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catches up on them. I strongly advocate a return to the policy of severely warning them initially, following this up with suspension or cancellation of licence wherever the Committee is satisfied beyond doubt that these measures are necessary, and firmly adhering to such decisions once taken.
I referred earlier to the 20,000 licensed pedlar hawkers and the estimated 40,000 unlicensed pedlars in the urban areas. These are the small-scale traders to be found in most secondary streets and resettlement estates throughout the Colony, trading from every conceivable kind of platform, tables, baskets, boxes, bicycles, trolleys and stalls. They sell most things, invariably where there is a confluence of customers, and equally invariably bring in their wake problems of obstruction, cleansing and road surface deterioration. They trade in contravention of their licences as de facto fixed pitch hawkers but do not pay for the privilege. The result is confusion, with established fixed pitch hawkers being forced to leave their sites and struggle against these "pedlars" for a living. The Council has long recognised these facts, but the sheer weight of numbers involved has caused its controlling efforts to be diffused and to lose their effectiveness. We are, therefore, merely stemming the tide just now, and if we want more headway we must press the Government strongly to provide funds and land for hawker bazaars which are generally acknowledged to be at least a partial solution to the problem, and one, moreover, which is acceptable to all concerned. The Fa Yuen Street Bazaar operation supports this contention, and for a start I should like to see early similar developments behind Kowloon City Market and in the centre of Kwun Tong.
But none of these measures will to my mind have any permanent beneficial effect if we do not recognise that our present policy of issuing pedlar hawker licences without restriction requires urgent review. We are doing no service to the community or to the bona fide hawker by making pedlar licences freely available, and I therefore urge an urgent re-examination of this entire issue, during which re-examination there should be a temporary ban on the issue of all new licences with the exception of welfare cases.
Lest I give the impression that all is gloom in the field of hawkers, I must mention the successful introduction earlier this year of the Council's scheme for gazetting all major traffic routes as being prohibited to hawking, and concentrating hawkers in minor streets and cul-de-sacs where their operations do not adversely affect traffic, whether it be vehicular or pedestrian. The continued success of this scheme is, however, dependent almost entirely on the formation of off-street bazaars to contain the hawkers displaced from the streets, and I reiterate my view that we must concentrate much of our thought and effort towards obtaining from Government the necessary land and funds for such projects.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Articles and letters have appeared in the press about the Hawker Control Force, all of them deprecating their operation and accusing them of corruption and of bullying hawkers indiscriminately. This force was created by the Urban Council and should be supported by them. Instead of being reduced or abolished it should be increased so that all hawkers are under the attention of the H.C.F. This would relieve the Police and the Urban Council sanitary inspectors from having additional work.
Naturally the hawkers are against this as they would rather have the police and health officers who cannot concentrate on them exclusively being responsible for their discipline and discipline is what is needed.
I think, Mr. Chairman, that what I have said regarding hawkers could probably be condensed into the message "Co-operate or take the consequences". Any policy of increased leniency for hawkers is bound to end in chaos.
Nearly every morning until recently I have driven in along Harcourt Road (I now come in via Repulse Bay) and seem to stop by a sign on the water front "An Urban Pleasure Ground" near the helicopter landing zone. This morning I was tempted, with apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, to put it to verse. I understand the poet wrote the poem under the influence of opium and perhaps had Freudian thoughts on his mind:
On Kowloon side did Sonny Sales An Urban Pleasure Ground decree;
'long Nathan Road the traffic ran
Through buildings measured by the P.W. man
Down to the Star Ferry.
(Laughter).
There is mention in the poem of damsels playing with dulcimers, but rather than offend any of our charming lady members I will not single one of them out—yet!
Mr. Chairman, as always it has been a pleasure to work with you and the staff of the Urban Council during the last year, and before we speak again publicly you will be on leave, I understand you will be going on leave shortly in Northern England, and I know you will return refreshed to cope once more with your recalcitrant members.
With these few words, Mr. Chairman, I support the Statement of Aims for 1965.
