Page 203 of 312
382
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ment, legislation which largely favours speculators and re-developers of old Crown leases. For this reason, I also told Mr. CHEONG-LEEN that, should I speak on this motion to-day, I would certainly speak my mind on this subject. I have never been entirely in favour of the White Paper for the simple reason that the White Paper does not clearly accept Government's obligation towards Hong Kong's teeming thousands of people who live in abjectly miserable conditions.
Mr. Chairman, the Appointed Members do not wish to be involved in a pre-election difference of opinion among our friends on the other side of the table. For this reason, we think that we would be prepared to accept this amendment if it were supported. If not, we would also be prepared to introduce another one. (Laughter). We think that the improvement of the housing condition of Hong Kong's underprivileged people cannot be predicated upon the pace at which Government machinery is capable of drafting legislation. That is entirely immoral. The fact of the matter is that the programme must proceed unabated, that housing must be found for these people who now need such accommodation so badly, many of whom live in shanties, many of whom live in wire cages.
MR. BERNACCHI: -Mr. Chairman, speaking on the amendment, the amendment does not get rid of my criticism of the motion, that it is in fact a motion adopting the White Paper, and I would indeed be happy if my friend Mr. SALES would go further and introduce an amending motion that we could support. At the moment I could not agree more with most of what Mr. SALES has said and having the criticism of the White Paper that we do, we must oppose any motion that savours of a motion to adopt its proposals, not because its proposals are bad but because its proposals do not go far enough.
MR. SALES: -Sir, may I with your permission, speak on a point of procedure? Evidently, if the amendment were introduced it would not find unanimous support, neither will the original motion. The subject matter is contentious; all Members of the Urban Council are familiar with the housing position in Hong Kong and all Members feel very genuinely about the whole situation, so if the mover and the seconder of the amendment were prepared to withdraw this amendment, I think that I would be willing, subject to the concurrence of my colleagues, to use the device of referring it to the Standing Committee of the Whole Council for genuine study. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a few brief observations. The first is that Mr. BERNACCHI was the second person who had attempted to urge me to have this motion taken off the Order Paper.
MR. BERNACCHI: -Yes, indeed.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
383
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -The first one was an Official Member who spoke to me unofficially, and the second was an Elected colleague who wrote to me officially. Now, if I did not know Mr. BERNACCHI for the sincere person that he is, I would have thought that this was nothing but another electioneering gambit on his part and that there was an attempt to muzzle the Civic Association. (Cries of Shame, Shame). But as far as I am concerned, Mr. Chairman, the value of the motion should be gauged in terms of public interest and I believe that this motion is for the public good. In conscience-bound, I could not agree to accede to any request to have the motion taken off to-day's Order Paper. The Commissioner for Resettlement drew a parallel with this motion to a car ready to take off at the green light. Well, I think it has taken off but it is moving very slowly.
The last point has to do with the criticism which has been evoked during this debate on the White Paper. As Members are aware, I made some very strong remarks concerning licensed areas. I felt that the services which would be provided in licensed areas did not go far enough and it was with this point in mind, Mr. Chairman, that I felt that we must get moving on with the legislation on the White Paper, so that individual Members of this Council who felt strongly about the need for improved services in the proposed licensed areas could take it up with all possible speed. I would have no objection to the amended motion, Mr. Chairman.
MR. BERNACCHI: -On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, as the proposer has seen fit to refer to my letter to him, I must explain to this Council that it was I who first used the words "electioneering gambit” in my letter (Laughter) and I accused the proposer of engaging in an electioneering gambit.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, may I say in clarification that if I had agreed to withdraw this motion from to-day's Order Paper, perhaps the Reform Club might have been accused of electioneering.
CHAIRMAN: -The amendment proposed to the motion is by the deletion of the words "This Council urges Government to give urgent priority to the enacting of" and the substitution of the words "This Council supports Government's intention to enact as quickly as possible the".
MR. BERNACCHI: -I think I should clarify for the benefit of Members. The amendment merely amends the motion; if it is passed then the amended motion is put.
CHAIRMAN: -That is the intention, Sir.
