1965 — Page 209

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Page 209 of 382

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. SALES:--Sir, you have persuaded me to speak on this motion when I did not intend to do so, particularly as the procedural motion put forward by my two colleagues on the Urban Amenities Select Committee appears to be carrying the day, especially with such eloquent support given by our colleague, Mr. Solomon RAFEEK.

You, Sir, suggested that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN read with tremendous care the Report on gambling. I, Sir, suggest to you that Mr. CHEONG- LEEN must be far more persuasive than he has been on the subject of the Fire Services Department to convince me not to buy tickets on the Kwangtung Handicap or the Derby, as I am doing my best to try my chances in order that I may retire from the Urban Council and enjoy my leisure in the same park that Mr. Li Yiu-bor wishes you to set up for old men.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-On a point of order, Mr. SALES is talking about legal gambling.

MR. SALES: Sir, gambling in itself is not bad. It is only the excess of gambling that is bad; the harm which gambling brings to families of people gambling to excess has to be avoided. So there it is, as far as it concerns people who by nature wish to have a flutter. But the creation of parks merely as diversion from gambling is a hopeless pursuit.

The creation of public open space must be pursued as an end in itself so that the people of Hong Kong may be given an opportunity to while away their leisure, more particularly the youth of the Colony, so that they may grow up with all the advantages which the playing of games teaches the young.

Mr. Chairman, when Mr. CHEONG-LEEN suggested that this motion might be put up, we supported him wholeheartedly because even though we consider Mr. CHEONG-LEEN an inveterate kibitzer, nevertheless we felt that with this encouragement from the side-lines rather than as a member of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, our cause might be served. Today it transpires that the members of the Select Committee would prefer that this matter, which is within the purview of the Select Committee, should be dealt with in due time.

We believe that everyone in Hong Kong who wants to offer opinion and advice on matters of public recreation should be given the opportu- nity to do so. In the case of Mr. CHEONG-LEEN I have not failed, Sir, to extend an invitation for him to attend our Select Committee meet- ings. I recall, in all the years that we have been on this Council together, that it was only on one occasion that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN has visited us, and on that occasion his contribution has certainly been worthwhile- it retarded the construction of a playground by eighteen months because he wanted the style of it to be changed from that approved by the Select Committee to modern Oriental. (Laughter)

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-It was a good thing.

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MR. SALES:-The children having been deprived of playing facilities for so long, I am quite sure that gamblers likewise can wait an equal length of time before being reformed in a Civic manner. (Laughter)

Mr. Chairman, may I suggest that the Urban Services Department would take a very poor view of me were I not to take the opportunity today to table the record of achievement of the Urban Services Department under the aegis of the Urban Amenities Select Committee. This is a very proud record indeed-in fact the Council need not be ashamed of its progress in the way of public recreation facilities in Hong Kong. Much planning has been done for the future, and it remains for these programmes to be carried out in time as and when money and land become available. Money and land will become available in good measure. While we appreciate all the support that may be given to us we think that the suggestion ought to be made that the Select Committee should be left to its own devices to do the work that it has done so remarkably well, because all our success depends on careful planning and programming, and if people wish to join with us we welcome them, but to shout instructions from the side-lines apparently irks some members of my Select Committee.

May I in the same way as my senior colleague used to do with the platform of the Reform Club, table the platform of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, including all those maps and plans which are available for display.

(MR. SALES tabled 10 items planned by the Urban Amenities

Select Committee)

Sir, I would also have liked to have planted a tree to show how it is done, but unfortunately I believe you consider that to be most improper and contrary to Standing Orders, why, I don't know. (Laughter)

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, first of all let me say that I have no objection to the amendment to the motion as moved by Mr. FORSGATE and seconded by Dr. BELL, but for the life of me I can't under- stand how previous speakers have gone off the mark! (Laughter) If they will read my motion carefully they will see that all that I am asking is that this Council should endorse the recommendation in Paragraph 51(xiii) of the Report of the Advisory Committee on Gambling Policy, "that more recreation grounds and other public amenities be provided for the healthy recreation of the public and urges closer co-operation between Government and this Council in the implementation of such recommendation."