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10 additional vehicles at a cost of about half a million dollars. This assumes that all trade refuse is being properly disposed of. If it is not, the commitment, if all trade refuse were to be collected, might be substantially more than 100 tons a day.
In order to obtain more detailed and accurate information concerning quantities of trade refuse and the current means of disposal, a trade refuse survey was begun a month ago. This survey aims at visiting and assessing every industrial undertaking producing more than 34 cu. ft. of refuse a day. Until the facts to be obtained from this survey have been evaluated I would not be able to give you any firm reply to your question. The results of the survey, and the department's recommendations, will be placed before the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee.
MR. MARDEN:-Thank you.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-
How long has house inspection been suspended? Has any spot check been taken to determine whether or not it is still considered a useful health exercise?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
House inspection was suspended on 28th June, 1963. This was the day on which the first case of cholera occurred this year, and house inspection was suspended because of the need for Health Inspectors to undertake emergency anti-cholera duties.
The cholera outbreak has not yet fully subsided, but it has nevertheless been possible to reduce the number of staff on emergency duties, and house inspection was resumed on 9th September. Unless the number of cholera cases increases it is hoped that there will be no further interruption of house inspection.
I am not aware of any surveys which have been conducted recently to determine the usefulness of house inspection, but the view of the staff is that it is certainly a most valuable part of their work. House inspection makes it possible to discover many nuisances in private property
and to take steps for their abatement, either before they become serious or before they become the subject of complaints from members of the public.
DR. LEE: In view of the very valuable service that house inspection staff render to the community, can the Chairman give me an assurance as to what further steps will be taken to recruit more staff for this type of work?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, the result of the latest recruitment has been rather disappointing. Vacancies for Health Inspectors were advertised and over 300 candidates applied. After they had been through the preliminary tests to determine their suitability the number thought suitable was between 13 and 20, and actually twenty were accepted. Since then two candidates have withdrawn, so that out of the more than 300 original applicants we have only recruited 18. I presume that in the circumstances we shall soon need to have a further recruitment drive.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-How short of Health Inspectors are we?
CHAIRMAN:-There are two ways of looking at that question. Since house inspection has been resumed it can be said that we are not short of staff at all. A number of Health Inspectors were withdrawn from house inspection duties when the first cholera case occurred. This number of Inspectors withdrawn has been steadily reduced, and now stands at only 13.
MR. WILFRED WONG:-I would like to ask a supplementary. Unless there is urgent reason for house inspection, is house inspection not a measure of a totalitarian state?
CHAIRMAN:-House inspection is undertaken by this Council purely on health grounds.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask Mr. WONG whether he has been visited recently by any Health Inspectors?
MR. WONG:-No, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Is it not a fact that the Council has been perpetually short of Health Inspectors?
CHAIRMAN:-You are getting very far away from the original question. This is a relative matter; no Government department ever has all the staff it would like.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-As a matter of privilege I have not really understood the essence of your reply. Instead, from a relative point of view, may I ask, strictly speaking, are we short of staff or are we not short of staff?
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10 additional vehicles at a cost of about half a million dollars. This assumes that all trade refuse is being properly disposed of. If it is not, the commitment, if all trade refuse were to be collected, might be substantially more than 100 tons a day.
In order to obtain more detailed and accurate information concerning quantities of trade refuse and the current means of disposal, a trade refuse survey was begun a month ago. This survey aims at visiting and assessing every industrial undertaking producing more than 34 cu. ft. of refuse a day. Until the facts to be obtained from this survey have been evaluated I would not be able to give you any firm reply to your question. The results of the survey, and the department's recommendations, will be placed before the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee.
MR. MARDEN:-Thank you.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-
How long has house inspection been suspended? Has any spot check been taken to determine whether or not it is still considered a useful health exercise?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
House inspection was suspended on 28th June, 1963. This was the day on which the first case of cholera occurred this year, and house inspection was suspended because of the need for Health Inspectors to undertake emergency anti-cholera duties.
The cholera outbreak has not yet fully subsided, but it has nevertheless been possible to reduce the number of staff on emergency duties, and house inspection was resumed on 9th September. Unless the number of cholera cases increases it is hoped that there will be no further inter- ruption of house inspection.
I am not aware of any surveys which have been conducted recently to determine the usefulness of house inspection, but the view of the staff is that it is certainly a most valuable part of their work. House inspection makes it possible to discover many nuisances in private property
and to take steps for their abatement, either before they become serious or before they become the subject of complaints from members of the public.
DR. LEE: In view of the very valuable service that house in- spection staff render to the community, can the Chairman give me an assurance as to what further steps will be taken to recruit more staff for this type of work?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, the result of the latest recruitment has been rather disappointing. Vacancies for Health Inspectors were advertised and over 300 candidates applied. After they had been through the preliminary tests to determine their suitability the number thought suitable was between 13 and 20, and actually twenty were accepted. Since then two candidates have withdrawn, so that out of the more than 300 original applicants we have only recruited 18. I presume that in the circumstances we shall soon need to have a further recruitment drive.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -How short of Health Inspectors are we?
CHAIRMAN: --There are two ways of looking at that question. Since house inspection has been resumed it can be said that we are not short of staff at all. A number of Health Inspectors were with- drawn from house inspection duties when the first cholera case occurred. This number of Inspectors withdrawn has been steadily reduced, and now stands at only 13.
MR. WILFRED WONG:-I would like to ask a supplementary. Unless there is urgent reason for house inspection, is house inspection not a measure of a totalitarian state?
CHAIRMAN:-House inspection is undertaken by this Council purely on health grounds.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I ask Mr. WONG whether he has been visited recently by any Health Inspectors?
MR. WONG:---No, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Is it not a fact that the Council has been perpetually short of Health Inspectors?
CHAIRMAN:-You are getting very far away from the original question. This is a relative matter; no Government department ever has all the staff it would like.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-As a matter of privilege I have not really understood the essence of your reply. Instead, from a relative point of view, may I ask, strictly speaking, are we short of staff or are we not short of staff?
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