HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
hawkers on the west side, and no obstruction was being caused by these hawkers. There were also two cooked food stalls present, which concern the next question.
Part (d). Following receipt of the question, cooked food stall No. 15 near the junction of the roads, and cooked food stall No. 7 some little distance away further north, were visited by staff of the department. On that occasion they were found to be generally clean and satisfactory, except for a small amount of refuse and food remnants scattered under and around them. The persons concerned were warned. Subsequently, on the 19th November, the stalls were seen by the Assistant Director to be properly clean and tidy.
Part (e). As you probably know, Sir, the hawker situation in Kowloon City Road between Sheung Heung and Lok Shan Roads is unsatisfactory. The obstruction at the junction referred to in the question is only a part of the problem. On 19th November, hawkers were observed who had pushed and edged their handcarts out into the carriageway at the junction until there was scarcely room on these wide streets for one-way traffic. The Assistant Director reported the matter to Kowloon City Police Station, and action has since been taken by the Police to clear and maintain a passage for vehicles at the junction.
I will now deal with the parts of the question concerning street cleansing.
The answer to part (b) is that the baskets referred to were removed on the same morning that you visited the area, that is the morning of the 27th October.
The answer to part (f) is that the mud and earth was removed the following morning by the Public Works Department contractor responsible.
Parts (g) and (h) refer to junk and refuse collection points near the Kowloon City hawker area. There are three collections daily scheduled for 9.45 a.m., 3.15 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. Instructions have been issued to keep these collection points under observation.
DR. R. H. S. LEE:-Mr. Chairman, I would like to know the name of the Assistant Director you referred to in your reply, and if you will let me have his name I will direct him to the Assistant Health Officer who accompanied me. These very words come from his own report, and if you need substantiation I will produce his report from my office on his own typewritten form.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, the Assistant Director who made the visit was Mr. G. M. TINGLE. I do not dispute, Sir, in any regard at all, that you saw certain conditions in these areas. I merely took pains to explain what we have tried to do to ameliorate these conditions.
DR. BELL:—Mr. Chairman, a supplementary question on Dr. LEE's question regarding your answer, or part of your answer, which concerned hawking. It is unlikely at 10 a.m. that you find much in the way of this type of hawking. The hours to visit, I have found myself if you want to check on these areas, is at early morning between 6 and 8, and between 5 and 10 p.m. in the evening. Would it not be a better idea in future if the visits were paid when the hawkers are in fact in the streets?
CHAIRMAN: ---Thank you very much.
(2) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:
(a) Will you tell us whether Government intends setting up a Countryside Commission as has now been done in the United Kingdom?
(b) If so, because of this Council's interest in public open space in the New Territories, will we be consulted and represented?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
I think, Sir, that you are referring to the statement by Mr. WILLEY, Minister of Land and Natural Resources, when he addressed "The Countryside in 1970" conference in London on 12th November this year. Mr. WILLEY referred to the publication shortly of a White Paper which would propose that the National Parks Commission be reconstituted as the Countryside Commission and its interests extended to cover "the provision of opportunities for the enjoyment of the countryside generally". I will arrange for copies of the White Paper to be circulated to Council Members as soon as it is published, but until we know more about the British Government's proposals I suggest that it would be premature to assume that they will be applicable to Hong Kong.
Regarding the second part of the question, I will certainly inform the Colonial Secretary that the Council wishes to be consulted and represented.
MR. SALES: -Sir, are you suggesting in any way that Hong Kong does not need any countryside commission, or any attention to be paid to our countryside?
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hawkers on the west side, and no obstruction was being caused by these hawkers. There were also two cooked food stalls present, which concern the next question.
Part (d). Following receipt of the question, cooked food stall No. 15 near the junction of the roads, and cooked food stall No. 7 some little distance away further north, were visited by staff of the department. On that occasion they were found to be generally clean and satisfactory, except for a small amount of refuse and food remnants scattered under and around them. The persons concerned were warned. Subsequently, on the 19th November, the stalls were seen by the Assistant Director to be properly clean and tidy.
Part (e). As you probably know, Sir, the hawker situation in Kowloon City Road between Sheung Heung and Lok Shan Roads is unsatisfactory. The obstruction at the junction referred to in the question is only a part of the problem. On 19th November, hawkers were observed who had pushed and edged their handcarts out into the carriageway at the junction until there was scarcely room on these wide streets for one-way traffic. The Assistant Director reported the matter to Kowloon City Police Station, and action has since been taken by the Police to clear and maintain a passage for vehicles at the junction.
I will now deal with the parts of the question concerning street
cleansing.
The answer to part (b) is that the baskets referred to were removed on the same morning that you visited the area, that is the morning of the 27th October.
The answer to part (f) is that the mud and earth was removed the following morning by the Public Works Department contractor responsible.
Parts (g) and (h) refer to junk and refuse collection points near the Kowloon City hawker area. There are three collections daily scheduled for 9.45 a.m., 3.15 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. Instructions have been issued to keep these collection points under observation.
DR. R. H. S. LEE:-Mr. Chairman, I would like to know the name of the Assistant Director you referred to in your reply, and if you will let me have his name I will direct him to the Assistant Health Officer who accompanied me. These very words come from his own report, and if you need substantiation I will produce his report from my office on his own typewritten form.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
409
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, the Assistant Director who made the visit was Mr. G. M. TINGLE. I do not dispute, Sir, in any regard at all, that you saw certain conditions in these areas. I merely took pains to explain what we have tried to do to ameliorate these conditions.
DR. BELL:—Mr. Chairman, a supplementary question on Dr. LEE's question regarding your answer, or part of your answer, which concern- ed hawking. It is unlikely at 10 a.m. that you find much in the way of this type of hawking. The hours to visit, I have found myself if you want to check on these areas, is at early morning between 6 and 8, and between 5 and 10 p.m. in the evening. Would it not be a better idea in future if the visits were paid when the hawkers are in fact in the streets?
CHAIRMAN: ---Thank you very much.
(2) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:·
(a) Will you tell us whether Government intends setting up a Countryside Commission as has now been done in the United Kingdom?
(b) If so, because of this Council's interest in public open space in the New Territories, will we be consulted and represented?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
I think, Sir, that you are referring to the statement by Mr. WILLEY, Minister of Land and Natural Resources, when he addressed "The Countryside in 1970" conference in London on 12th November this year. Mr. WILLEY refer- red to the publication shortly of a White Paper which would propose that the National Parks Commission be reconstituted as the Countryside Commission and its in- terests extended to cover "the provision of opportunities for the enjoyment of the countryside generally". I will arrange for copies of the White Paper to be circulated to Council Members as soon as it is published, but until we know more above the British Government's proposals I suggest that it would be premature to assume that they will be applicable to Hong Kong.
Regarding the second part of the question, I will certainly in- form the Colonial Secretary that the Council wishes to be consulted and represented.
MR. SALES: -Sir, are you suggesting in any way that Hong Kong does not need any countryside commission, or any attention to be paid to our countryside?
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