attention to Section 13 of the Ordinance.

DEPARTURE ON LEAVE OF THE CHAIRMAN AND TRIBUTE TO THE HONOURABLE A. INGLIS, C.M.G.

CHAIRMAN:- Before the adjournment to-day I have to inform you that I will be proceeding on vacation leave at the end of this month and that Mr. G. M. TINGLE, Assistant Director (Cleansing), will be taking over as Chairman before the next meeting of this Council. Mr. TINGLE is well known to you all as an officer of ability and integrity. His efforts in the past two years as Assistant Director in charge of the Cleansing Division have advanced the interests of this Council, and, in commending him to you as your new Chairman, I am quite sure that you will find him to be a most helpful and capable colleague.

Finally, I have the sad duty of referring to the impending retirement of our good friend, Mr. INGLIS, the Director of Public Works. In thinking of retiring Directors of Public Works, one tends, almost automatically, to lapse into cliché, by quoting the famous epitaph which begins, "Si monumentum..." Yet it is true that of all the public servants in Hong Kong, Directors of Public Works are those most likely and most able to leave behind them substantial monuments testifying to their activities—new roads, reservoirs, office blocks, reclamations, tunnels, and so on. In some of these we have had no hand,

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but in our own sphere we can thank Mr. INGLIS for certain sitting-out areas, playgrounds, parks, swimming pools, markets, and in particular, resettlement accommodation and low-cost housing. Much of this achievement on behalf of this Council has, I know, involved considerable personal effort on his part.

Mr. INGLIS has served on this Council for almost 6 years; but his public service has totalled some 32 years. It is indeed fitting that we should record our sincere thanks to him for his help and voice the hope that he and Mrs. INGLIS will enjoy the long and happy retirement which they have so well earned.

(Turning to Mr. INGLIS) Sir, I wish to express to you and your wife the very best wishes of your colleagues in this Council on your retirement. (Applause).

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:- Thank you very much.

MR. B. A. BERNACCHI:- On behalf of the Elected Members, may I join with you, Mr. Chairman, in wishing Mr. INGLIS all the best on his retirement. Although on occasion I have not been able to agree with the views he has expressed, he has always been an able and conscientious Member of this Council and I for one have come to count him amongst my friends.

For yourself, Mr. Chairman, may I wish you a very happy leave with your family, and in welcoming, as I do, Mr. TINGLE as our new Chairman, may I hope that you come back to us afterwards as our Chairman. (Applause).

MR. A. de O. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, the Appointed Members would like to be associated with you and with Mr. BERNACCHI in wishing a very happy retirement to Mr. and Mrs. INGLIS. Likewise, I myself and Mr. INGLIS have never been able to agree on lengths of time that projects should involve. Nevertheless, I have appreciated his sincerity and have valued the contribution he has made to the progress of the Colony.

In your own case, Mr. Chairman, I support what Mr. BERNACCHI has said and the spirit which you and your predecessors have created in this Council has, in very large measure, made possible the very fine co-operation which exists. Accordingly, if I may be allowed to complete that Latin quotation which you used—Si monumentum requiris, circumspice. (Applause).

CHAIRMAN:- I thank you most sincerely for your kind remarks.

ADJOURNMENT.

CHAIRMAN:- That concludes the business of this meeting. Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 5th March, 1963.

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