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MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, I think that would be a great thought if there was a "Sales' Illuminations Week".
CHAIRMAN:- Sir, I am not sure that I feel it correct for the Department to write to the airlines to suggest that they donate free Christmas trees, but I would be prepared to do it if the Council wishes it to be done.
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, I did not suggest that the Department should write, rather I was under the impression that Government has means of communication other than writing.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following two questions:-
Are there places in the world other than Trinidad which use sea water to wash their streets? If there is no serious objection to its use, what step has the Chairman taken, even as an experiment, to convert some street cleansing vehicles for street cleaning operations in water-short Hong Kong?
In view of public complaints to the suspension of street cleansing, has the Department given thought to the question of diluting sea water with well water in proportions without harmful effects to the vehicles concerned, to continue the previous street washing programme?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
It is understood that salt-water is used for street cleansing in both Trinidad and Gibraltar, and inquiries have been made to the appropriate authorities in those territories as to the methods employed.
The question of conversion of street washing vehicles to carry salt-water or salt-water diluted with well water has been given consideration in the past but no conversion of vehicles or detailed examination of costs has been carried out because of other objections to the use of salt or brackish water made at that time. I will refer to these objections later this afternoon in my reply to points raised by Members at the last meeting.
A re-examination of the possibilities of using salt-water for street washing has now been initiated in the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee and these particular points will be considered by that committee.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
297
A major difficulty in the resumption of routine street washing at present lies in the fact that all available street washing vehicles, other than those attached to the Special Cleansing Squads which carry out a limited amount of street washing, are supplying flushing water from wells to those latrines and bathhouses normally connected to fresh water mains.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Mr. Chairman, as a supplementary, are all our vehicles being used to supply public latrines and bathhouses or are some being used to supply private latrines and bathhouses?
CHAIRMAN:- I think, Sir, that they are being used to supply public latrines and bathhouses, but I would like to check the point and confirm it for you. I would also mention that we do not have a large number of these street-washing machines. There are usually only about 7 in operation in Hong Kong and 8 in Kowloon.
DR. LEE:- A supplementary, Mr. Chairman. As salt water has been used in a rather limited way for washing the streets, in and around public markets, and also by the Fire Brigade, I wonder whether the Chairman has any views and also material to clarify the points with regard to the use of salt water for street washing?
CHAIRMAN:- As far as I am aware, only a limited experiment has been carried out so far in street washing, but the experiment is being continued. I have nothing therefore to add to my answer.
DR. LEE:- Have the objections been borne out by the experiment so far carried out?
CHAIRMAN:- No definite findings have been reported to me yet.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
Has the Department taken a survey of wells with a good perennial supply of water in the Colony? If not, will the Chairman initiate such an exercise so that they may be relied on as an additional source of water supply should the Colony be again faced with another period of drought? After the completion of such a survey, will he make such information available to this Council?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:--
No survey of wells has been undertaken by the department for the purpose of ascertaining whether any have a good perennial supply of water for use during a period of drought.
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MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I think that would be a great thought if there was a "Sales' Illuminations Week”.
CHAIRMAN: -Sir, I am not sure that I feel it correct for the Depart- ment to write to the airlines to suggest that they donate free Christmas trees, but I would be prepared to do it if the Council wishes it to be done.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I did not suggest that the Department should write, rather I was under the impression that Government has means of communication other than writing.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following two questions:-
Are there places in the world other than Trinidad which use sea water to wash their streets? If there is no serious objection to its use, what step has the Chairman taken, even as an experiment, to convert some street cleansing vehicles for street cleaning operations in water-short Hong Kong?
In view of public complaints to the suspension of street cleans- ing, has the Department given thought to the question of diluting sea water with well water in proportions without harmful effects to the vehicles concerned, to continue the previous street washing programme?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
It is understood that salt-water is used for street cleansing in both Trinidad and Gibraltar, and inquiries have been made to the appropriate authorities in those territories as to the methods employed.
The question of conversion of street washing vehicles to carry salt-water or salt-water diluted with well water has been given consideration in the past but no conversion of vehi- cles or detailed examination of costs has been carried out because of other objections to the use of salt or brackish water made at that time. I will refer to these objections later this afternoon in my reply to points raised by Mem- bers at the last meeting.
A re-examination of the possibilities of using salt-water for street washing has now been initiated in the Environ- mental Hygiene Select Committee and these particular points will be considered by that committee.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
297
A major difficulty in the resumption of routine street washing at present lies in the fact that all available street washing vehicles, other than those attached to the Special Cleans- ing Squads which carry out a limited amount of street washing, are supplying flushing water from wells to those latrines and bathhouses normally connected to fresh water mains.
MR. BERNACCHI: ---Mr. Chairman, as a supplementary, are all our vehicles being used to supply public latrines and bathhouses or are some being used to supply private latrines and bathhouses?
CHAIRMAN:-I think, Sir, that they are being used to supply public latrines and bathhouses, but I would like to check the point and con- firm it for you. I would also mention that we do not have a large number of these street-washing machines. There are usually only about 7 in operation in Hong Kong and 8 in Kowloon.
DR. LEE:-A supplementary, Mr. Chairman. As salt water has been used in a rather limited way for washing the streets, in and around public markets, and also by the Fire Brigade, I wonder whether the Chairman has any views and also material to clarify the points with regard to the use of salt water for street washing?
CHAIRMAN: -As far as I am aware, only a limited experiment has been carried out so far in street washing, but the experiment is being continued. I have nothing therefore to add to my answer.
DR. LEE:-Have the objections been borne out by the experiment so far carried out?
CHAIRMAN: -No definite findings have been reported to me yet.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
Has the Department taken a survey of wells with a good perennial supply of water in the Colony? If not, will the Chairman initiate such an exercise so that they may be relied on as an additional source of water supply should the Colony be again faced with another period of drought? After the completion of such a survey, will he make such information available to this Council?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:--
No survey of wells has been undertaken by the department for the purpose of ascertaining whether any have a good perennial supply of water for use during a period of
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