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either by immersion for one minute at a temperature of at least 75°F. in an approved effective non-toxic solution of bactericidal agent or by washing in an approved type of washing machine.
By-law 30 has been amended so as to provide that a licence under that by-law is not required in the case of the foods specified in items 6, 7 and 8 of the Second Schedule if the food is contained in an unopened hermetically sealed container or where the food is to be used in the preparation of any article of food for sale, if it is contained in such a container until it is about to be used.
By-law 31 has been amended so as to differentiate more clearly between a food factory and a restaurant so as to make it clear that the reference to the business of a hawker in the definitions "food factory", "fresh provision shop", "restaurant" and "siu mei and lo mei shop", refers to a licensed hawker only.
By-law 31 has also been amended so as to specify further conditions to which a licence under that by-law may be subject.
By-law 33A has been added to provide that a licence for the sale of siu mei or lo mei may not be granted in respect of premises in which a business involving the sale of fresh meat is also carried on.
Sir, I now move this motion standing in my name.
DR. Woo:-I would like to second the motion.
CHAIRMAN: --The motion before the Council has been proposed by Mr. WONG and seconded by Dr. Woo.
The question was put.
The motion was carried.
(3) Mr. A. de O. Sales, Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, moved the following motion:
That the Pleasure Grounds (Amendment) (No. 2) By-laws 1965 be made under section 109 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, 1960.
He said: I wish to put the motion which appears as the 3rd. one under paragraph 4. It is merely to obtain the sanction of this Council for the practice of adjusting the fees applicable to the squash courts during certain times of the day when the courts are not in as great a use as otherwise is the case. I believe that this motion will find the approval of this Council, still I would not like to miss this opportunity to speak about the deficiency which exists in Kowloon over the matter of squash courts. I recall that when these squash courts were planned and the approval of the Council was obtained the opinion was expressed that similar facilities would be provided for Kowloon in just about the same time. Seven years have elapsed since the opening of the squash courts at Victoria Park; in the interval the people of Kowloon have been deprived of the use of such recreational facilities unless they wish to come across the harbour, many of whom very wisely refrain from doing so. Therefore, Sir, I would like to suggest to you through this opportunity that when facilities are made available to the public, such facilities should be made available equally to the people of Kowloon who number more than those living on the island; discrimination has gone on long enough and now regard should be had to the changed circumstances obtaining in the Colony. I move the motion which stands in my name.
DR. LEE:-Mr. Chairman, although I am not a squash court player, nor a resident of Kowloon, I would not like to deprive the residents of Kowloon of their squash courts. In seconding Mr. SALES' motion, I think there is very good merit in raising the fee during the times when it is in most use by the public, so as to get a little bit more public revenue into the public coffer since it has suffered recently a slight reverse instead of an abundance as in former years. Mr. Chairman, I rise to second the motion.
DR. BELL:—I doubt very much whether the people of Kowloon, if they ever get to the stage of having a squash court, would be able to afford to play on it if the fees go on being increased. I was away I think when the decision was made to increase these fees. I don't approve of it and I speak very strongly against this motion. probably in the minority. I think that recreation of this sort should not be a costly thing. It is using public ground, public money is being spent on the thing, and it should be available to all members of the public. The cost of playing a round of golf—and surely a golf-course takes more maintenance than a squash court—in a country where the fees paid to workmen and labourers are extremely high as compared with the salaries paid to them here, is only 9d. a round, that is to say 60¢ a round, and it would probably take about 2 to 2¼ hours to complete that round. In other words our recreation facilities here are becoming so expensive as to preclude the ordinary man in the street and ordinary children in the street from using them. I disapprove very strongly of raising the fees for recreation facilities in our public parks and playgrounds, such as squash courts and tennis courts and the like. I think that if we are suffering a setback, such as has been suggested by Dr. LEE in seconding this motion, and we are in short supply of funds, then these funds must be got in the proper method of taxation in the Colony, and I speak very strongly
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either by immersion for one minute at a temperature of at least 75°F. in an approved effective non-toxic solution of bactericidal agent or by washing in an approved type of washing machine.
