1962 — Page 26

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Multi-Storey Buildings

With reference to my next point about the unsatisfactory conditions of the multi-storey buildings, I regret to note that in spite of the fact that a number of the members of this Council have brought out the urgent necessity of control, no action has been taken in the form of legislation and in this respect, although a committee report is supposed to have been made, I hope Government will take quick action to alleviate conditions and to improve public health and harmony in the multi-storey buildings.

Hawkers Problem

Next, a word on the hawkers problem on which sub-committee on the new Supplementary Hawkers Report, I served as a member. The policy of containment is now replaced by the policy of recognition of hawking as a trade, especially, for fixed pitch stalls in certain designated streets. The containment policy is applied only to cooked food stalls of which the licences will be reduced in numbers as the licensees pass away. Pedlar hawkers licences are issued without restriction as to numbers, and in fact pedlars hawkers are allowed in all areas except on certain main streets in Hong Kong and Kowloon. While I am not personally in favour of this policy of issuing an unrestricted number of pedlar licences, I am not yet prepared to recommend a containment policy because of the difficulty of enforcement. It is to be hoped that with the increasing strength and quality of the Hawker Control Force, the hawkers regulations will be effectively enforced and that more control measures will be designed to keep unrestricted hawking in check.

City Hall

There are two points that I should like to bring up about the City Hall and the first is the question as to why the Concert Hall was not equipped with a motion picture projector and a screen. In fact, I have brought it to the attention of one member of the City Hall Select Committee. I think the answer was that it might create competition with the local motion picture theatres. I certainly should think that if the films are to be shown on an educational basis to a large number of students and if they are to be shown for the purpose of raising money for public welfare, whereas the theatres in such cases do not benefit financially anyway, it would be a move which will be to the benefit of the public and the detriment of none. I think we should reconsider this matter. There is also the matter of the high cost of drinks and food in the City Hall restaurant. The prices of drinks are extremely high and there is no economically priced meal. I believe the City Hall should have a restaurant catering to the best interest of the man in the street. I do not think we should have taken the line we have and rented the restaurant premises to the highest bidder and I think we should review this policy after the one year contract is over.

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

With these remarks Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in supporting the motion. (Applause).

MR. ERNEST C. WONG:-Mr. Chairman, after hearing my colleagues' views which are very constructive on various aspects of this Council, I would like to offer my observations on subjects which are as follows:-

Housing

The numerous applications flooding in from the public for accommodation in the estates prove beyond doubt that the facility offered by the Housing Authority is both popular and in great demand. Although Government is prepared to appropriate more funds for building schemes in future, I still believe the time has come to encourage private enterprise to bridge the gap by filling in that necessity. It is my conviction that private enterprise, experienced in the field, will welcome the opportunity to do their share in the development of the Colony. If more companies are permitted to join in the project, the schemes could be carried out much faster. The Housing Authority or a special committee set up could supervise in the building of types of houses of approved design on a permissible margin of reasonable profit to answer the need of the general public for housing.

Hawkers

Qualification for the issue of licences:-At present the aged and the physically handicapped persons are given priority. As hawking is a profession as hard as any in the trade, needing both energy and capital however small, I feel that licences should be issued to those who are in need of making a living in such a way. The old or the physically deficient, often-times have to engage a hand to assist them. This gives rise to the likelihood of sub-letting licences or even the aged or physically handicapped being used as a front to obtain the licence to hawk. Another point which I would like to mention is the discontinuation of issues of some licences. This is due mainly to the limited control force to police hawkers. As the Colony is emblematic of free trade, I would like to see licences issued to all who are qualified to make a living by that means. Limiting licence issues to a certain number is not to be recommended and I rather believe that the enlarging of the hawkers control force should be the solution.

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