1963 — Page 109

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Page 109 of 194

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the Urban Services Department staff is sufficient to ensure that the precautions for use of water in restaurants and other food premises are adequate? In other words, does he consider that the Urban Services staff allotted to ensuring that the instructions are carried out in restaurants and other food premises are adequate for the purpose in view of the appalling water problem we have in Hong Kong at the moment?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-It is sufficient to do daily checks. I do not see why the present staff dealing with food premises cannot carry out sufficient checks for this purpose.

MR. BERNACCHI:-I would ask a second supplementary, and that is, by implication in saying that it is not possible to control the safety of water from sources other than wells, the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services concedes that water is being supplied to restaurants and other food premises from such sources. Can he state to what extent?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I am not able to give you the amount of supply in these other sources. There are all sorts of streams which are mostly drying up at the moment which do supply water. Some of this water undoubtedly gets to food premises, but there is no way of checking sources of water of this sort in any quantity.

MR. BERNACCHI:-Can the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services assure this Council that the situation is under control insofar as water from such questionable sources finds its way into use in restaurants and other food premises?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I con- sider that if the restaurant proprietors and managers do carry out the instructions it should be quite satisfactory.

DR. LEE:-Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask a supplementary. How frequently are water samples tested in the consumers' interests, especially in licensed premises?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: -It depends upon the state of affairs in the restaurant. Water samples are regularly tested by Waterworks technicians. I cannot tell you the exact frequencies but I will find out and let you know.

DR. LEE:-Thank you.

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-If, Mr. Chairman, Dr. LEE's question is on the samples from taps, I would say that several hundreds are taken per month throughout the Colony, but that any one particular

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premises might go for several years without having a sample taken. They are simply random samples taken throughout the Colony to assess whether or not the water coming through the pipe is satisfactory. Our main concern is, of course, to check on the water from the service reservoirs.

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services if it is possible to check whether any of the recent cases of cholera have any connexion with water supply from restaurants?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-They have not, Mr. Chairman.

MR. SALES: -I am rather seriously concerned about the answer given to part (b) of the question. Is the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services prepared to carry out more investigation in con- sequence of the question put by our colleague Mrs. ELLIOTT?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I would say, Mr. Chairman, it is just as safe to have a swim in the harbour as it is to use this water for washing.

MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, you were away for a prolonged period from the Colony last summer and you are unable to testify to this, but I am very seriously concerned about the acceleration and the deterioration in my balding condition, so naturally I declare an interest in reference to part (b) of the question. (Laughter).

MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I am sorry to ask what will, I hope, be a final supplementary on this question. In answer to Mrs. ELLIOTT'S Supplementary, the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services said positively "Yes" he could assure Mrs. ELLIOTT that it was not water from doubtful sources. Does that apply to cholera or to cholera and typhoid cases, because unfortunately there has been a visible increase not only in the number of cholera cases but also in the number of typhoid cases?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I was referring to cholera.

MR. BERNACCHI:-Then can the Deputy Director answer the question in reference to typhoid cases or would he have to obtain more information?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I would have to obtain more information, I am afraid.