Page 114 of 312
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. LEE:—Will this question be a subject of individual review or will it be a subject of a mass salary review to be undertaken by Government in the future?
CHAIRMAN: -I assume, Sir, that it would not be possible to alter the rates of pay for labourers in the Urban Services Department without at the same time altering the rates of pay for comparable grades in other departments. I must conclude that if any change is made it will be the subject of a general review of salaries.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, do you recall offhand whether we had approximately the same number of vacancies during the previous fiscal year for labourers in the Cleansing Division, which is approximately 250 as it stands now?
CHAIRMAN: -No, Sir. I do not think we have had such a high number of vacancies for a long time.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Do you agree, Mr. Chairman, that the fact that we need 250 more labourers for the Cleansing Division is having an effect on the cleansing work and the collection of refuse in Kowloon?
CHAIRMAN: -Sir, I can assure you that it is having a very direct effect and that the Department is very worried about it.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, if these vacancies exist, has the information been passed on to the Hawkers Select Committee, so that they could persuade unlicensed hawkers to fill such vacancies which would serve both purposes at one and the same time?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, the suggestion could be taken note of, but speaking offhand, the hawkers, as I understand it, would not be interested because the pay is not enough.
MR. SALES: -But if they were not issued with licences might they not be directed then to fill such vacancies?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, at the next meeting when MR. SALES is present, this question could be discussed in detail.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, another supplementary question. If there is a shortage of labour in any particular district, is it not the custom of your Department to re-allocate labourers from other districts so that no particular area suffers in consequence?
CHAIRMAN: -That would be the normal case, Sir. If there are some important or urgent projects in one district where there is a shortage, we try to move labourers in from another district, but the number of vacancies is now so large that it is very difficult to do so without causing some severe disruption.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. FUNG HON-CHU: -Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary question? When was this question of salary brought to the notice of the Colonial Secretary? Was it a formal request for an increase?
CHAIRMAN: -Sir, there has been no formal request for an increase. The number of vacancies and the difficulties of the Department in filling them have been brought to the attention of the Colonial Secretary for consideration.
MR. FUNG: May I ask when was that done, Sir?
CHAIRMAN: I think it was about a month ago.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, I think this is a matter which is of interest to Council Members as a whole, and I would be grateful if, when a reply is received from the Financial Secretary, it could be circulated to the Council Members.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I am not being flippant about this matter, but I should think that this is the golden opportunity that Hong Kong has been looking for to settle the hawker problem, if it were gone into very seriously - with 21,000 job vacancies in industry in Hong Kong and the chances given to hawkers to seek employment if they were willing to subject themselves to some form of discipline. I am particularly concerned with the young ones. As I have said before, it is demoralizing for them to earn a living as hawkers, particularly as they are exposed to triad society activities.
MRS. ELLIOTT: -Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that notices be posted in the markets in the hawker areas advertising these vacancies and also telling the hawkers where they can find the jobs.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, I believe this suggestion was put forward at the last meeting of the Hawkers Select Committee and the Department agreed that this would be done.
(14) MR. CHEUNG WING-IN asked the following question:
As the reading rooms of the City Hall Library are crowded to capacity during the day and there are many who, on account of work, cannot use the Library during the day, has the Library Select Committee considered extending the opening hours to the evening so that more members of the public may avail themselves of the service?
DR. R. H. S. LEE, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARY SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows: -
The Library Select Committee has always borne in mind that an extension of the Library's opening hours would be
Page 115 of 312
312
Page 114 of 312
204
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. LEE:—Will this question be a subject of individual review or will it be a subject of a mass salary review to be undertaken by Govern- ment in the future?
CHAIRMAN:-I assume, Sir, that it would not be possible to alter the rates of pay for labourers in the Urban Services Department without at the same time altering the rates of pay for comparable grades in other departments. I must conclude that if any change is made it will be the subject of a general review of salaries.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:---Mr. Chairman, do you recall offhand whether we had approximately the same number of vacancies during the previous fiscal year for labourers in the Cleansing Division, which is approximately 250 as it stands now?
CHAIRMAN: ----No, Sir. I do not think we have had such a high number of vacancies for a long time.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Do you agree, Mr. Chairman, that the fact that we need 250 more labourers for the Cleansing Division is having an effect on the cleansing work and the collection of refuse in Kowloon? CHAIRMAN: --Sir, I can assure you that it is having a very direct effect and that the Department is very worried about it.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, if these vacancies exist, has the information been passed on to the Hawkers Select Committee, so that they could persuade unlicensed hawkers to fill such vacancies which would serve both purposes at one and the same time?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, the suggestion could be taken note of, but speaking offhand, the hawkers, as I understand it, would not be interested because the pay is not enough.
MR. SALES: --But if they were not issued with licences might they not be directed then to fill such vacancies?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, at the next meeting when Mr. SALES is present, this question could be discussed in detail.
MR. SALES: --Mr. Chairman, another supplementary question. If there is a shortage of labour in any particular district, is it not the custom of your Department to re-allocate labourers from other districts so that no particular area suffers in consequence?
CHAIRMAN:-That would be the normal case, Sir. If there are some important or urgent projects in one district where there is a shortage, we try to move labourers in from another district, but the number of vacancies is now so large that it is very difficult to do so without causing some severe disruption.
!
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
205
MR. FUNG HON-CHU:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary question? When was this question of salary brought to the notice of the Colonial Secretary? Was it a formal request for an increase?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, there has been no formal request for an increase. The number of vacancies and the difficulties of the Department in filling them have been brought to the attention of the Colonial Secretary for consideration.
MR. FUNG: May I ask when was that done, Sir?
CHAIRMAN: I think it was about a month ago.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I think this is a matter which is of interest to Council Members as a whole, and I would be grateful if, when a reply is received from the Financial Secretary, it could be circulated to the Council Members.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I am not being flippant about this matter, but I should think that this is the golden opportunity that Hong Kong has been looking for to settle the hawker problem, if it were gone into very seriously-with 21,000 job vacancies in industry in Hong Kong and the chances given to hawkers to seek employment if they were willing to subject themselves to some form of discipline. I am particularly concerned with the young ones. As I have said before, it is demoralizing for them to earn a living as hawkers, particularly as they are exposed to triad society activities.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that notices be posted in the markets in the hawker areas advertising these vacancies and also telling the hawkers where they can find the jobs.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, I believe this suggestion was put forward at the last meeting of the Hawkers Select Committee and the Department agreed that this would be done.
(14) MR. CHEUNG WING-IN asked the following question:
As the reading rooms of the City Hall Library are crowded to capacity during the day and there are many who, on account of work, cannot use the Library during the day, has the Library Select Committee considered extending the opening hours to the evening so that more members of the public may avail themselves of the service?
DR. R. H. S. Lee, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARY SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
The Library Select Committee has always borne in mind that an extension of the Library's opening hours would be
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.