1963 — Page 11

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

of the Select Committees detailed for the period up to the commencement of the first meeting of the Urban Council in April 1964, except that Mr. J. L. MARDEN, Mr. Li Fook-shu, Mr. FUNG Hon-chu and Mr. Wilfred S. B. WONG whose respective terms of office as appointed members expire on 31st March, 1964, shall be Members of the relevant Select Committees until that date.

(ii) Under Standing Order 22(6) that the Chairman of each Select Committee shall be as set out in the first column of the attached Schedule for the period up to the commencement of the first meeting of the Urban Council in April 1964, except that Mr. J. L. MARDEN, Mr. Li Fook-shu and Mr. Wilfred S. B. WONG whose respective terms of office as appointed members expire on 31st March, 1964, shall be Chairmen of the relevant Select Committees until that date.

(iii) Under section 60(1) of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, and section 5(1) of the Resettlement Ordinance, 1958, that the powers and functions of the Council as set out in the second column of the attached Schedule be delegated to the Select Committees shown in the first column for the period up to the commencement of the first meeting of the Urban Council in April 1964.

(iv) Under section 60(1) of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, that the power of the Council under section 59 of the Ordinance to change by appointment or removal the personnel of each Select Committee be delegated to that Select Committee:

Provided that each such change shall be reported to the Council at its next meeting.

He said: I rise to move the motion standing in my name as Item 4(2) on the Order Paper, regarding the constitution, terms of reference and appointment of chairmen of Select Committees.

There is again no change this year in the number of Select Committees, which remains at 15. As regards the membership of the committees, the main changes are the inclusion of our two new Members in place of Dr. BELL and Mr. Ernest WONG. There are, however, some other changes which I will now mention.

In the Markets Select Committee the name of the Deputy Director of Public Works (Buildings and Lands) has been included as a member. The reason for this appointment, to which Members have agreed, is that it is felt that it will facilitate two aspects of the committee's work, namely, the design of markets and the execution of the Council's market construction programme.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Another change relates to the powers of the Street Names Select Committee. As mentioned in the Chairman's reply to a question asked at the Council meeting on 5th February, 1963, Government has agreed that the Council should be the authority for the naming of streets in the urban area.

A further change relates to the names of the two Resettlement Select Committees which have been changed from "Resettlement and Clearance (Policy)" to "Resettlement (Policy)" and from "Resettlement Areas and Estates" to "Resettlement Management". The reason for this is that Members of these two Select Committees feel that the new names are shorter and more descriptive.

I beg to move.

THE VICE-CHAIRMAN seconded.

MR. BERNACCHI:- Mr. Chairman, has the re-naming of the Resettlement and Clearance (Policy) Select Committee to Resettlement (Policy) Select Committee been approved by the Members of that Select Committee?

CHAIRMAN:- It is my impression, Sir, that that is the case. (Turning to the Secretary) Perhaps the Secretary can confirm.

(The Secretary replied in the affirmative)

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: — That is correct.

MR. BERNACCHI :- Can I have your assurance, Mr. Chairman, that it is in no way connected with the recent motion that was before this Council?

CHAIRMAN: You have my assurance, Sir. There is no connexion.

MR. SALES: - Mr. Chairman, with regard to the information which you gave to this Council that the terms of reference of Committee No. 13-Street Names-have been amended to take into account the power of this Council in that respect, I see that the suggestion which I put up in an earlier meeting, when this matter was discussed, that this Council be also given the power to name hotels, has not been taken into account. How else can this Council protect the good name of one of its Members from being bandied about in the same manner as it has been up to the present time? (Laughter).

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, on a point of order, I think Mr. SALES could be ruled out of order, but to-day is a happy occasion when everybody is at liberty to speak his mind on any subject he wishes. So I would like to observe with reference to what the last speaker said...

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