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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

The speed of the planting must be governed by past experi- ence. In the past two years 796 fairly large trees were planted in 10 resettlement estates. Of these, only 140 have survived. Typhoons and drought have contributed towards this high rate of loss, but vandalism has pre- sented a particularly severe problem. In conjunction with the Resettlement Department, steps have been taken to protect present and future trees in these estates. There is already some improvement in the situation and it is to be hoped that an increased measure of responsibility will be shown by those in whose interests the planting is undertaken. In view of the vandalism problem, it is pro- posed that only selected strong semi-mature trees will be planted, as they will have a better chance of survival. The arrival of the new tree removal equipment, which it is hoped will be delivered later this year, will provide additional facilities for this type of planting, but even so it will take a while for the necessary stocks to be built up. It is proposed to concentrate in the first instance on replacement work, and extend into new planting later.

(3) MR. LI YIU-BOR asked the following question :-

The Kwun Tong, Sau Mau Ping and Yau Tong Resettlement Estates, when completed and fully occupied, will have a very large population. Will the Chairman consult the Commissioner of Police on the feasibility of establishing a Police Station in that rather remote district?

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-

A Divisional Police Station is already under construction at Kwun Tong and should be completed in December this year. It will be close to the Government Low Cost Housing Scheme. Although designed as a Divisional Police Station on the lines of that at Wong Tai Sin, it will initially be a Sub-Divisional Station of the Wong Tai Sin Division. There has been a Police Post at Kwun Tong Estate since April 1960, and another was opened at Yau Tong in August this year.

(4) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:

(a) Will you please disclose the number of trees which the Urban Services Department has planted on the roads and streets of the urban areas since 1st April and tell this

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Council whether you expect to reach the target figure for the current administrative year?

(b) Will you please let this Council know where your Depart- ment has planted the groves of flowering trees and shrubs, each of one variety, which the Urban Amenities Select Committee instructed the Department to do?

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-

The number of young trees planted on the roads and streets of the urban areas since the 1st April has been 7,300 of which more than half are of colourful flowering species. So far as I can recall, there has been no specific target set for such roadside planting. However, there is the overall target of 25,000 trees for the whole of the urban areas. The Department has planted 29,500 to date, and it is expected that a total of 32,000 will have been planted by the end of the season, or 7,000 in excess of the target figure. All these young trees were raised at the Depart- ment's nurseries in Hong Kong and Kowloon.

The answer to the second part of the question is that group plantings of flowering trees and shrubs concentrating on one species in a group have been carried out at 50 major locations. Examples of this are at Deep Water Bay Road, Victoria Park, Kowloon Tsai Park, Nairn Road and Chung Hom Kok Road. A complete list of types and locations will be circulated shortly for the informa- tion of the Urban Amenities Select Committee.

MR. SALES: Sir, is it not a fact that the Department indicated that there would be a progressive increase in the number of trees planted each year in the urban areas?

CHAIRMAN: -Yes, Sir, that is the case.

MR. SALES: Is it not also true to say that your Department, Sir, indicated that the target for next year would be 150,000 trees?

CHAIRMAN: ---That is the case, Sir.

MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I recall that your Department also indicated that the target this year would be 60,000 trees and flowering shrubs?

CHAIRMAN: --Sir, the target for shrubs this year was 30,000. So far the Department has planted 25,000 shrubs and it is expected that by the end of this season, a total of 31,000 shrubs will have been planted, that is, 1,000 in excess of the target figure. Of this figure, I may say, 4,500 to 5,000 will be replacements.