1962 — Page 32

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 32 of 150

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(5) to enlist private enterprise in a slum clearance programme,

using all the incentives necessary.

Housing is one of my pet subjects. Another is traffic and public transport. Two important developments during the year were the Town Planning Board's proposals for the development of the Central District, and the formation of an Advisory Committee on Public Transport. The Urban Council has commented on the former, and Mr. SALES has spoken on the extent to which urban amenities and urban services requirements have been met. We also considered the traffic aspect, and we believe that insufficient consideration had been given to the needs of the public for transportation to and from their work. It is admitted that the proposals will more than double the working population of the area, but the fact that this will require twice as many trams, buses, cars and taxis, and possibly twice as much road surface, does not appear to have been allowed for. There are to be certain major improvements, notably at the junction of Garden Road and Queen's Road. But there is very little relief further west in the main part of the district, and any betterment is likely to be more than counteracted by the proposal to close Chater Road, a fine wide road capable of taking five lanes of traffic, five lanes which are not going to be replaced. Nowhere in the proposals is any consideration given to the future need for a rapid transit system either above or below ground, or to the possibility of an eventual cross-harbour underwater railway link.

Government's attitude to private car-owners has called forth strong criticism. The Honourable Financial Secretary has said that he has no intention of driving motorists off the roads, but that as more money will have to be spent to keep motorists circulating on our roads, they, and apparently only they, will have to pay for the improvements required. But our roads are used by many other forms of transport, by trams, by buses, by trucks of all kinds and sizes, and, in ever- increasing numbers, by taxis. Congestion is caused by all types of vehicles and it is unfair to single out only one type for repressive measures. In October 1960, Mr. John HAY, M.P., the Joint Parliamen- tary Secretary of the Ministry of Transport said, "It seems to me that it is quite wrong, as some people occasionally suggest, to try to solve the traffic problem by reducing the number of cars and making life as difficult as possible for the motorist. Such a course, to my mind, is foolish and economically unsound. It is also bad politics".

Only if it provided a very much better public transport system than at present, would Government be justified in trying to reduce the number of car owners. It is unfair to allow only the very rich to enjoy the comfort of using private cars, and to force the rest of us to use what is already inadequate public transport, with no prospect of

any improvement. I suggest that if Government persists in this will cause a degree of public outrage out of all unpopular move, proportion to its importance.

The Public Transport Advisory Committee has proved itself energetic in dealing with complaints about bus services, the courtesy of drivers and other problems. But so far it does not appear to have concerned itself with the future development of traffic, with the vital question of how we are to get from place to place, when there are four times as many vehicles on the roads as there are today, a situation we shall almost certainly have to face in perhaps 10 years' time. This is a very necessary piece of forward planning.

A very recent event which has had an exciting effect on life in Hong Kong was the opening of the City Hall. Those of us who have long advocated the need for it, are gratified by the response of the public. Far from being a white elephant as many people feared, I think we are going to find that, perhaps with the exception of the Library, the City Hall is going to pay its way. The fact that the facilities are being used by a large number of different organizations means that it is being enjoyed by a very wide section of the community, and that in general the charges are reasonable.

The one exception to this healthy financial picture is the library. I think I was the first to suggest that there would be important advantages if a small annual charge was made for its lending facilities. This was rejected on the grounds that public libraries in Britain were traditionally free.

Unfortunately this means that we have to rely for staff and for books on whatever Government can be persuaded to grant us, and both are quite inadequate for the tremendous demand that has occurred. A small charge of $10 a year for adults and $5 a year for students, would not be onerous and would yield a substantial sum every year with which to pay for more books and more staff, and so give the public a much finer service. Otherwise we shall have to rely on what Govern- ment feels it can spare from what it may consider to be much more vital necessities.

In closing, may I support the opinion expressed by the Honourable Y. K. KAN last month that this has been a particularly harmonious and rewarding year for the Urban Council. For this we are indebted partly to your leadership and sympathy with our aims and objects, and partly to the high degree of co-operation between nominated and elected Members. For this, most of the credit must go to the latter, who during the course of the year have made no attempt to play politics, and have been guided entirely by what would be of most benefit to the public (Laughter). I believe that as a result, the standing