Page 229 of 382
436
437
If 382
Page 229 of 382'
436
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
catches up on them. I strongly advocate a return to the policy of severely warning them initially, following this up with suspension or cancellation of licence wherever the Committee is satisfied beyond doubt that these measures are necessary, and firmly adhering to such decisions once taken.
I referred earlier to the 20,000 licensed pedlar hawkers and the estimated 40,000 unlicensed pedlars in the urban areas. These are the small-scale traders to be found in most secondary streets and resettle- ment estates throughout the Colony, trading from every conceivable kind of platform, tables, baskets, boxes, bicycles, trolleys and stalls. They sell most things, invariably where there is a confluence of customers, and equally invariably bring in their wake problems of obstruction, cleansing and road surface deterioration. They trade in contravention of their licences as de facto fixed pitch hawkers but do not pay for the privilege. The result is confusion, with established fixed pitch hawkers being forced to leave their sites and struggle against these "pedlars" for a living. The Council has long recognized these facts, but the sheer weight of numbers involved has caused it controlling efforts to be diffused and to lose their effectiveness. We are, therefore, merely stemming the tide just now, and if we want more headway we must press the Government strongly to provide funds and land for hawker bazaars which are generally acknowledged to be at least a partial solution to the problem, and one, moreover, which is acceptable to all concerned. The Fa Yuen Street Bazaar operation supports this contention, and for a start I should like to see early similar develop- ments behind Kowloon City Market and in the centre of Kwun Tong.
But none of these measures will to my mind have any permanent beneficial effect if we do not recognize that our present policy of issuing pedlar hawker licences without restriction requires urgent review. Wę are doing no service to the community or to the bona fide hawker by making pedlar licences freely available, and I therefore urge an urgent re-examination of this entire issue, during which re-examination there should be a temporary ban on the issue of all new licences with the exception of welfare cases.
Lest I give the impression that all is gloom in the field of hawkers, I must mention the successful introduction earlier this year of the Council's scheme for gazetting all major traffic routes as being pro- hibited to hawking, and concentrating hawkers in minor streets and cul-de-sacs where their operations do not adversely affect traffic, whether it be vehicular or pedestrian. The continued success of this scheme is, however, dependent almost entirely on the formation of off-street bazaars to contain the hawkers displaced from the streets, and I reiterate my view that we must concentrate much of our thought and effort towards obtaining from Government the necessary land and funds for such projects.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
437
Articles and letters have appeared in the press about the Hawker Control Force, all of them deprecating their operation and accusing This them of corruption and of bullying hawkers indiscriminately. force was created by the Urban Council and should be supported by them. Instead of being reduced or abolished it should be increased so that all hawkers are under the attention of the H.C.F. This would relieve the Police and the Urban Council sanitary inspectors from having additional work.
Naturally the hawkers are against this as they would rather have the police and health officers who cannot concentrate on them exclu- sively being responsible for their discipline and discipline is what is needed.
I think, Mr. Chairman, that what I have said regarding hawkers could probably be condensed into the message "Co-operate or take the consequences". Any policy of increased leniency for hawkers is bound to end in chaos.
Nearly every morning until recently I have driven in along Harcourt Road (I now come in via Repulse Bay) and seem to stop by a sign on the water front "An Urban Pleasure Ground" near the helicopter landing zone. This morning I was tempted, with apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, to put it to verse. I understand the poet wrote the poem under the influence of opium and perhaps had Freudian thoughts on his mind:
On Kowloon side did Sonny Sales An Urban Pleasure Ground decree;
'long Nathan Road the traffic ran
Through buildings measured by the P. W. man
Down to the Star Ferry.
(Laughter).
There is mention in the poem of damsels playing with dulcimers, but rather than offend any of our charming lady members I will not single one of them out-yet!
Mr. Chairman, as always it has been a pleasure to work with you and the staff of the Urban Council during the last year, and before we speak again publicly you will be on leave, I understand you will be going on leave shortly in Northern England, and I know you will return refreshed to cope once more with your recalcitrant members.
With these few words, Mr. Chairman, I support the Statement of Aims for 1965.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.