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and Tsuen Wan will have a population of more than one million people, and the proper authority to administer it will be the City Council, and not a district officer. For this reason alone, the powers and membership of the Council should be increased. The real work of the Council is done by Select Committees: unless it is farmed out in this fashion, its true function will not be accomplished. The reason why its public image is so good, and why its impact so great is the devotion and dedication of its members to the work of the Council. At present the Council has a membership of 22, and the chairmanship of all Select Committees, with the exception of only the Resettlement Policy Select Committee, are held by unpaid Unofficials. The time is ripe for the change to be made, and there is no reason why even the Chairman should not be an Unofficial Member. A proper municipal building should be built in the Central Reclamation to house the multitudinous activities of the Council and a much enlarged membership should be made to do justice to its work. This proposal does not involve any major constitutional change, and unless such a change is made there is indeed no real justification for elected members in this Council, nor will there be any real interest in local elections.
Traffic, public transport, education and medical services are Hong Kong's still unsolved problems. They should be tackled with energy and vigour. The way to do it is to bring them within the purview of this Council. The Director of Medical and Health Services and the Director of Education should be made Official Members because both health and education vitally concern every section of the community. The Council should be consulted in policy matters, and the Council which represents the people of Hong Kong, demand a say in its own affairs.
Traffic and Public Transport are related subjects which should come under the jurisdiction of one head a proper Highway Authority and not a dichotomy of functions. Unless a proper set-up like the Housing Authority with ex-officio members of the Urban Council and other experts nominated by His Excellency the Governor is formed, I cannot envisage any real progress in our traffic and public transport problems. The Housing Authority operates so well because the work is divided into Committees but functions as a body. In every major city with a population of over 100,000 persons, the city planners plan for a rapid transit system; with Hong Kong's hilly terrain, with due respect to Mr. WATSON, it is my submission that a monorail system is the answer to meet Hong Kong transport needs because there are people living at various levels, and I would like to see Mr. WATSON living in Robinson Road climbing down to underground in Connaught Road. Unless something like it comes up very soon, our public transport will degenerate from bad to worse.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
407
Compared to other cities the juvenile problem of Hong Kong is still not serious, but we cannot afford to be complacent about it. We must take positive steps in trying to tackle it. One such measure is the provision of branch libraries, well distributed in densely-populated districts of the urban area bringing branch libraries and reading rooms for the use of young people instead of finding them idling their invaluable time in the streets. The Library Select Committee has drawn up a reasonably comprehensive plan to furnish such a service. We cannot forget our obligation to our youths because on their ability our future strength lies.
In this connexion, Mr. Chairman, I cannot use language strong enough to deplore those responsible for the delaying tactics in preventing the City Hall Library from recruiting the necessary staff for its operation. After the acting Library Adviser's impending departure the Library will have only two qualified Assistant Librarians and it will have no choice but to curtail its hours of opening, against Mr. CHEUNG Wing-in's desire of having the hours prolonged. I am sure the Library Select Committee will view this matter with the deepest concern and I hope we can expedite the recruitment drive with greater vigour.
In view of the number of vacancies in various factories and agencies, employment per se, presents no problem. It is only the degree of qualification that is the overriding factor. But housing, Mr. Chairman it has been stressed by several Members before me-is a real problem to those evicted from condemned buildings and those living in over-crowded tenements. I hope Government will continue to press on with its building programme to provide adequate accommodation to those who are living in squatter huts and the less privileged who belong to the lower and middle income groups. Government should review its policy towards new vacant flats when so many have to contend with a bed-space in crowded tenement blocks.
With the experience of last year, I hope Government will not give up its thought of desalting sea-water when new and cheaper methods of desalinisation are operating in other water short countries successfully. We are very lucky to have had a good rainfall to overfill our reservoirs this year, but nature's vagary cannot be trusted.
I urge Government to complete the early reclamation of the Cheung Sha Wan District so as to provide more roads leading out to the New Territories. At present Castle Peak Road and Cheung Sha Wan Road are completely saturated at all hours of the day with heavy traffic and more roads will have to be constructed to cope with it.
