Page 256 of 382
490
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
implemented, will provide 80% of subsidized school places by 1970. With this universal or partly universal or nearly universal primary education in sight, it will not be too difficult to gradually introduce compulsory education within the estates. Family planning education and service should also be incorporated into the Medical Education and Social Welfare set-up in order to encourage the families especially those living in Resettlement Estates to keep the size of their families within their ability. The present practice and regulations for subsidized school places, for decantation in Resettlement housing, for tax exemption, for maternity leaves, etc. tend to encourage larger and larger families which is the root of all our problems in Hong Kong.
Last year I proposed and I will continue to press for a 'round-the-island' highway with lights, promenades and trees to make the island of Hong Kong and the harbour even more breathtakingly beautiful, especially at night, and more important than the other to provide a strolling and sitting-out area overlooking the sea for the children and their parents to spend an afternoon or evening away from the noise, the dust and smoke of the pigeon holes which they call home. This road will also help to relieve traffic between East and West.
We are told that tourism is our second largest export. The number of tourists is estimated to be approximately for this year at least 350,000 and will soon reach a million. What have we to attract more and more to come? The Colony is becoming a concrete jungle by day and the city of Victoria a ghost town by night. If the police keep on towing cars away from the streets at night, the theatres, restaurants and night clubs will soon lose even the local business. Many interesting and historical landmarks are gone; the picturesque and quaint villages are disappearing one by one. I refer in particular to the quarries on the south side of the island and Lamma Island, where these beautiful bays are.
We cannot stop progress but we must strive to preserve our natural beauty and history, what little that is left. We still have a few walled cities, hundreds of years old, in the New Territories where community living within the protection of a wall against bandits and pirates was part of Hong Kong's history. These must be preserved with Government assistance to keep the new towns from crowding them out of existence. Scenic spots should be properly maintained for public enjoyment. Stone quarries should not be permitted near beaches and bays frequented by boats and ferries with people from the city who wish to get away for a day of peace and tranquility. The town centre of Hong Kong must be kept alive at night with lights from the streets and show windows with people and music and gaiety, places to park their cars, things to do and places to go—theatres, restaurants, night clubs, concerts, and others.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
491
Hong Kong is not only a tourist centre alone but also an international port of great importance. More and more trade missions, commercial and professional conventions and international conferences are coming to Hong Kong, because of our good hotels, marketing potentiality, low taxes, large labour force, fabulous shopping facilities and the tremendous development in housing and other social services which stimulate the imagination of all our visitors. We need a bigger and better Convention Hall, an Exhibition Centre for all the quality products, goods and handicraft industries, a separate Museum and Art Gallery Building, and many more libraries in different districts, and an extension to the present City Hall which activity is busily altered seems. All these provisions for the near future should be further studied and planned for by the Town Planning Board with official representatives from this Council.
Last but not least in my thoughts is my fond wish for the biggest, the most authentic and most beautiful Chinese garden in Hong Kong. In many European countries, there is usually a Chinese room either in the palace or museum. Even in America, the China Town of San Francisco and the Chinese Village of Coral Gable in Florida have very good replicas of Chinese architecture. But in Hong Kong, where 95% of the population are Chinese, we cannot even boast of any outstanding building with authentic Chinese architecture. To have a Chinese garden with pagodas and pavilions, bamboos and rocks, bridges and ponds will surely put Hong Kong on the map like the Heidelberg Zoo in Hamburg or the Disneyland in Los Angeles.
I understand that Government is considering the possibility of having an oceanarium and experts were invited to study the question. No doubt the oceanarium will be an additional attraction, but it is nothing new, nor is it original. Any oceanarium that Hong Kong can afford and can manage properly will be at best a poor imitation of those in the cities of the United States and Japan. As most of our tourists come from the United States, let us give them something special, something different, and something representative of our heritage, our history and culture; something beautiful and impressive that they will remember for life. Instead of the old saying "see Naples and die", our new motto for travellers to Hong Kong should now be "see Hong Kong and live to come again and again". (Applause).
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in supporting the motion before Council. (Applause).
