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made reference to the entire urban areas, in other words, if it had been suggested in the question that funds should be established to provide assistance for children and families living in the urban areas, you would have ruled that question out of order?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Would you agree, Mr. Chairman, that in the context in which your reply has been framed, both in the first paragraph and the second paragraph, it was apparent that I had in mind both the children in the resettlement estates and children in the urban areas?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, do I understand from the second paragraph of your reply that, speaking as a member of this Council, you would consider it much fairer that there should be no special treatment, but that if such a fund were to be established it should apply equally to all children in the urban areas?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, it was not my reply and I have nothing to add to what was said in it.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, will you agree then that in the context in which your reply has been framed I had not been considering any special treatment for children in the resettlement estates?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, you are asking me to interpret what I thought that you meant. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I give you the answer now, I had not the intention of proposing that there should be special treatment. I had in mind that this should be the first phase of education assistance for all children in the Colony, and, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask that this matter be referred to the Committee of the Whole Council for full discussion as I have in mind moving a motion in the Council on this subject at a later date.
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, with great respect, I must point out that I do not think that the question of education allowances generally in the Colony is a subject for this Council.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, do you agree that under Standing Orders it is possible for this Council to debate a motion if such is the intention of the Committee of the Whole Council?
CHAIRMAN:-I would like time, Sir, to consider your question.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
59
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask whether or not this has been done before, that is, matters which were outside the purview of the Council have been debated in the Council?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, matters outside the purview of this Council are frequently debated once a year at the Annual Conventional Debate. (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:-If you would pardon me, Sir, in reply to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's former question, I would say undoubtedly that under Standing Orders anything can be debated in this Council with the permission of the Committee of the Whole, but of course that does not mean that we should get anywhere with our debate.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, do you agree with Mr. BERNACCHI's interpretation?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, that was my first cautious conclusion, but as I said, I wish to have time to consider the matter.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, may I congratulate you on being a wise and cautious man. (Laughter).
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
To what extent is the Urban Council concerned with and responsible for the overall health and well-being of residents in resettlement areas and estates and more specifically for ensuring that there is provision of primary and secondary education facilities for children living in resettlement areas and estates?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
The responsibilities of the Urban Council are defined in the Urban Council Ordinance and other Ordinances, such as the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance and the Resettlement Ordinance, which give certain specific powers to the Council.
Section 3 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, read with the Third Schedule to the Ordinance, imposes a wide range of responsibilities on the Council within the urban areas, including environmental hygiene, sanitation, and the abatement of nuisances in resettlement estates. Certain other services and facilities, which affect the health and well-being of persons in resettlement estates and elsewhere
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made reference to the entire urban areas, in other words, if it had been suggested in the question that funds should be established to provide assistance for children and families living in the urban areas, you would have ruled that question out of order?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Would you agree, Mr. Chairman, that in the context in which your reply has been framed, both in the first para- graph and the second paragraph, it was apparent that I had in mind both the children in the resettlement estates and children in the urban areas?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, do I understand from the second paragraph of your reply that, speaking as a member of this Council, you would consider it much fairer that there should be no special treatment, but that if such a fund were to be established it should apply equally to all children in the urban areas?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, it was not my reply and I have nothing to add to what was said in it.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, will you agree then that in the context in which your reply has been framed I had not been con- sidering any special treatment for children in the resettlement estates?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, you are asking me to interpret what I thought that you meant. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I give you the answer now, I had not the intention of proposing that there should be special treatment. I had in mind that this should be the first phase of education assistance for all children in the Colony, and, with your permission, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask that this matter be referred to the Committee of the Whole Council for full discussion as I have in mind moving a motion in the Council on this subject at a later date.
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, with great respect, I must point out that I do not think that the question of education allowances generally in the Colony is a subject for this Council.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:--Mr. Chairman, do you agree that under Stand- ing Orders it is possible for this Council to debate a motion if such is the intention of the Committee of the Whole Council?
CHAIRMAN:-I would like time, Sir, to consider your question.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
59
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask whether or not this has been done before, that is, matters which were outside the purview of the Council have been debated in the Council?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, matters outside the purview of this Council are frequently debated once a year at the Annual Conventional Debate. (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:-If you would pardon me, Sir, in reply to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's former question, I would say undoubtedly that under Standing Orders anything can be debated in this Council with the per- mission of the Committee of the Whole, but of course that does not mean that we should get anywhere with our debate.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, do you agree with Mr. BERNACCHI's interpretation?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, that was my first cautious conclusion, but as I said, I wish to have time to consider the matter.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, may I congratulate you on being a wise and cautious man. (Laughter).
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:·
To what extent is the Urban Council concerned with and re- sponsible for the overall health and well-being of residents in resettlement areas and estates and more specifically for ensuring that there is provision of primary and secondary education facilities for children living in resettlement areas and estates?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
The responsibilities of the Urban Council are defined in the Urban Council Ordinance and other Ordinances, such as the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance and the Resettlement Ordinance, which give certain specific powers to the Council.
Section 3 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, read with the Third Schedule to the Ordinance, imposes a wide range of responsibilities on the Council within the urban areas, including environmental hygiene, sanitation, and the abatement of nuisances in resettlement estates. Certain other services and facilities, which affect the health and well-being of persons in resettlement estates and elsewhere
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