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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, may I thank the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee for his clear explanation.
MR. FUNG: Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary question? It is true that the Council would like to see able-bodied young men turning to jobs such as those that industry can offer. May I ask the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee, through you, whether or not there is a possibility that in case of any limitation on the issuance of licences to the hawkers, it would mean an increase in the numbers of unlicensed hawkers?
MR. BERNACCHI:- Perhaps, Sir, I should go back in history. Pedlar hawker licences were strictly limited by this Council several years ago and that gave rise to the unlicensed hawker in large numbers, and it was really a question of hawking with a licence if you could get one, and without a licence if you could not get one. The Police were utterly unable to cope with the situation and we felt that a situation that could not be controlled by the Police was a useless situation to have, and therefore in open meeting several years ago, we passed a resolution that the issuance of pedlar hawker licences should be unlimited. I must say that the hawkers responded very well to this and there are not nearly so many unlicensed hawkers now as there were when we limited the issuance of pedlar licences, and I think that is the point which is troubling many of us including myself when any suggestion is made of again limiting licences to crippled or elderly people.
MR. FUNG:- In view of the fact that this question is so tempting and in fact it is now widely debated among most of the industrialists, I wonder if it is worth while for your Committee to review this question carefully, because there are two different schools of thought: one feels that this is the right way to do it and the other is that the minute we try to suppress the issuance of licences to hawkers, the number of unlicensed hawkers would increase. I think it is only fair that industry should know that better, one way or the other.
MR. BERNACCHI:- I quite agree, Sir, with every word that you have said and I will bring it up before the Select Committee. There are indeed two schools of thought; I do not know myself which is the right one. (Laughter).
(18) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
What is being done in response to tenants' complaints of obstructions, illegal shades and rubbish in Flower Market Road? Is the Chairman aware that this quiet, clean, residential area is being speedily converted into a rubbish dump?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
253
The cause of complaint in this road appears to arise from No. 68. This property is divided into four separate premises: one is vacant and the remaining three are occupied by a metal workshop operator, a wooden box maker, and a licensed scrap dealer respectively.
The box maker has been warned to remove pieces of wood outside his shop and he has done so once. A report on the existence of this establishment was made to the Director of Fire Services on 20th August.
The scrap dealer is obstructing the scavenging lane with sacks of empty bottles and baskets. He was prosecuted in July of this year and fined $30. He was again summonsed on 13th August, and the case is pending. The obstructions were removed last month, but are again in the lane.
Two open yards at the rear of the premises are covered by shades. Action has been taken to remove these shades under by-law 4 of the Ventilation By-laws. The storage of plastic goods found in one of the yards was also reported to the Director of Fire Services on 20th August.
The area is still under observation and further action will be taken.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, may I ask if the Urban Services Department will have the power to clear away the rubbish actually on the road, because I am almost 99.9% certain that the rubbish I saw there three weeks ago was exactly the same rubbish that I saw there yesterday?
CHAIRMAN:- You have the advantage over me, Mrs. ELLIOTT. I have only visited the area once and that also was yesterday. The rubbish which I saw was not in fact, as I recollect it, actually on the road, but on the side of the road and was not, as far as I could see, causing any impediment to traffic or to passers-by. It was unsightly and I agree that it should be moved and, as I said in my reply, one lot of the rubbish has already been removed once but I think it has been replaced since. Steps are being taken to try to clear up the area as quickly as possible.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- But, Mr. Chairman, I noticed that the man was fined $30. If he is using that very large area as a dumping ground, I should think $30 is a very cheap rent. Can he be asked to move away altogether?
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252
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I thank the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee for his clear explanation.
MR. FUNG: Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary question? It is true that the Council would like to see able-bodied young men turning to jobs such as those that industry can offer. May I ask the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee, through you, whether or not there is a possibility that in case of any limitation on the issuance of licences to the hawkers, it would mean an increase in the numbers of unlicensed hawkers?
MR. BERNACCHI-Perhaps, Sir, I should go back in history. Pedlar hawker licences were strictly limited by this Council several years ago and that gave rise to the unlicensed hawker in large numbers, and it was really a question of hawking with a licence if you could get one, and without a licence if you could not get one. The Police were utterly unable to cope with the situation and we felt that a situation that could not be controlled by the Police was a useless situation to have, and therefore in open meeting several years ago, we passed a resolution that the issuance of pedlar hawker licences should be unlimited. I must say that the hawkers responded very well to this and there are not nearly so many unlicensed hawkers now as there were when we limited the issuance of pedlar licences, and I think that is the point which is troubling many of us including myself when any suggestion is made of again limiting licences to crippled or elderly people.
MR. FUNG:-In view of the fact that this question is so tempting and in fact it is now widely debated among most of the industrialists, I wonder if it is worth while for your Committee to review this question carefully, because there are two different schools of thought: one feels that this is the right way to do it and the other is that the minute we try to suppress the issuance of licences to hawkers, the number of unlicensed hawkers would increase. I think it is only fair that industry should know that better, one way or the other.
MR. BERNACCHI-I quite agree, Sir, with every word that you have said and I will bring it up before the Select Committee. There are indeed two schools of thought; I do not know myself which is the right one. (Laughter).
(18) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
What is being done in response to tenants' complaints of obstructions, illegal shades and rubbish in Flower Market Road? Is the Chairman aware that this quiet, clean, residential area is being speedily converted into a rubbish dump?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
253-
The cause of complaint in this road appears to arise from. No. 68. This property is divided into four separate premises: one is vacant and the remaining three are occupied by a metal workshop operator, a wooden box maker, and a licensed scrap dealer respectively.
The box maker has been warned to remove pieces of wood outside his shop and he has done so once. A report on the existence of this establishment was made to the Director of Fire Services on 20th August.
The scrap dealer is obstructing the scavenging lane with sacks of empty bottles and baskets. He was prosecuted in July of this year and fined $30. He was again summonsed on 13th August, and the case is pending. The obstruc- tions were removed last month, but are again in the lane.
Two open yards at the rear of the premises are covered by shades. Action has been taken to remove these shades under by-law 4 of the Ventilation By-laws. The storage of plastic goods found in one of the yards was also reported to the Director of Fire Services on 20th August.
The area is still under observation and further action will be
taken.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask if the Urban Services Department will have the power to clear away the rubbish actually on the road, because I am almost 99.9% certain that the rubbish I saw there three weeks ago was exactly the same rubbish that I saw there yesterday?
CHAIRMAN: -You have the advantage over me, Mrs. ELLIOTT. I have only visited the area once and that also was yesterday. The rubbish which I saw was not in fact, as I recollect it, actually on the road, but on the side of the road and was not, as far as I could see, causing any impediment to traffic or to passers-by. It was unsightly and I agree that it should be moved and, as I said in my reply, one lot of the rubbish has already been removed once but I think it has been replaced since. Steps are being taken to try to clear up the area as quickly as possible.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-But, Mr. Chairman, I noticed that the man was fined $30. If he is using that very large area as a dumping ground, I should think $30 is a very cheap rent. Can he be asked to move away altogether?
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