HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
expressed then was that as far as the development of beaches easily accessible to the public is concerned, we have just about reached the limit.
I am certainly prepared to look into the matter again.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, in the context in which your answer has been framed, am I correct in assuming that this Council is responsible for beaches in the New Territories?
CHAIRMAN:- No, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Then why are you showing partiality to questions raised by the Appointed Members?
CHAIRMAN:- Sir, the questions were about beaches in general.
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, may I clarify the position? I was today described as an Elected Member in one of the leading newspapers. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, would you be willing to make a seat available on the elected side for Mr. SALES?
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that even flattery will not help Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, Mr. SALES is speaking off the point, but may I refer back to my first supplementary question. You said that the New Territories do not come under the Urban Council, but you are quite prepared at this meeting and at future meetings to answer questions concerning beaches in the New Territories? Would you care to confirm that?
CHAIRMAN:- No, Sir, all the questions originally posed by Mr. SALES concern beaches generally, in the urban areas and in the New Territories.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- I am sorry, Mr. Chairman. You made reference to beaches in the urban areas and also to beaches in the New Territories.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I, as Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, reply, through you, to that supplementary? Now, that particular Select Committee has been called upon with the full knowledge of this Council to advise your Department on matters concerning beaches outside the urban areas in consequence of representations made by the Urban Council in the past.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, may I ask Mr. SALES, through you, whether the Department invariably accepts the advice given by his Select Committee in regard to beaches in the New Territories?
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MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, to date all the advice that the Urban Amenities Select Committee has given to your Department has been not only taken in good part but carried out in fact to the full, as far as I am aware.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, would it not be simple from the point of view of procedure for you as Chairman of the Urban Council to make representations to Government to have the Urban Council responsible legally for the management of beaches in the New Territories?
CHAIRMAN:- Yes, Sir, although naturally I would wish to be guided by the Council in this matter.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Thank you.
MR. CHEUNG WING-IN asked the following two questions:-
Has the Department explored the possibilities of converting roof tops of public buildings particularly those belonging to the Council into children's playgrounds or rest gardens? As a pilot scheme would the Department consider converting the roof top of the Central Market into such a playground or rest garden?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
Although the Department has started thinking about providing playgrounds and rest gardens on the roof tops of new public buildings, it has not previously explored the possibility of using the roofs of existing buildings. I am grateful to you, Sir, for suggesting that we should do so. The Department is now studying a number of possible buildings, including certain markets, with a view to making recommendations to the Urban Amenities Select Committee on the feasibility of one or more pilot schemes. I should add, in this connexion, that at present the roof top of the Central Market is largely used for offices and living quarters for some of our staff.
MR. CHEUNG: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following fifteen questions:-
(i) Is it correct that a Mr. Low Kwong-yip is an assistant secretary of this Council?
(ii) Is he an officer of the Urban Services Department?
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expressed then was that as far as the development of beaches easily accessible to the public is concerned, we have just about reached the limit.
I am certainly prepared to look into the matter again.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, in the context in which your answer has been framed, am I correct in assuming that this Council is responsible for beaches in the New Territories?
CHAIRMAN:-No, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Then why are you showing partiality to ques- tions raised by the Appointed Members?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, the questions were about beaches in general.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I clarify the position? I was today described as an Elected Member in one of the leading newspapers. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, would you be willing to make a seat available on the elected side for Mr. SALES?
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that even flattery will not help Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr, Chairman, Mr. SALES is speaking off the point, but may I refer back to my first supplementary question. You said that the New Territories do not come under the Urban Council, but you are quite prepared at this meeting and at future meetings to answer questions concerning beaches in the New Territories? Would you care to confirm that?
CHAIRMAN:-No, Sir, all the questions originally posed by Mr. SALES concern beaches generally, in the urban areas and in the New Territories.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-1 am sorry, Mr. Chairman. You made reference to beaches in the urban areas and also to beaches in the New Territories.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I, as Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, reply, through you, to that supplementary? Now, that particular Select Committee has been called upon with the full knowledge of this Council to advise your Department on matters concerning beaches outside the urban areas in consequence of repre- sentations made by the Urban Council in the past.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, may I ask Mr. SALES, through you, whether the Department invariably accepts the advice given by his Select Committee in regard to beaches in the New Territories?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
359
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, to date all the advice that the Urban Amenities Select Committee has given to your Department has been not only taken in good part but carried out in fact to the full, as far as I am aware.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, would it not be simple from the point of view of procedure for you as Chairman of the Urban Council to make representations to Government to have the Urban Council responsible legally for the management of beaches in the New Territories?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir, although naturally I would wish to be guided by the Council in this matter.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Thank you.
MR. CHEUNG WING-IN asked the following two questions:-
Has the Department explored the possibilities of converting roof tops of public buildings particularly those belonging to the Council into children's playgrounds or rest gardens? As a pilot scheme would the Department consider converting the roof top of the Central Market into such a playground or rest garden?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
Although the Department has started thinking about providing playgrounds and rest gardens on the roof tops of new public buildings, it has not previously explored the possibility of using the roofs of existing buildings. I am grateful to you, Sir, for suggesting that we should do so. The Department is now studying a number of possible buildings, including certain markets, with a view to mak- ing recommendations to the Urban Amenities Select Com- mittec on the feasibility of one or more pilot schemes. I should add, in this connexion, that at present the roof top of the Central Market is largely used for offices and living quarters for some of our staff.
MR. CHEUNG:Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following fifteen questions:-
(i) Is it correct that a Mr. Low Kwong-yip is an assistant
secretary of this Council?
(ii) Is he an officer of the Urban Services Department?
Page 188 of 19.
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