189 of 194
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(iii) Is it correct that this person signs stencilled letters to all, or some, cafes in the New Territories saying that they are now entitled to be issued with an Urban Services Restaurant (Light Refreshment) Licence?
(iv) Is it correct that this notification is pursuant to the Food Business (New Territories) Regulations, 1963?
(v) Was the Urban Council, including any Select Committee of the Urban Council, consulted before these regulations were issued?
(vi) If not, would you explain why this Council was consulted before the Urban Services Department originally went into the New Territories to control the beaches?
(vii) Was this Council ever given to understand that eventually His Excellency the Governor would give this Council control over beaches in the New Territories?
(viii) If so, did that have a bearing on the Government seeking consent from this Council for the Urban Services Department to have control over beaches in the New Territories?
(ix) Why then was this Council not consulted as to the take-over by the Urban Services Department of other functions in the New Territories?
(x) What services are controlled by the Urban Services Department in the New Territories?
(xi) Is it correct that the said Mr. Low signed for the Director of Urban Services?
(xii) Is the Director of Urban Services Department, yourself, Mr. Chairman?
(xiii) In exercising all the functions of the Urban Services Department in the New Territories are you, Mr. Chairman, controlled by or advised by any committee or other public body?
(xiv) Does the Government consider the New Territories or any part of the New Territories, urban areas?
(xv) Why as Director of the Urban Services Department does your "writ" run colony wide but the Urban Council's "writ" only runs on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:—
1. The reply to the first question is No. Mr. Low ceased to be an Assistant Secretary, Urban Council in August 1962, and an appropriate notice was published in the Government Gazette.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
2. The answer to the second question is Yes.
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3. The answer to the third question is Yes. The letter reads, in part, "I would inform you that under the provisions of the Food Business (New Territories) Regulations, 1963 which came into force on 1st July, 1963 you are entitled to be issued with an Urban Services Restaurant (Light Refreshment) Licence." The words "Urban Services" are unnecessary in view of the reference to the regulations under which the licence is being issued. They will be omitted in future from such letters.
4. The answer to the fourth question is Yes.
5. The answer to the fifth question is No.
6. The answer to the sixth question is that it was considered that beaches in the New Territories were a special problem, in that while some local interests had to be taken into account, the majority of beach users were urban residents, and it was felt therefore that the arrangements should be such that urban opinion could also be taken into account. The reason for consulting the Council in this case was that it was thought that its advice, based on its experience with urban beaches, would be of material assistance in ensuring that all beaches were run as uniformly as possible in the interests of the public.
7. In regard to the seventh and eighth questions, I am not aware that any such undertaking was given to this Council.
8.
9. In reply to the ninth question, I do not think that the views I have given in my reply to the sixth question apply in the case of the other functions carried out by the Urban Services Department in the New Territories such as markets, hawkers, cleansing, etc. In these cases the services are mainly provided for, and used by, residents of the New Territories.
In regard to the tenth question, the services are public cleansing, the supervision and cleansing of markets and hawker areas, the control of public latrines and bath-houses, cemeteries, burials, public parks and playgrounds, food businesses and beaches.
10. The reply to the eleventh and twelfth questions is Yes.
11. In regard to the thirteenth question, advice and co-operation are sought when necessary from rural committees in the New Territories. It is through these committees that Government safeguards the traditional
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Corrected to:
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(iii) Is it correct that this person signs stencilled letters to all, or some, cafes in the New Territories saying that they are now entitled to be issued with an Urban Services Res- taurant (Light Refreshment) Licence?
(iv) Is it correct that this notification is pursuant to the Food
Business (New Territories) Regulations, 1963?
(v) Was the Urban Council, including any Select Committee of the Urban Council, consulted before these regulations were issued?
(vi) If not, would you explain why this Council was consulted before the Urban Services Department originally went into the New Territories to control the beaches? (vii) Was this Council ever given to understand that eventually His Excellency the Governor would give this Council con- trol over beaches in the New Territories?
(viii) If so, did that have a bearing on the Government seeking consent from this Council for the Urban Services Depart- ment to have control over beaches in the New Territories?
(ix) Why then was this Council not consulted as to the take- over by the Urban Services Department of other functions in the New Territories?
(x) What services are controlled by the Urban Services
Department in the New Territories?
(xi) Is it correct that the said Mr. Low signed for the Director
of Urban Services?
(xii) Is the Director of Urban Services Department, yourself,
Mr. Chairman?
(xiii) In exercising all the functions of the Urban Services Department in the New Territories are you, Mr. Chairman, controlled by or advised by any committee or other public body?
(xiv) Does the Government consider the New Territories or any
part of the New Territories, urban areas?
(xv) Why as Director of the Urban Services Department does your "writ" run colony wide but the Urban Council's "writ" only runs on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:—
1.
The reply to the first question is No. Mr. Low ceased to be an Assistant Secretary, Urban Council in August 1962, and an appropriate notice was published in the Govern- ment Gazette.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
2.
The answer to the second question is Yes.
3.
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The answer to the third question is Yes. The letter reads, in part, "I would inform you that under the provisions of the Food Business (New Territories) Regulations, 1963 which came into force on 1st July, 1963 you are entitled to be issued with an Urban Services Restaurant (Light Refreshment) Licence." The words "Urban Services" are unnecessary in view of the reference to the regulations under which the licence is being issued. They will be omitted in future from such letters.
4.
The answer to the fourth question is Yes.
5.
The answer to the fifth question is No.
6.
The answer to the sixth question is that it was considered that beaches in the New Territories were a special problem, in that while some local interests had to be taken into account, the majority of beach users were urban residents, and it was felt therefore that the arrangements should be such that urban opinion could also be taken into account. The reason for consulting the Council in this case was that it was thought that its advice, based on its experience with urban beaches, would be of material assistance in ensuring that all beaches were run as uniformly as possible in the interests of the public.
7. In regard to the seventh and eighth questions, I am not aware that any such undertaking was given to this Council.
8.
9.
In reply to the ninth question, I do not think that the views I have given in my reply to the sixth question apply in the case of the other functions carried out by the Urban Services Department in the New Territories such as markets, hawkers, cleansing, etc. In these cases the services are mainly provided for, and used by, residents of the New Territories.
In regard to the tenth question, the services are public cleansing, the supervision and cleansing of markets and hawker areas, the control of public latrines and bath- houses, cemeteries, burials, public parks and playgrounds, food businesses and beaches.
10. The reply to the eleventh and twelfth questions is Yes.
11. In regard to the thirteenth question, advice and co- operation are sought when necessary from rural committees in the New Territories. It is through these committees that Government safeguards the traditional
Page 189 of 19!
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