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public where they are most needed, and it is a fact that with the tremendous expansion of Kowloon, the ratio of general hospital beds per thousand of the population is still much less there than on Hong Kong Island.
(At this point Mr. CHEONG-LEEN interrupted).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:--On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, I asked whether there would be any concurrent planning for the Shau Kei Wan Hospital at the same time as the planning for the Lai Chi Kok Hospital.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:--There is concurrent planning, but the point was made I think, Mr. Chairman, that Lai Chi Kok Hospital would be built first. The bed ratio is still far less in Kowloon, despite the Queen Elizabeth and Kwong Wah Hospitals.
In conclusion, may I once again thank Members for the patience and tolerance they have shown in dealing with our many problems during the year, and I look forward to their further support during 1964.
With these remarks, Sir, I have pleasure in supporting the motion. (Applause).
CHAIRMAN:--Ladies and Gentlemen, insofar as their own departments were affected, my official colleagues have largely covered the varied and interesting points raised by the Unofficial Members in their speeches at the last meeting. It now remains for me to deal with the other points not so far covered.
Again this year, the Unofficial Members put forward a number of most interesting points of view on a very wide range of subjects. Some of these, such as representation of this Council on other public bodies, enlargement of the Council's scope, and educational matters to mention only a few were outside my province, but they have been brought to the attention of the Colonial Secretary.
Before I deal with matters within my province, may I refer to aim number 33 in the Statement of Aims for 1964, which reads "To make recommendations to Government that there be a gradual enlargement of the Council's scope and for its representation on various other public bodies." You will recollect that at the Annual Debate in May last year, Mr. TINGLE, who was then Chairman, dealt with this particular point quite fully. I do not think that on this occasion I can add further to what he said then, except to repeat that while I shall vote for the motion now before Council as a whole, I must reserve my position, with that of the Official Members, on aim 33.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
317
Turning now to individual points, both Mr. BERNACCHI and Mr. WATSON referred to the slow development of the City Hall Museum. I agree that progress appears to be slow, but I am sure it will be understood that the preparatory work to put material on display in an attractive and instructional manner is very considerable and steady progress is in fact being made in this matter behind the scenes and will increase in tempo with the appointment of staff now being recruited. The fruit of this preparatory work should be increasingly in evidence during the coming year in the series of exhibitions planned according to the programme approved by the Museum and Art Gallery Sub-Committee. The exhibits will include maps, prints, drawings, documents, paintings and photographs from the Museum's own collections to illustrate the development of Hong Kong in the century 1840 to 1940; then there will be put on display material concerning local archaeology; and towards the end of the year examples of Chinese antiquities will be shown. This programme is of course quite separate from and in addition to the series of exhibitions of various kinds of art that is being planned for display in the Art Gallery on the 11th floor.
The outlook in the matter of staff is also brighter than it was this time last year. Recruitment for the staff to assist the Curator is now well under way and I can report that the advertisements for the Museum Assistants and for the Assistant Curator have already been published.
It should be noted also that Government has recognized in principle that it is desirable to provide more space for the Museum than is at present available. Although it is not to be expected that this will have results visible in the very near future, it does mean that further constructive thought can now be given to the matter, first by the Museum and Art Gallery Sub-Committee and subsequently by Members of the Urban Council as a whole.
In brief, on this point, whilst there is as yet not a great deal to show outwardly, Members can be assured that the staff is well occupied in the preparatory work for the Museum and that the results will become increasingly evident in the course of the year, and in addition there is now some movement towards further development.
I come now to urban amenities, which is almost certainly the Council's most rapidly expanding field of responsibility after resettlement. The past nine months, for example, have seen the provision of 35 acres of new public pleasure ground, containing, among other things, one swimming pool, 9 children's playgrounds, 9 rest gardens, one permanent spectator stand, 2 mini-soccer pitches, 18 basketball courts, 7 volleyball-cum-badminton courts, and 8 pavilions, changing rooms and lavatories. To have provided 35 acres of new public pleasure ground containing 55 additional facilities within the space of 40 weeks and this does not include either Fa Hui or Kowloon Tsai Parks—is
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of 194
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public where they are most needed, and it is a fact that with the tre- mendous expansion of Kowloon, the ratio of general hospital beds per thousand of the population is still much less there than on Hong Kong Island.
