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inadequacy of playing fields in the schools, will you then, Mr. Chairman, ask Government to please make a statement as to why this deficiency is not made good by a more energetic programme in that connexion?
CHAIRMAN: -I will certainly bring your point to the attention of Government, Sir, but my understanding is that energy is being directed as far as possible to the solution of these problems.
MR. SALES: Is it kinetic energy that you are talking about? (Laughter).
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not used the words "granted power" which appear in the question, since the implication is that such power would be granted by the Council whereas, it is up to the hawkers themselves to choose who shall represent them. The Hawkers Select Committee are arranging to meet every genuine group of hawker representative during the next few months.
MRS. ELLIOTT:—Mr. Chairman, may I thank the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee for his answer. The purpose of asking this question was to bring the matter publicly before the hawkers so that they will not, in any way, be cheated, and I shall take the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee's advice to pursue this matter in private.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
(a) Is the Chairman aware that some who are not genuine hawkers are posing as hawker representatives, and are exacting money from hawkers on the grounds that they can represent them before this Council?
(b) Would the Chairman make it clear to the ordinary hawkers whether any so-called hawker representative has power to grant hawker sites to pedlars and other hawkers?
(c) As one hawker representative claims to have favoured rights with this Council, would the Chairman make clear whether or not any hawker representative has been granted power to represent before this Council every hawker in the Colony?
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
The answer to the first part of the question is that I am not aware of any extraction of money from hawkers by persons posing as hawker representatives. If my friend and colleague Mrs. ELLIOTT can supply more information on this question I will see that the information reaches the right hands and is kept strictly confidential.
On the second part of the question I am glad to have the opportunity to make it clear that no hawker representative, genuine or otherwise, has any power to grant hawker sites.
On the third part of the question I am not aware that any hawker representative claims to have favoured rights with this Council. However, I confirm that no hawker representative is recognized as being in a position to represent before this Council every hawker in the Colony. I have
MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
Is it correct that arrangements have recently been made for certain additions to be made in households in Resettlement Areas, such as wives or dependent parents?
Do the area officers have power to make such additions to the households, and also to recommend bigger accommodation in cases of gross overcrowding?
Is the Commissioner aware that the people in the Resettlement estates complain that they are unable to approach the area officers, and have to find an Urban Councillor who is willing to write a letter for them before they are given permission to allow their wives to live in their homes with them after they are married?
What steps are being taken to see that area officers attend to these needs of the people living in their areas?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
There have, for some years, been arrangements whereby certain categories of near relatives could be added to households in resettlement estates but, in the past, additions could only be made if there was space available, that is, if the room density stood at or around 24 sq. ft. per adult. In December 1963 the Resettlement Management and Resettlement (Policy) Select Committees approved recommendations which had the effect of reducing slightly the categories of relatives who might be added, but removing the proviso about the availability of space. The Committees decided to try out these new arrangements in one or two
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inadequacy of playing fields in the schools, will you then, Mr. Chairman, ask Government to please make a statement as to why this deficiency is not made good by a more energetic programme in that connexion?
CHAIRMAN: -I will certainly bring your point to the attention of Government, Sir, but my understanding is that energy is being directed as far as possible to the solution of these problems.
MR. SALES: Is it kinetic energy that you are talking about? (Laughter).
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
165
not used the words "granted power" which appear in the question, since the implication is that such power would be granted by the Council whereas, it is up to the hawkers themselves to choose who shall represent them. The Hawkers Select Committee are arranging to meet every genuine group of hawker representative during the next few months.
MRS. ELLIOTT:—Mr. Chairman, may I thank the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee for his answer. The purpose of asking this question was to bring the matter publicly before the hawkers so that they will not, in any way, be cheated, and I shall take the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee's advice to pursue this matter in private.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
(a) Is the Chairman aware that some who are not genuine hawkers are posing as hawker representatives, and are exacting money from hawkers on the grounds that they can represent them before this Council?
(b) Would the Chairman make it clear to the ordinary haw- kers whether any so-called hawker representative has power to grant hawker sites to pedlars and other hawkers? (c) As one hawker representative claims to have favoured rights with this Council, would the Chairman make clear whether or not any hawker representative has been granted power to represent before this Council every hawker in the Colony?
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
The answer to the first part of the question is that I am not aware of any extraction of money from hawkers by per- sons posing as hawker representatives. If my friend and colleague Mrs. ELLIOTT can supply more information on this question I will see that the information reaches the right hands and is kept strictly confidential.
On the second part of the question I am glad to have the opportunity to make it clear that no hawker representative, genuine or otherwise, has any power to grant hawker sites.
On the third part of the question I am not aware that any hawker representative claims to have favoured rights with this Council. However, I confirm that no hawker repre- sentative is recognized as being in a position to represent before this Council every hawker in the Colony. I have
MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-
Is it correct that arrangements have recently been made for certain additions to be made in households in Resettle- ment Areas, such as wives or dependent parents?
Do the area officers have power to make such additions to the households, and also to recommend bigger accom- modation in cases of gross overcrowding?
Is the Commissioner aware that the people in the Resettlement estates complain that they are unable to approach the area officers, and have to find an Urban Councillor who is willing to write a letter for them before they are given permission to allow their wives to live in their homes with them after they are married?
What steps are being taken to see that area officers attend to
these needs of the people living in their areas?
THE COMMISSIoner for ReseTTLEMENT replied as follows:-
There have, for some years, been arrangements whereby certain categories of near relatives could be added to households in resettlement estates but, in the past, additions could only be made if there was space available, that is, if the room density stood at or around 24 sq. ft. per adult. In December 1963 the Resettlement Management and Reset- tlement (Policy) Select Committees approved recommenda- tions which had the effect of reducing slightly the cate- gories of relatives who might be added, but removing the proviso about the availability of space. The Committees decided to try out these new arrangements in one or two
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