Page 107 of 382
192
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
lucid exposition of the need for more open space in Hong Kong. In this particular case, however, although there are large tracts of land on the south side of the Island, there seems to be no evident danger that suitable land is being encroached upon. Insofar as certain land has already been reserved, it seems to me to be premature for the Council to ask at this stage for the land to be allocated to it. This is a case of which comes first: the chicken or the egg. When the Urban Council is allocated a site for development, the Urban Services Department assumes the responsibilities of a ground landlord. It seems to me somewhat pointless for the Urban Services Department to assume these responsibilities in advance of the site being developed under the Public Works Programme or the Block Vote Programme. I feel therefore that the correct approach is for the Council and the Department to complete first the planning of the sites which have been reserved and then, when the necessary funds are available, and when development work is ready to start, to apply for formal allocation. While, therefore, I have full sympathy with the views of the mover of this motion, I feel that in the circumstances I should properly abstain from voting on it.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I did not intend to speak on this motion but surely the answer to your criticisms of it is contained in the last part of the motion,-be allocated progressively to this Council so that development in stages may start forthwith.
MR. SALES-Sir, if none of my colleagues wish to speak I will exercise my right of reply. I share the congratulations which you offer to Mr. LOBO, my seconder, on his maiden speech to-day. I am also much obliged to my other colleagues for having spoken in support of my motion. I can always count on Dr. BELL'S fire to carry any of my motions through, and Mr. Henry Hu has in fact made a good point on my behalf. I accept all the witticisms which Mr. Wilson WANG has used in support of my motion. It is true that it is most difficult to look at the other side of the Island through the Peak which is always beclouded and sometimes confused. Mr. CHEONG-LEEN deserves my congratulations for having made the shortest speech he has ever achieved in this Council. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I would have got burnt by Dr. BELL's enthusiasm if I hadn't stood up.
MR. SALES: -And on the strength of that speech I think he deserves to be drafted on to the Urban Amenities Select Committee. In any case he is doing so much of our work in public that he deserves to be on that Select Committee. Now, Mr. BERNACCHI has very kindly answered your doubts on the motion by referring to his text. I am most surprised, Sir, that you too should have given another example of how distracted official members can be, when you overlooked this particular sentence in the speech which I made. May I quote- "Besides, in time to come other pressing needs may arise. In consequence, other claims may be put up for such land now reserved for us when there may well be a change of heart." May I suggest that the question be now put.
CHAIRMAN:-The motion before the Council has been proposed by Mr. SALES and seconded by Mr. LOBO.
The question was put.
The motion was carried, with 20 votes for and 5 abstentions.
(2) DR. R. H. S. LEE, Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, moved the following motion:-
That the Ventilation (Amendment) By-laws 1965 be made under Section 88 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance 1960.
He said:
Mr. Chairman, I will not burden members with a long speech in regard to this motion as there is very little to say about it. Some time ago when ventilation was discussed in the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee it was discovered that only hairdressing establishments were included in the schedule of Ventilation by-laws. Members feel that there are just as many persons in offices and shops as there are in barber shops. They realized this anomaly and requested that we should rectify it. The legal department was therefore asked to amend the by-laws to include offices and shops. This motion is the result of these deliberations and I have much pleasure now in moving that the Ventilation (Amendment) By-laws 1965 be made under Section 88 of the Public Health & Urban Services Ordinance 1960.
MR. LI:-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion moved by my senior colleague, Dr. LEE. Dr. LEE has already explained very clearly the objects of the motion and there is nothing which I can usefully add to what he has said. Sir, I beg to second the motion.
MR. SALES: -Sir, may I say that the Appointed Members listened very carefully to Dr. LEE's eloquent explanation of the reasons for this motion and his explanation resolved any doubts that we had. We might otherwise have been distracted following the notorious example set in this Council this afternoon. But we decided that the subject was important enough to give it our close attention. Therefore, we support Dr. LEE and Mr. Li Yiu-bor wholeheartedly.
