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yard, but the frame remains, however, and action is being taken to reduce this likewise. These premises will continue to be kept under observation to ensure that further contraventions of the by-laws do not occur.
As regards the second part of the question, the matter was raised at the meeting of this Council on 1st September, when I said that the scrap dealer had been summonsed on 13th August and that the case was pending. The date of hearing is 12th November. On 29th September, 8 bags were found in the lane. These were removed. Regular inspections are being carried out to keep a check on the situation. I myself visited the area on the evening of 30th September and found a man engaged in removing a few sacks of bottles from the lane, which was otherwise unobstructed. The inspector-in-charge of the area has been told by me to ensure that Flower Market Road is kept clean.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I visited the area at 3 o'clock this afternoon. On behalf of the tenants, I wish to thank you.
MR. WATSON:- Mr. Chairman, may I ask one supplementary? In the shades which are being allowed to remain, is the Urban Services Department ensuring that they are at an angle so that no rubbish can collect and remain on top of them?
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, I can inform Mr. WATSON that one of the policies adopted was that there should be an angle of 30°.
MR. WATSON: Mr. Chairman, as a member of the same Committee, I am aware that that was the policy decided upon. My question is rather different. I am asking if the Urban Services Department is carrying out that policy.
CHAIRMAN:- As far as I am aware, Sir, it should be carrying out that policy. (Laughter).
MR. WATSON:- Mr. Chairman, in that case, as we seem to be of the same mind on this, could I ask if it is carried out? (Laughter).
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:- Mr. Chairman, perhaps an unprecedented thing, but may I ask a supplementary on this question? Could I ask Mr. WATSON whether he considers 30° as a proper angle to achieve this purpose, because I do not think that it will. (Laughter).
MR. WATSON:- Mr. Chairman, I did not decide on the angle. It was decided by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, but I am quite prepared to accept my honourable Friend's advice that it should be at a steeper angle. (Laughter).
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, does not the Honourable Director of Public Works agree that 30° is better than the horizontal? (Laughter).
(16) DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware of refuse heaps and refuse baskets being piled up in many parts of the urban areas and left uncollected by refuse collection vehicles for long periods of time, both before and after Typhoon Ruby? Will the Chairman state what temporary and permanent steps are recommended by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee to Government to overcome this unsatisfactory state of affairs and to what extent is it being accepted and implemented?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes", but most of the rubbish has now been removed.
The following are the various steps considered recently by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee.
(a) Improvement of the situation at Gin Drinkers Bay by off-loading of refuse barges over the west wall of the dump, repair of the log boom and closure of the previous gap in it, hire of additional bulldozers to deal with the increased quantities of refuse, increase in the special allowance for labourers at the dump, use of a grab crane for unloading the barges.
(b) Increased mechanization of the cleansing service, including provision in the Estimates for 1965/66 of two large mechanized sweepers.
(c) The breaking down of refuse collection points into smaller areas.
(d) Steps to overcome the present shortage of labour, including the use of contract labour and transport. The recommendations made by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee under (a) and (b) have been or are being implemented. As regards the breaking down of refuse collection points into smaller areas, this was achieved at the particular place under consideration by separating the domestic refuse from the crates, boxes, baskets, etc., and the same action will be taken in suitable places elsewhere.
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yard, but the frame remains, however, and action is being taken to reduce this likewise. These premises will con- tinue to be kept under observation to ensure that further contraventions of the by-laws do not occur.
As regards the second part of the question, the matter was raised at the meeting of this Council on 1st September, when I said that the scrap dealer had been summonsed on 13th August and that the case was pending. The date of hearing is 12th November. On 29th September, 8 bags were found in the lane. These were removed. Regular inspections are being carried out to keep a check on the situation. I myself visited the area on the evening of 30th September and found a man engaged in removing a few sacks of bottles from the lane, which was otherwise unobstructed. The inspector-in-charge of the area has been told by me to ensure that Flower Market Road is kept clean.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I visited the area at 3 o'clock this afternoon. On behalf of the tenants, I wish to thank you.
MR. WATSON-Mr. Chairman, may I ask one supplementary? In the shades which are being allowed to remain, is the Urban Services Department ensuring that they are at an angle so that no rubbish can collect and remain on top of them?
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, I can inform Mr. WATSON that one of the policies adopted was that there should be an angle of 30°.
MR. WATSON: Mr. Chairman, as a member of the same Committee, I am aware that that was the policy decided upon. My question is rather different. I am asking if the Urban Services Depart- ment is carrying out that policy.
CHAIRMAN:-As far as I am aware, Sir, it should be carrying out that policy. (Laughter).
MR. WATSON:-Mr. Chairman, in that case, as we seem to be of the same mind on this, could I ask if it is carried out? (Laughter).
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: --Mr. Chairman, perhaps an unpre- cedented thing, but may I ask a supplementary on this question? Could I ask Mr. WATSON whether he considers 30° as a proper angle to achieve this purpose, because I do not think that it will. (Laughter).
MR. WATSON:-Mr. Chairman, I did not decide on the angle. It was decided by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, but I am
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quite prepared to accept my honourable Friend's advice that it should be at a steeper angle. (Laughter).
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, does not the Honourable Director of Public Works agree that 30° is better than the horizontal? (Laughter).
(16) DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware of refuse heaps and refuse baskets being piled up in many parts of the urban areas and left uncollected by refuse collection vehicles for long periods of time, both before and after Typhoon Ruby? Will the Chairman state what temporary and permanent steps are recommended by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee to Government to overcome this un- satisfactory state of affairs and to what extent is it being accepted and implemented?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes", but most
of the rubbish has now been removed.
The following are the various steps considered recently by the
Environmental Hygiene Select Committee.
(a) Improvement of the situation at Gin Drinkers Bay by off-loading of refuse barges over the west wall of the dump, repair of the log boom and closure of the previous gap in it, hire of additional bulldozers to deal with the increased quantities of refuse, increase in the special allowance for labourers at the dump, use of a grab crane for unloading the barges.
(b) Increased mechanization of the cleansing service, including provision in the Estimates for 1965/66 of two large mechanized sweepers.
(c) The breaking down of refuse collection points into
smaller areas.
(d) Steps to overcome the present shortage of labour, including the use of contract labour and transport. The recommendations made by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee under (a) and (b) have been or are being implemented. As regards the breaking down of refuse collection points into smaller areas, this was achieved at the particular place under consideration by separating the domestic refuse from the crates, boxes, baskets, etc., and the same action will be taken in suitable places elsewhere.
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