MR. CHEUNG WING-IN:- Mr. Chairman, when the people of Hong Kong have a grievance to voice, some of them visit Urban Councillors in their Ward offices, some complain to the Umelco, while others write
Page 256 of 382
Page 256 of 382
490
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
implemented, will provide 80% of subsidized school places by 1970. With this universal or partly universal or nearly universal primary education in sight, it will not be too difficult to gradually introduce compulsory education within the estates. Family planning education and service should also be incorporated into the Medical Education and Social Welfare set-up in order to encourage the families especially those living in Resettlement Estates to keep the size of their families within their ability. The present practice and regulations for sub- sidized school places, for decantation in Resettlement housing, for tax exemption, for maternity leaves, etc. tend to encourage larger and larger families which is the root of all our problems in Hong Kong.
Last year I proposed and I will continue to press for a 'round-the- island' high way with lights, promenades and trees to make the island of Hong Kong and the harbour even more breathtakingly beautiful, especially at night, and more important than the other to provide a strolling and sitting-out area overlooking the sea for the children and their parents to spend an afternoon or evening away from the noise, the dust and smoke of the pigeon holes which they call home. This road will also help to relieve traffic between East and West.
We are told that tourism is our second largest export. The number of tourists is estimated to be approximately for this year at least 350,000 and will soon reach million. What have we to attract more and more to come? The Colony is becoming a concrete jungle by day and the city of Victoria a ghost town by night. If the police keeps on towing cars away from the streets at night, the theatres, restaurants and night clubs will soon lose even the local business. Many interesting and historical landmarks are gone; the picturesque and quaint villages are disappearing one by one. I refer in particular to the quarries on the south side of the island and Lamma Island, where these beautiful bays
are.
We can not stop progress but we must strive to preserve our natural beauty and history what little that is left. We still have a few walled cities, hundreds of years old, in the New Territories where community living within the protection of a wall against bandits and pirates was part of Hong Kong's history. These must be preserved with Govern- ment assistance to keep the new towns from crowding them out of existence. Scenic spots should be properly maintained for public enjoy- ment. Stone quarries should not be permitted near beaches and bays frequented by boats and ferries with people from the city who wish to get away for a day of peace and tranquility. The town centre of Hong Kong must be kept alive at night with lights from the streets and show windows with people and music and gaiety. to park their cars, things to do and places to go-theatres, restaurants, night clubs, concerts, and other.
But they must have places
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
491
Hong Kong is not only a tourist centre alone but also an inter- national port of great importance. More and more trade missions, commercial and professional conventions and international conferences are coming to Hong Kong, because of our good hotels, marketing potentiality, low taxes, large labour force, fabulous shopping facilities and the tremendous development in housing and other social services which stimulate the imagination of all our visitors. We need a bigger and better Convention Hall, an Exhibition Centre for all the quality products, goods and handicraft industries, a separate Museum and Art Gallery Building, and many many more libraries in different districts, and an extension to the present City Hall which activity is busily altered seams. All these provision for the near future should be further studied and planned for by the Town Planning Board with official representatives from this Council.
Last but not least in my thoughts is my fond wish for the biggest, the most authentic and most beautiful Chinese garden in Hong Kong. In many European countries there is usually a Chinese room either in the palace or museum. Even in America, the China Town of San Francisco and the Chinese Village of Coral Gable in Florida have very good replicas of Chinese architecture. But in Hong Kong where 95% of the population are Chinese, we can not even boast of any outstanding building with authentic Chinese architecture. To have a Chinese garden with pagodas and pavilions, bamboos and rocks, bridges and ponds will surely put Hong Kong on the map like the Heiderburg Zoo in Hamburg or the Disneyland in Los Angeles.
I understand that Government is considering the possibility of having an oceanarium and experts were invited to study the question. No doubt the oceanarium will be an additional attraction, but it is nothing new, nor is it original. Any oceanarium that Hong Kong can afford and can manage properly will be at best a poor imitation of those in the cities of the United States and Japan. As most of our tourists come from the United States let us give them something special, some- thing different, and something representative of our heritage, our history and culture; something beautiful and impressive that they will remember for life. Instead of the old saying "see Naples and die", our new motto for travellers to Hong Kong should now be "see Hong Kong and live to come and come again". (Applause).
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in sup- porting the motion before Council. (Applause).
MR. CHEUNG WING-IN:-Mr. Chairman, when the people of Hong Kong have a grievance to voice, some of them visit Urban Councillors in their Ward offices, some complain to the Umelco, while others write
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