Page 108 of 382
193
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
882
Page 107 of 382
192
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
lucid exposition of the need for more open space in Hong Kong. In this particular case, however, although there are large tracts of land of the south side of the Island, there seems to be no evident danger that suitable land is being encroached upon. Insofar as certain land has already been reserved, it seems to me to be premature for the Council to ask at this stage for the land to be allocated to it. This is a case of which comes first: the chicken or the egg. When the Urban Council is allocated a site for development, the Urban Services Department assumes the responsibilities of a ground landlord. It seems to me somewhat pointless for the Urban Services Department to assume these responsibilities in advance of the site being developed under the Public Works Programme or the Block Vote Programme. I feel there- fore that the correct approach is for the Council and the Department to complete first the planning of the sites which have been reserved and then, when the necessary funds are available, and when develop- ment work is ready to start, to apply for formal allocation. While, therefore, I have full sympathy with the views of the mover of this motion, I feel that in the circumstances I should properly abstain from voting on it.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I did not intend to speak on this motion but surely the answer to your criticisms of it is contained in the last part of the motion,-be allocated progressively to this Council so that development in stages may start forthwith.
MR. SALES-Sir, if none of my colleagues wish to speak I will exercise my right of reply. I share the congratulations which you offer to Mr. LOBO, my seconder, on his maiden speech to-day. I am also much obliged to my other colleagues for having spoken in support of my motion. I can always count on Dr. BELL'S fire to carry any of my motions through, and Mr. Henry Hu has in fact made a good point on my behalf. I accept all the witticisms which Mr. Wilson WANG has used in support of my motion. It is true that it is most difficult to look at the other side of the Island through the Peak which is always beclouded and sometimes confused. Mr. CHEONG-LEEN deserves my congratulations for having made the shortest speech he has ever achieved in this Council. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I would have got burnt by Dr. BELL's enthusiasm if I hadn't stood up.
MR. SALES: -And on the strength of that speech I think he deserves to be drafted on to the Urban Amenities Select Committee. In any case he is doing so much of our work in public that he deserves to be on that Select Committee. Now, Mr. BERNACCHI has very kindly answered your doubts on the motion by referring to his text. I am most surprised, Sir, that you too should have given another example of how distracted official members can be, when you over-looked this
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
193
particular sentence in the speech which I made. May I quote- "Besides, in time to come other pressing needs may arise. In con- sequence, other claims may be put up for such land now reserved for us when there may well be a change of heart." May I suggest that the question be now put.
CHAIRMAN:-The motion before the Council has been proposed by Mr. SALES and seconded by Mr. LOBO.
The question was put.
The motion was carried, with 20 votes for and 5 abstentions.
(2) DR. R. H. S. LEE, Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, moved the following motion:-
That the Ventilation (Amendment) By-laws 1965 be made under Section 88 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance 1960.
He said:
Mr. Chairman, I will not burden members with a long speech in regard to this motion as there is very little to say about it. Some time ago when ventilation was discussed in the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee it was discovered that only hairdressing establishments were included in the schedule of Ventilation by-laws. Members feel that there are just as many persons in offices and shops as there are in barber shops. They realized this anomally and requested that we should rectify it. The legal department was therefore asked to amend the by-laws to include offices and shops. This motion is the result of these deliberations and I have much pleasure now in moving that the Ventilation (Amendment) By-laws 1965 be made under Section 88 of the Public Health & Urban Services Ordinance 1960.
MR. LI:-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion moved by my senior colleague, Dr. LEE. Dr. LEE has already explained very clearly the objects of the motion and there is nothing which I can usefully add to what he has said. Sir, I beg to second the motion.
MR. SALES: -Sir, may I say that the Appointed Members listened very carefully to Dr. LEE's eloquent explanation of the reasons for this motion and his explanation resolved any doubts that we had. We might otherwise have been distracted following the notorious example set in this Council this afternoon. But we decided that the subject was important enough to give it our close attention. Therefore, we support Dr. LEE and Mr. Li Yiu-bor wholeheartedly.
ין
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.