We must press on for the early realization of our public swimming pools in the urban areas, our long promised incinerators and abattoirs, which Mr. MARDEN has spoken about. I can enlarge on my theme in
Page 216 of 312
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Page 215 of 312
406
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
and Tsuen Wan will have a population of more than one million people, and the proper authority to administer it will be the City Council, and not a district officer. For this reason alone, the powers and member- ship of the Council should be increased. The real work of the Council is done by Select Committees: unless it is farmed out in this fashion, its true function will not be accomplished. The reason why its public image is so good, and why its impact so great is the devotion and dedication of its members to the work of the Council. At present the Council has a membership of 22, and the chairmenship of all Select Committees, with the exception of only the Resettlement Policy Select Committee, are held by unpaid Unofficials. The time is ripe for the change to be made, and there is no reason why even the Chairman should not be an Unofficial Member. A proper municipal building should be built in the Central Reclamation to house the multitudinous activities of the Council and a much enlarged membership should be made to do justice to its work. This proposal does not involve any major constitutional change, and unless such a change is made there is indeed no real justification for elected members in this Council, nor will there be any real interest in local elections.
Traffic, public transport, education and medical services are Hong Kong's still unsolved problems. They should be tackled with energy and vigour. The way to do it is to bring them within the purview of this Council. The Director of Medical and Health Services and the Director of Education should be made Official Members because both health and education vitally concern every section of the community. The Council should be consulted in policy matters, and the Council which represents the people of Hong Kong, demand a say in its own affairs.
Traffic and Public Transport are related subjects which should come under the jurisdiction of one head a proper Highway Authority and not a dichotomy of functions. Unless a proper set-up like the Housing Authority with ex-officio members of the Urban Council and other experts nominated by His Excellency the Governor is formed, I cannot envisage any real progress in our traffic and public transport problems. The Housing Authority operates so well because the work is divided into Committees but functions as a body. In every major city with a population of over 100,000 persons, the city planners plan for a rapid transit system; with Hong Kong's hilly terrain, with due respect to Mr. WATSON, it is my submission that a monorail system is the answer to meet Hong Kong transport needs because there are people living at various levels, and I would like to see Mr. WATSON living in Robinson Road climbing down to underground in Connaught Road. Unless something like it comes up very soon, our public transport will degenerate from bad to worse.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
407
Compared to other cities the juvenile problem of Hong Kong is still not serious, but we cannot afford to be complacent about it. We must take positive steps in trying to tackle it. One such measure is the provision of branch libraries, well distributed in densely-populated districts of the urban area bringing branch libraries and reading rooms for the use of young people instead of finding them idling their invalu- able time in the streets. The Library Select Committee has drawn up a reasonably comprehensive plan to furnish such a service. We cannot forget our obligation to our youths because on their ability our future strength lies.
In this connexion, Mr. Chairman, I cannot use language strong enough to deplore those responsible for the delaying tactics in preventing the City Hall Library from recruiting the necessary staff for its operation. After the acting Library Adviser's impending departure the Library will have only two qualified Assistant Librarians and it will have no choice but to curtail its hours of opening, against Mr. CHEUNG Wing-in's desire of having the hours prolonged. I am sure the Library Select Committee will view this matter with the deepest concern and I hope we can expedite the recruitment drive with greater vigour.
In view of the number of vacancies in various factories and agencies, employment per se, presents no problem. It is only the degree of qualification that is the overriding factor. But housing, Mr. Chairman it has been stressed by several Members before me-is a real problem to those evicted from condemned buildings and those living in over- crowded tenements. I hope Government will continue to press on with its building programme to provide adequate accommodation to those who are living in squatter huts and the less privileged who belong to the lower and middle income groups. Government should review its policy towards new vacant flats when so many have to contend with a bed-space in crowded tenement blocks.
With the experience of last year, I hope Government will not give up its thought of desalting sea-water when new and cheaper methods of desalinisation are operating in other water short countries success- fully. We are very lucky to have had a good rainfall to overfill our reservoirs this year, but nature's vagary cannot be trusted.
I urge Government to complete the early reclamation of the Cheung Sha Wan District so as to provide more roads leading out to the New Territories. At present Castle Peak Road and Cheung Sha Wan Road are completely saturated at all hours of the day with heavy traffic and more roads will have to be constructed to cope with it.
We must press on for the early realization of our public swimming pools in the urban areas, our long promised incinerators and abattoirs, which Mr. MARDEN has spoken about. I can enlarge on my theme in
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