1965 — Page 161

382

Page 161 of 382

300

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-If Mr. BERNACCHI wants me to elucidate it, I will. The thing is that the Public Works Sub-Committee of Finance Committee meet three times a year when projects are up- graded from either C to B or from B to A. The important one is from B to A. In Category A, it means you are authorized to proceed with working drawings and call for tenders, but it is possible, and is often done, that projects are dealt with by circulation or they go direct to the Finance Committee if they are ready for up-grading between the regular meetings of the Sub-Committee.

MR. BERNACCHI-I see, and is the Director of Public Works suffi- ciently satisfied that this procedure is streamlined?

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:—As far as the Public Works pro- gramme is concerned, I am satisfied that it is not only streamlined but it does give us the opportunity to do some forward planning. You must remember though, and obviously members are concerned here with Urban Council projects, there are some 500 projects, individual projects, in the Public Works Programme at any one time. This probably accounts for some of the "digging up" that Dr. BELL was talking about as we were coming here (Laughter)—but there are these 500 odd projects ranging from major buildings to road works, drainage works and so on, and it isn't an easy job to allocate staff and to process all these to Government's schemes. This Public Works Programme system does work extremely well and efficiently.

CHAIRMAN: Sir, I should like to add to my reply on the question. I would like to assure you, Sir, that I believe that the system is effective and in no sense capricious and, at the least, is a valuable adjunct to the work of this Council in helping to reach correct decisions.

DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, in view of the fact that the number of children using the swimming pool in Kowloon Tsai Park is more than double the number of people using Victoria Park, are you satisfied that four tennis courts are sufficient for this Park, and is that the total capacity that can be built, or can more tennis courts be built for this Park?

CHAIRMAN: --I believe that more could be built but, with your permission, I will look into the matter more closely and let you know. There certainly seems to be space enough for them.

DR. BELL: --I think it is very important that this should be looked into, because I think that, although some of us realize that there has been a great demand for recreational facilities in Kowloon, it has only become very obvious since the figures were produced on the use of the swimming pool that you realize that the population in Kowloon is three to one as compared with Hong Kong and there is lack of facilities.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

301

Therefore I feel that if your tennis courts are only four in number it doesn't compare well with what you have in Victoria Park and would be highly insufficient for Kowloon and the Kowloon Tsai Park.

MR. SALES: May I answer that question? I think the Select Committee is in wholehearted agreement with Dr. BELL about the shortage of recreational facilities in Kowloon in comparison with the population there. The use of the swimming pool, double the figures of that of Victoria Park, more particularly in reference to adult use of Kowloon Tsai-those figures alone prove the great demand for such sports facilities as the Council may be able to offer. I would like to re- call on this occasion, Sir, that the schedule for the Kowloon Tsai Park was mysteriously cut down by Government, and I would like to see all the remaining facilities which the Urban Amenities Select Committee advocated for Kowloon Tsai Park restored to the schedule. These facilities were built on the Island on the understanding that similar facilities would be made available to Kowloon. Subsequently, I think Government fell down on that understanding and I would like to have my remarks noted and passed on to the Colonial Secretary for his consideration.

Now may I return to my role, Sir, to question you further in res- ponse to the information you gave us in reply to Question 9? Recall- ing our unfortunate experience with the Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool and Stage I of the project, can you give us an assurance that there will be no undue delay in the completion of Stage II?

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: If you are looking at me, Sir, I could give no such assurance, because it is completely out of the control of both you and me.

MR. SALES: -Under the control of Government then-that nebulous entity, which is described often as Government and which we have never been able to find out of what matter it is composed? (Laughter)

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -No Sir, it is in the hands of a private architect who has been instructed to go ahead with working drawings and call for tenders, and then it will be in the hands of a Con- tractor who will be chosen after the tender has been called for.

MR. SALES:-Thank you very much. The Director of Public Works has given me the reply I sought. What control will be exercised over the architect and contractor involved in Stage II at Kowloon Tsai Park so that we will not have that very unfortunate and unsatisfactory experience that we had over the Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool and Stage I. That is what I wish to know, Sir?