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However, arising from discussions in the Town Planning Board, we have had discussions recently with officers of the Public Works Department. The figure of 10 per cent mentioned in the question has been amongst the suggestions made from time to time covering provision of amenity areas local to any given area. The difficulty about applying a percentage related to land area is the varying density of population; for example a resettlement area containing 16-storey blocks would on the face of it rate a higher percentage than one with 8-storey blocks. In view of this, it has been suggested that it might be appropriate to start from the basis of the actual type of facilities required per so many population--so many rest gardens, so many football pitches, so many basketball pitches, etc. Following the discussions mentioned above we are seeing if something can be worked out on these lines for consideration by Government and it is hoped that it will be possible in the first place to put some tentative views to the Urban Amenities Select Committee in the near future.
On the second part of the question, I confirm that Government is conscious of the need to make good the shortage of playgrounds, etc., in the older districts, and with the resources available wishes to do what it can to improve the situation. In this connexion, I would refer once again to the remarks of His Excellency the Governor at the opening of the Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool and also to the reply I gave in this Council to a question by Mrs. ELLIOTT at the meeting on 7th July this year. However, one of the difficulties in such areas is the finding of land for the purpose. As an example of what is being done, when the new Kennedy Town abattoir has been opened and is in operation, it is proposed that 4.8 acres of the area now occupied by the present slaughterhouse and lairage should be developed for public recreational purposes. It is hoped that it may be possible to proceed in a similar way in other areas of shortage when land, previously used for some other public purpose, becomes available.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.
(8) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
(a) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please state how many suggestion boxes are installed in resettlement areas and estates?
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(b) Are the complaints and suggestions received in these boxes carefully considered by Resettlement Department staff? How many letters were received within the past three months?
(c) Does the Commissioner for Resettlement consider it necessary to install suggestion boxes in other resettlement areas and estates which do not yet have suggestion boxes?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
On the first part of the question, following a recommendation of the then Resettlement Estates Select Committee, suggestion boxes were installed in May 1957 in all existing estates, namely Shek Kip Mei, Tai Hang Tung, Li Cheng Uk and Hung Hom, and in all the cottage areas. Some of the cottage areas had more than one box.
In reply to the second part of the question, in the early stages, the majority of letters found in the boxes were requests for additions to or deletions from households, transfers to other rooms and the like which could have been handled more quickly by a personal approach. Some people mistook the boxes for post office letter boxes. (Laughter). In March 1958 the boxes in the cottage areas were removed because on inspection they were found to contain only 3 letters intended for the post. The boxes in the old estates are still there, but nothing has been found in them during the past three months. This system was never extended to the newer estates.
On the third part of the question, I would be happy to reconsider the matter and suggest that it be referred to the Resettlement Management Select Committee.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, in regard to the second paragraph of the reply, does it not suggest or indicate that there is a shortage of post office boxes in our resettlement areas and estates? (Laughter).
COMMISSIONER for Resettlement:-That may be so.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I would be grateful if the Commissioner would look into that.
(9) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
The Chairman will recall that just recently ten old tenement buildings in Lockhart Road were condemned by the Public Works Department, and eviction orders were served on
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Page 128 of 312
232
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
However, arising from discussions in the Town Planning Board, we have had discussions recently with officers of the Public Works Department. The figure of 10 per cent mentioned in the question has been amongst the sugges- tions made from time to time covering provision of amenity areas local to any given area. The difficulty about applying a percentage related to land area is the varying density of population; for example a resettlement area containing 16-storey blocks would on the face of it rate a higher percentage than one with 8-storey blocks. In view of this, it has been suggested that it might be appropriate to start from the basis of the actual type of facilities required per so many population--so many rest gardens, so many football pitches, so many basketball pitches, etc. Following the discussions mentioned above we are seeing if something can be worked out on these lines for consideration by Government and it is hoped that it will be possible in the first place to put some tenta- tive views to the Urban Amenities Select Committee in the near future.
On the second part of the question, I confirm that Govern- ment is conscious of the need to make good the shortage of playgrounds, etc., in the older districts, and with the resources available wishes to do what it can to improve the situation. In this connexion, I would refer once again to the remarks of His Excellency the Governor at the opening of the Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool and also to the reply I gave in this Council to a question by Mrs. ELLIOTT at the meeting on 7th July this year. However, one of the difficulties in such areas is the finding of land for the purpose. As an example of what is being done, when the new Kennedy Town abattoir has been opened and is in operation, it is proposed that 4.8 acres of the area now occupied by the present slaughterhouse and lair- ages should be developed for public recreational purposes. It is hoped that it may be possible to proceed in a similar way in other areas of shortage when land, previously used for some other public purpose, becomes available.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.
(8) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
(a) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please state how many suggestion boxes are installed in resettlement areas and estates?
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233
(b) Are the complaints and suggestions received in these boxes carefully considered by Resettlement Department staff? How many letters were received within the past three months?
(c) Does the Commissioner for Resettlement consider it neces- sary to install suggestion boxes in other resettlement areas and estates which do not yet have suggestion boxes? THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
On the first part of the question, following a recommendation of the then Resettlement Estates Select Committee, sugges- tion boxes were installed in May 1957 in all existing estates, namely Shek Kip Mei, Tai Hang Tung, Li Cheng Uk and Hung Hom, and in all the cottage areas. Some of the cottage areas had more than one box.
In reply to the second part of the question, in the early stages, the majority of letters found in the boxes were requests for additions to or deletions from households, transfers to other rooms and the like which could have been handled more quickly by a personal approach. Some people mis- took the boxes for post office letter boxes. (Laughter). In March 1958 the boxes in the cottage areas were removed because on inspection they were found to contain only 3 letters intended for the post. The boxes in the old estates are still there, but nothing has been found in them during the past three months. This system was never extended to the newer estates.
On the third part of the question, I would be happy to recon- sider the matter and suggest that it be referred to the Resettlement Management Select Committee.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, in regard to the second para- graph of the reply, does it not suggest or indicate that there is a shortage of post office boxes in our resettlement areas and estates? (Laughter).
COMMISSIONER for ResettlEMENT:-That may be so.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I would be grateful if the Commissioner would look into that.
(9) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
The Chairman will recall that just recently ten old tenement buildings in Lockhart Road were condemned by the Public Works Department, and eviction orders were served on
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