(At this point Mr. CHEONG-LEEN interrupted).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:--On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, I asked whether there would be any concurrent planning for the Shau Kei Wan Hospital at the same time as the planning for the Lai Chi Kok Hospital.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-There is concurrent planning, but the point was made I think, Mr. Chairman, that Lai Chi Kok Hospital would be built first. The bed ratio is still far less in Kowloon, despite the Queen Elizabeth and Kwong Wah Hospitals.
In conclusion, may I once again thank Members for the patience and tolerance they have shown in dealing with our many problems during the year, and I look forward to their further support during 1964.
With these remarks, Sir, I have pleasure in supporting the motion. (Applause).
CHAIRMAN:--Ladies and Gentlemen, insofar as their own depart- ments were affected, my official colleagues have largely covered the varied and interesting points raised by the Unofficial Members in their speeches at the last meeting. It now remains for me to deal with the other points not so far covered.
Again this year, the Unofficial Members put forward a number of most interesting points of view on a very wide range of subjects. Some of these, such as representation of this Council on other public bodies, enlargement of the Council's scope, and educational matters to mention only a few were outside my province, but they have been brought to the attention of the Colonial Secretary.
Before I deal with matters within my province, may I refer to aim number 33 in the Statement of Aims for 1964, which reads "To make recommendations to Government that there be a gradual enlargemnt of the Council's scope and for its representation on various other public bodies." You will recollect that at the Annual Debate in May last year, Mr. TINGLE, who was then Chairman, dealt with this particular point quite fully. I do not think that on this occasion I can add further to what he said then, except to repeat that while I shall vote for the motion now before Council as a whole, I must reserve my position, with that of the Official Members, on aim 33.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
317
Turning now to individual points, both Mr. BERNACCHI and Mr. WATSON referred to the slow development of the City Hall Museum. I agree that progress appears to be slow, but I am sure it will be understood that the preparatory work to put material on display in an attractive and instructional manner is very considerable and steady progress is in fact being made in this matter behind the scenes and will increase in tempo with the appointment of staff now being recruited. The fruit of this preparatory work should be increasingly in evidence during the coming year in the series of exhibitions planned according to the programme approved by the Museum and Art Gallery Sub- Committee. The exhibits will include maps, prints, drawings, docu- ments, paintings and photographs from the Museum's own collections to illustrate the development of Hong Kong in the century 1840 to 1940; then there will be put on display material concerning local archaeology; and towards the end of the year examples of Chinese antiquities will be shown. This programme is of course quite separate from and in addition to the series of exhibitions of various kinds of art that is being planned for display in the Art Gallery on the 11th floor.
The outlook in the matter of staff is also brighter than it was this time last year. Recruitment for the staff to assist the Curator is now well under way and I can report that the advertisements for the Museum Assistants and for the Assistant Curator have already been published.
It should be noted also that Government has recognized in principle that it is desirable to provide more space for the Museum than is at present available. Although it is not to be expected that this will have results visible in the very near future, it does mean that further con- structive thought can now be given to the matter, first by the Museum and Art Gallery Sub-Committee and subsequently by Members of the Urban Council as a whole.
In brief, on this point, whilst there is as yet not a great deal to show outwardly, Members can be assured that the staff is well occupied in the preparatory work for the Museum and that the results will become increasingly evident in the course of the year, and in addition there is now some movement towards further development.
I come now to urban amenities, which is almost certainly the Council's most rapidly expanding field of responsibility after resettle- ment. The past nine months, for example, have seen the provision of 35 acres of new public pleasure ground, containing, among other things, one swimming pool, 9 children's playgrounds, 9 rest gardens, one permanent spectator stand, 2 mini-soccer pitches, 18 basketball courts, 7 volleyball-cum-badminton courts, and 8 pavilions, changing rooms and lavatories. To have provided 35 acres of new public pleasure ground containing 55 additional facilities within the space of 40 weeks and this does not include either Fa Hui or Kowloon Tsai Parks-is
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