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flat K on the third floor, and Ng Kar Kwok's Workshop on the second floor. The Ming Shing Plastic Factory uses flat K for storage and assembly, and it is here in the passageway and also in the side lane on ground floor level that obstruction is caused by the factory. The owner of the factory has been warned about this both verbally and in writing by the Labour Department.
DR. Woo:-I am afraid the Fire Services has not told the truth. (Laughter). The reason that residents complained to my ward was because the Fire Services paid no attention to their complaints, and when they told you that continued action had been taken since July, 1963, it is wrong. The last inspection was made on 6th December, the day after I sent in my question. Would you be good enough to write to the Fire Services saying that as a member of the ward I am not satisfied with this explanation? The second part of my supplementary question. In the last paragraph of your reply you said: "The owner of the factory has been warned by the Labour Department". Can you tell me whether the warning was done before my question or after my question?
CHAIRMAN:-I think Sir, the warning was conveyed after your question.
MR. SALES: Sir, would it not have been easier had you been able to answer this question concurrently as the Director of Fire Services? (Laughter).
MR. Lo: Mr. Chairman, can you tell me whose responsibility it is for the inspection of factory buildings. Is it the Urban Services or the Labour Department?
CHAIRMAN:-Factories are certainly the responsibility of the Labour Department, but Members are I think aware that Health Inspectors, when they visit buildings of any sort, if they see anything untoward such as fire hazards, they do take note of them, and they do make reports to the departments concerned, and the same goes for things connected with factories as well.
MR. Lo:-Do our inspectors inspect the factory buildings in Ma Tau Wei District? I ask this question Mr. Chairman, because I happened to be there only about a couple of weeks ago in conjunction with these medical clinic visits, and I saw there quite a number of plastic factories who were dumping this type of plastic all around outside the building, which in my opinion is not only a fire hazard, but also a health hazard.
CHAIRMAN: I can only say, Sir, I am quite certain that they do not inspect factories as factories. If there is a health hazard then it would be the responsibility of the Health Inspectorate.
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575
MR. FUNG:-Sir, the statement made by the Director of Fire Services was that the plastics used in the plastic factories are not classified within the meaning of Dangerous Goods (Classification) Regulations, 1964, and therefore do not constitute a fire hazard. Now if I am right, I remember last year the Fire Services Department did declare that the plastics used by all the plastic factories in Hong Kong do constitute a fire hazard, although it is not finally proved to be within the Dangerous Goods Regulations. Would you kindly clarify this point?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, this is a technical point which I regret I cannot clarify, but I am prepared to check it if I can with the Fire Services Department. I can assure you what they have said in the material for their reply is correct.
MR. FUNG:-Thank you.
(10) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question:---
Many of the public are disturbed about the case of CHEUNG Shue-kai who was injured in a collision with an Urban Services Department van in September 1963. In view of the remarks made by the Learned Judge in dismissing his civil claim, which seemed to indicate that he himself was equally disturbed in this matter, could you tell me for the benefit of the public:—
(a) whether it is necessary to wait for criminal proceedings against a driver in the magistracy to be concluded before starting a civil action for negligence?
(b) whether Mr. CHEUNG went to a Government Department for advice within the time limit laid down in the then relevant Ordinance?
(c) if so, was his attention drawn to the relevant Ordinance?
(d) generally is the Government going to make a full investigation of the events leading up to Mr. CHEUNG commencing action outside the time limited by the then Ordinance and
(e) whether the Government proposes to pay ex-gratia compensation to him and if so how much?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
The questions put have been fully dealt with in a press statement issued by the Director of Information Services on 31st December, to which I have nothing to add.
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of 382
Page 298 of 382]
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flat K on the third floor, and Ng Kar Kwok's Workshop on the second floor. The Ming Shing Plastic Factory uses flat K for storage and assembly, and it is here in the passageway and also in the side lane on ground floor level that obstruction is caused by the factory. The owner of the factory has been warned about this both verbally and in writing by the Labour Department.
DR. Woo:-I am afraid the Fire Services has not told the truth. (Laughter). The reason that residents complained to my ward was because the Fire Services paid no attention to their complaints, and when they told you that continued action had been taken since July, 1963, it is wrong. The last inspection was made on 6th December, the day after I sent in my question. Would you be good enough to write to the Fire Services saying that as a member of the ward I am not satisfied with this explanation? The second part of my supplementary question. In the last paragraph of your reply you said: "The owner of the factory has been warned by the Labour Department". Can you tell me whether the warning was done before my question or after my question?
CHAIRMAN:-I think Sir, the warning was conveyed after your
question.
MR. SALES: Sir, would it not have been easier had you been able to answer this question concurrently as the Director of Fire Services? (Laughter).
MR. Lo: Mr. Chairman, can you tell me whose responsibility it is for the inspection of factory buildings. Is it the Urban Services or the Labour Department?
CHAIRMAN:-Factories are certainly the responsibility of the Labour Department, but Members are I think aware that Health Inspectors, when they visit buildings of any sort, if they see anything untoward such as fire hazards, they do take note of them, and they do make reports to the departments concerned, and the same goes for things connected with factories as well.
MR. Lo:-Do our inspectors inspect the factory buildings in Ma Tau Wei District? I ask this question Mr. Chairman, because I happened to be there only about a couple of weeks ago in conjunction with these medical clinic visits, and I saw there quite a number of plastic factories who were dumping this type of plastic all around outside the building, which in my opinion is not only a fire hazard, but also a health hazard.
CHAIRMAN: I can only say, Sir, I am quite certain that they do not inspect factories as factories. If there is a health hazard then it would be the responsibility of the Health Inspectorate.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
575
MR. FUNG:-Sir, the statement made by the Director of Fire Services was that the plastics used in the plastic factories are not classified within the meaning of Dangerous Goods (Classification) Regulations, 1964, and therefore do not constitute a fire hazard. Now if I am right, I remember last year the Fire Services Department did declare that the plastics used by all the plastic factories in Hong Kong do constitute a fire hazard, although it is not finally proved to be within the Dangerous Goods Regulations. Would you kindly clarify this point?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, this is a technical point which I regret I cannot clarify, but I am prepared to check it if I can with the Fire Services Depart- I can assure you what they have said in the material for their reply is correct.
ment.
MR. FUNG:-Thank you.
(10) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question:---
Many of the public are disturbed about the case of CHEUNG Shue-kai who was injured in a collision with an Urban Services Department van in September 1963. In view of the remarks made by the Learned Judge in dismissing his civil claim, which seemed to indicate that he himself was equally disturbed in this matter, could you tell me for the benefit of the public:—
(a) whether it is necessary to wait for criminal proceedings against a driver in the magistracy to be concluded before starting a civil action for negligence?
(b) whether Mr. CHEUNG went to a Government Depart- ment for advice within the time limit laid down in the then relevant Ordinance?
(c) if so, was his attention drawn to the relevant Ordinance? (d) generally is the Government going to make a full investigation of the events leading up to Mr. CHEUNG commencing action outside the time limited by the then Ordinance and
(e) whether the Government proposes to pay ex-gratia
compensation to him and if so how much?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
The questions put have been fully dealt with in a press statement issued by the Director of Information Services on 31st December, to which I have nothing to add.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.