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CHAIRMAN:-Mr. Lo, if you wish the matter to be referred back to the Select Committee, I will be glad to do so.
MR. LO:-I should very much like the Committee to go into the matter again.
MR. SALES: On a point of clarification in respect of Dr. Lee's statement, does the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee need to obtain the consent of the Department before taking action?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I thought that you would probably rise to that point. I do not think that that is what Dr. LEE really meant.
MR. SALES: May I have that noted? That it is not necessary for any Select Committee to obtain the consent of the Department before adopting a course of action.
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) Will you tell this Council whether you have advised Government that this Council is very much interested in the development of parks and playgrounds in the New Territories?
(b) To what extent is Government prepared to consult the appropriate Select Committee on matters pertaining to such parks and playgrounds in the same way as Government is now doing in respect of bathing beaches in the New Territories?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
In reply to the first part of the question, I presume, Sir, that you are referring to the question you asked at the Council meeting last month. This question was in two parts. The first asked whether I would make representations to Government that this Council must inevitably expect that more open land for public recreation in the New Territories will be preserved. The second part asked me to advise Government that it was the view of the Council that the areas in the New Territories which have been set aside as parks and playgrounds, should be properly developed as such and not gradually lost by sale for private development.
In my reply to your question, I said that I would be glad to bring your remarks to the attention of Government. This has been done.
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33
In reply to the second part of the question, I have been advised that Government does not at present contemplate extending the present arrangement whereby the Council's advice is sought in regard to matters concerning beaches in the New Territories. The department already has access to the advice of the New Territories Administration which in appropriate cases is able to consult local opinion through rural committees.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I ask you a few supplementary questions to clarify the position? First, was it not right that the Urban Council's opinion was sought in respect of beaches in the New Territories because urban dwellers using those beaches found the conditions unsatisfactory?
CHAIRMAN: I am unable to confirm that point, Sir, without reference to the papers.
MR. SALES-Having regard to the fact that the amenities in the New Territories to which I have referred in the past are for use also by urban dwellers, would it not be reasonable for the Urban Council to offer opinion on matters concerning such recreational amenities even though they be in the New Territories?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I am quite prepared to forward any representations which you may wish to make on this point to Government, but you are inviting from me an expression of opinion which I am unable to give you at this stage.
MR. SALES-Mr. Chairman, I would like to take advantage of your offer to make representations on our behalf and I would like to put the following question to Government through you:-
"How else would the interests of urban dwellers in matters of recreational amenities in the New Territories be protected if not through the supervision and responsibility and instigation of the Urban Council?”
MR. BERNACCHI:-First of all, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask you what is the difference between beaches and open land for recreational purposes in the New Territories?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I regret I cannot answer your question.
MR. BERNACCHI:-The second point I would like to ask and I am not suggesting that the rural committees are not consulted, but I would like to ask how can the rural committees advise in respect to recreational spaces needed for the younger generation of the urban population?
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CHAIRMAN:-Mr. Lo, if you wish the matter to be referred back to the Select Committee, I will be glad to do so.
MR. LO:-I should very much like the Committee to go into the matter again.
MR. SALES: On a point of clarification in respect of Dr. Lee's statement, does the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee need to obtain the consent of the Department before taking action?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I thought that you would probably rise to that point. I do not think that that is what Dr. LEE really meant.
MR. SALES: May I have that noted? That it is not necessary for any Select Committee to obtain the consent of the Department before adopting a course of action.
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) Will you tell this Council whether you have advised Government that this Council is very much interested in the development of parks and playgrounds in the New Territories?
(b) To what extent is Government prepared to consult the appropriate Select Committee on matters pertaining to such parks and playgrounds in the same way as Govern- ment is now doing in respect of bathing beaches in the New Territories?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
In reply to the first part of the question, I presume, Sir, that you are referring to the question you asked at the Council meeting last month. This question was in two parts. The first asked whether I would make representations to Government that this Council must inevitably expect that more open land for public recreation in the New Terri- tories will be preserved. The second part asked me to advise Government that it was the view of the Council that the areas in the New Territories which have been set aside as parks and playgrounds, should be properly developed as such and not gradually lost by sale for private development.
In my reply to your question, I said that I would be glad to bring your remarks to the attention of Government. This has been done.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
33
In reply to the second part of the question, I have been advised that Government does not at present contemplate extending the present arrangement whereby the Council's advice is sought in regard to matters concerning beaches in the New Territories. The department already has access to the advice of the New Territories Administration which in appropriate cases is able to consult local opinion through rural committees.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I ask you a few supplementary questions to clarify the position? First, was it not right that the Urban Council's opinion was sought in respect of beaches in the New Territories because urban dwellers using those beaches found the conditions unsatisfactory?
CHAIRMAN: I am unable to confirm that point, Sir, without reference to the papers.
MR. SALES-Having regard to the fact that the amenities in the New Territories to which I have referred in the past are for use also by urban dwellers, would it not be reasonable for the Urban Council to offer opinion on matters concerning such recreational amenities even though they be in the New Territories?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I am quite prepared to forward any representa- tions which you may wish to make on this point to Government, but you are inviting from me an expression of opinion which I am unable to give you at this stage.
MR. SALES-Mr. Chairman, I would like to take advantage of your offer to make representations on our behalf and I would like to put the following question to Government through you:-
"How else would the interests of urban dwellers in matters of recreational amenities in the New Territories be protected if not through the supervision and responsibility and instigation of the Urban Council?”
MR. BERNACCHI:-First of all, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask you what is the difference between beaches and open land for recreational purposes in the New Territories?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I regret 1 cannot answer your question.
MR. BERNACCHI:-The second point I would like to ask and I am not suggesting that the rural committees are not consulted, but I would like to ask how can the rural committees advise in respect to recreational spaces needed for the younger generation of the urban population?
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