Page 204 of 312
384
√312
Page 203 of 312
382
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ment, legislation which largely favours speculators and re-developers of old Crown leases. For this reason, I also told Mr. CHEONG-LEEN that, should I speak on this motion to-day, I would certainly speak my mind on this subject. I have never been entirely in favour of the White Paper for the simple reason that the White Paper does not clearly accept Government's obligation towards Hong Kong's teeming thou- sands of people who live in abjectly miserable conditions.
Mr. Chairman, the Appointed Members do not wish to be involved in a pre-election difference of opinion among our friends on the other side of the table. For this reason, we think that we would be prepared to accept this amendment if it were supported. If not, we would also be prepared to introduce another one. (Laughter). We think that the improvement of the housing condition of Hong Kong's underprivileged people cannot be predicated upon the pace at which Government machinery is capable of drafting legislation. That is entirely immoral. The fact of the matter is that the programme must proceed unabated, that housing must be found for these people who now need such accom- modation so badly, many of whom live in shanties, many of whom live in wire cages.
MR. BERNACCHI: -Mr. Chairman, speaking on the amendment, the amendment does not get rid of my criticism of the motion, that it is in fact a motion adopting the White Paper, and I would indeed be happy if my friend Mr. SALES would go further and introduce an amending motion that we could support. At the moment I could not agree more with most of what Mr. SALES has said and having the criticism of the White Paper that we do, we must oppose any motion that savours of a motion to adopt its proposals, not because its proposals are bad but because its proposals do not go far enough.
MR. SALES: -Sir, may I with your permission, speak on a point of procedure? Evidently, if the amendment were introduced it would not find unanimous support, neither will the original motion. The subject matter is contentious; all Members of the Urban Council are familiar with the housing position in Hong Kong and all Members feel very genuinely about the whole situation, so if the mover and the seconder of the amendment were prepared to withdraw this amendment, I think that I would be willing, subject to the concurrence of my colleagues, to use the device of referring it to the Standing Committee of the Whole Council for genuine study. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a few brief observations. The first is that Mr. BERNACCHI was the second person who had attempted to urge me to have this motion taken off the Order Paper.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Yes, indeed.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
383
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -The first one was an Official Member who spoke to me unofficially, and the second was an Elected colleague who wrote to me officially. Now, if I did not know Mr. BERNACCHI for the sincere person that he is, I would have thought that this was nothing but another electioneering gambit on his part and that there was an attempt to muzzle the Civic Association. (Cries of Shame, Shame). But as far as I am concerned, Mr. Chairman, the value of the motion should be gauged in terms of public interest and I believe that this motion is for the public good. In conscience-bound, I could not agree to accede to any request to have the motion taken off to-day's Order Paper. The Commissioner for Resettlement drew a parallel with this motion to a car ready to take off at the green light. Well, I think it has taken off but it is moving very slowly.
The last point has to do with the criticism which has been evoked during this debate on the White Paper. As Members are aware, I made some very strong remarks concerning licensed areas. I felt that the services which would be provided in licensed areas did not go far enough and it was with this point in mind, Mr. Chairman, that I felt that we must get moving on with the legislation on the White Paper, so that individual Members of this Council who felt strongly about the need for improved services in the proposed licensed areas could take it up with all possible speed. I would have no objection to the amended motion, Mr. Chairman.
MR. BERNACCHI :-On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, as the pro- poser has seen fit to refer to my letter to him, I must explain to this Council that it was I who first used the words "electioneering gambit” in my letter (Laughter) and I accused the proposer of engaging in an electioneering gambit.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:
-Mr. Chairman, may I say in clarification that
if I had agreed to withdraw this motion from to-day's Order Paper, perhaps the Reform Club might have been accused of electioneering.
CHAIRMAN:-The amendment proposed to the motion is by the deletion of the words "This Council urges Government to give urgent priority to the enacting of" and the substitution of the words "This Council supports Government's intention to enact as quickly as possible the".
MR. BERNACCHI:-I think I should clarify for the benefit of Members. The amendment merely amends the motion; if it is passed then the amended motion is put.
CHAIRMAN:-That is the intention, Sir.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.