By-law 30 has been amended so as to provide that a licence under that by-law is not required in the case of the foods specified in items 6, 7 and 8 of the Second Schedule if the food is contained in an unopened hermetically sealed container or where the food is to be used in the preparation of any article of food for sale, if it is contained in such a container until it is about to be used.
By-law 31 has been amended so as to differentiate more clearly between a food factory and a restaurant so as to make it clear that the reference to the business of a hawker in the definitions "food factory", "fresh provision shop", "restaurant" and "siu mei and lo mei shop", refers to a licensed hawker only.
By-law 31 has also been amended so as to specify further con- ditions to which a licence under that by-law may be subject.
By-law 33A has been added to provide that a licence for the sale of siu mei or lo mei may not be granted in respect of premises in which a business involving the sale of fresh meat is also carried on.
Sir, I now move this motion standing in my name.
DR. Woo:-I would like to second the motion.
CHAIRMAN: --The motion before the Council has been proposed by Mr. WONG and seconded by Dr. Woo.
The question was put.
The motion was carried.
(3) Mr. A. de O. Sales, Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, moved the following motion:
That the Pleasure Grounds (Amendment) (No. 2) By-laws 1965 be made under section 109 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, 1960.
He said: I wish to put the motion which appears as the 3rd. one under paragraph 4. It is merely to obtain the sanction of this Council for the practice of adjusting the fees applicable to the squash courts during certain times of the day when the courts are not in as great a use as otherwise is the case. I believe that this motion will find the approval of this Council, still I would not like to miss this op-
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
321
portunity to speak about the deficiency which exists in Kowloon over the matter of squash courts. I recall that when these squash courts were planned and the approval of the Council was obtained the opinion was expressed that similar facilities would be provided for Kowloon in just about the same time. Seven years have elapsed since the opening of the squash courts at Victoria Park; in the interval the people of Kowloon have been deprived of the use of such recreational facilities unless they wish to come across the harbour, many of whom very wisely refrain from doing so. Therefore, Sir, I would like to suggest to you through this opportunity that when facilities are made available to the public, such facilities should be made available equally to the people of Kowloon who number more than those living on the island; discrimination has gone on long enough and now regard should be had to the changed circumstances obtaining in the Colony. I move the motion which stands in my name.
DR. LEE:-Mr. Chairman, although I am not a squash court player, nor a resident of Kowloon, I would not like to deprive the residents of Kowloon of their squash courts. In seconding Mr. SALES' motion, I think there is very good merit in raising the fee during the times when it is in most use by the public, so as to get a little bit more public revenue into the public coffer since it has suffered recently a slight reverse instead of an abundance as in former years. Mr. Chairman, I rise to second the motion.
I am
DR. BELL:—I doubt very much whether the people of Kowloon, if they ever get to the stage of having a squash court, would be able to afford to play on it if the fees go on being increased. I was away I think when the decision was made to increase these fees. I don't approve of it and I speak very strongly against this motion. probably in the minority. I think that recreation of this sort should not be a costly thing. It is using public ground, public money is being spent on the thing, and it should be available to all members of the public. The cost of playing a round of golf-and surely a golf- course takes more maintenance than a squash court-in a country where the fees paid to workmen and labourers are extremely high as compared with the salaries paid to them here, is only 9d. a round, that is to say 60¢ a round, and it would probably take about 2 to 24 hours to complete that round. In other words our recreation facilities here are becoming so expensive as to preclude the ordinary man in the street and ordinary children in the street from using them. I disapprove very strongly of raising the fees for recreation facilities in our public parks and playgrounds, such as squash courts and tennis courts and the like. I think that if we are suffering a setback, such as has been suggested by Dr. LEE in seconding this motion, and we are in short supply of funds, then these funds must be got in the proper method of taxation in the Colony, and I speak very strongly
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