1963 — Page 68

of 194

Page 68 of 194

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.

Ladies and Gentlemen, before taking the first item on to-day's agenda, I wish to extend our congratulations to the Honourable FUNG Hon-chu on his appointment last month to the Legislative Council.

Members will, I am sure, wish me to extend also, on behalf of the Council, sincere congratulations to our Secretary, Mr. WHITLEY, who is at present on vacation leave, on the award to him of the Imperial Service Order by Her Majesty the Queen. (Applause).

MINUTES.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4th June, 1963, were confirmed.

PAPERS.

THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:

Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services

Department for the month of June 1963.

DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-

What consideration has the Department given to the question of fuel for the proposed refuse incinerators in the urban areas? In view of the demonstrated need for an alter- native source of water, does not the Chairman agree that the time has come for a realistic reassessment of nuclear energy as a source of power for the combined operation of refuse incineration, salt water conversion and electricity production as an economic project?

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-

The type of incinerator plant which is to be erected at Kennedy Town requires fuel only to start the combustion process. The fuel used will be oil, for the initial firing, and only a small quantity is necessary for this. Once combustion has started the high calorific value of the refuse enables the incineration to continue without further reliance on an outside source of fuel.

The "waste heat" produced by the incineration process is a source of power, and it is proposed to make use of this to produce steam for the adjacent abattoir, and sufficient

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electricity to serve the needs of both the incinerator and the abattoir. Further, a scheme is currently under investi- gation to utilize the balance of "waste heat" remaining after provision of these services to distil sufficient salt- water to provide for the fresh water requirements of both incinerator and abattoir, amounting to about 120,000 gallons a day.

It will be seen that steam, electricity and salt-water conversion are all possible by-products of refuse incineration, and that these have been provided for or considered in the planning of the Kennedy Town incinerator, but that nuclear or any other outside source of fuel would not be of any practical value.

DR. LEE:-Mr. Chairman, arising out of the last part of your answer, are you aware that in certain parts of the world you can produce a thousand gallons of water at US$0.60, and in view of our chronic shortage of water supply and the adverse effect it has on our economy, do you not agree, Mr. Chairman, that we should have an alternative source?

CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I will have your remarks conveyed to the proper

quarter.

MR. SALES-Mr. Chairman, as you have only made mention of an incinerator in Kennedy Town, am I to understand that Kowloon will not have such a modern incinerator?

CHAIRMAN: -Sir, when we progress beyond the incinerator for Kennedy Town it will be a modern incinerator which will be built in Kowloon, but when that date will be I cannot say.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, is it not conceivable that by that time Kowloon will have become part of Hong Kong?

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I ask what time will elapse between the Hong Kong incinerator and that for Kowloon?

CHAIRMAN:-Sir, we are getting onto a different subject from the original question and it is not possible for me to give you an answer.

MR. SALES: -May I ask that an answer be given to the Committee of the Whole Council in due course?

CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.