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(14) MR. HENRY H. L. HU asked the following question:-
Would the Chairman inform the Council when the system of simultaneous translation can be introduced at the meetings of the Council and the various Select Committees?
DR. P. F. WOO, CHAIRMAN OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON A SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION SYSTEM, replied as follows:-
The Ad Hoc Committee on a simultaneous translation system, which was appointed by the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, has met on three occasions and has conducted two experiments. All Members of the Urban Council were invited to witness the last experiment held on 12th November, 1965.
The experiments showed that a simultaneous translation system is technically possible, but many matters of detail still need to be carefully considered. The Ad Hoc Committee will be meeting again shortly to consider these matters and will eventually be making a report to the Standing Committee. Until the matter has been fully considered and approved by the Standing Committee, it is not possible to say when a simultaneous translation system can be introduced.
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, through you, I would ask Dr. Woo a question. Dr. Woo, when was your Ad Hoc Committee appointed?
DR. WOO:- It was appointed on 9th March, 1965.
MR. HU:- And since the 12th November, 1965 your Committee did not do anything?
CHAIRMAN:- Sir, you must address the Chairman.
MR. HU: --I'm sorry. Mr. Chairman, could I ask Dr. Woo through you, did his Ad Hoc Committee do anything after 12th November, 1965?
DR. WOO: Yes sir.
MR. HU: What was that?
DR. WOO:- After the meeting, the secretary and myself-
CHAIRMAN: ---Mr. Hu is still on his feet, he is not leaving the floor to you yet.
DR. WOO: --I am sorry. The answer is yes. After the experiment, the secretary and myself have been trying hard to fix a date for a meeting. It has proved very difficult to find a date suitable to all the members, and it was only three days ago that the matter was decided.
MR. HU:
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Mr. Chairman, through you may I ask, what are the matters to which Dr. Woo referred, that is "many matters of detail still have to be considered". What are these matters?
DR. WOO:- I do not know whether Mr. Hu attended this experiment at the City Hall. If he did, he will realize the technical difficulties.
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, through you, I would say I did not attend this meeting, but I was invited to attend the seminar of the Hong Kong University Students Federation on the 29th December last year. They did very well with this simultaneous translation, both from English to Cantonese, and vice versa and from Mandarin to English and vice versa.
I really don't know, Mr. Chairman, what the technical matters are which are so difficult. Therefore I want to know.
DR. WOO:- I am unable to furnish Mr. Hu with all the details. One thing he must appreciate is that we must have competent interpreters and the second thing, we must have this system installed in this Council chamber.
MR. HU: I would still ask what is your estimate as to when simultaneous translation can be introduced into this Council, and into the Select Committee meetings. As you probably know, Mr. Chairman, I am very much concerned with this matter. If it is possible I would like Dr. Woo to give us an assurance that a system will be introduced as soon as possible.
DR. WOO:- I can assure Mr. Hu I am as eager as himself to produce a report as soon as possible, but the answer to his question is contained in the last paragraph at my reply.
MR. HU:- Do I understand, Mr. Chairman, that Dr. Woo cannot give us the date when this simultaneous translation can be introduced?
DR. WOO:- That is perfectly correct.
Whenever I ask a
MR. HU:- A small protest, Mr. Chairman. supplementary question, you always have that gavel in your hand! (Laughter). I raise my protest again.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I say that the Appointed Members en bloc support Mr. Henry Hu in his protest.
(15) MR. HENRY H. L. HU asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware of the smells which emit from the abattoir at Ma Tau Kok, particularly during the summer season? What steps can be taken to reduce these smells
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(14) MR. HENRY H. L. Hu asked the following question:-
Would the Chairman inform the Council when the system of simultaneous translation can be introduced at the meetings of the Council and the various Select Committees?
DR. P. F. Woo, CHAIRMAN OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON A SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION SYSTEM, replied as follows:-
The Ad Hoc Committee on a simultaneous translation system, which was appointed by the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, has met on three occasions and has con- ducted two experiments. All Members of the Urban Council were invited to witness the last experiment held on 12th November, 1965.
The experiments showed that a simultaneous translation system is technically possible, but many matters of detail still need to be carefully considered. The Ad Hoc Committee will be meeting again shortly to consider these matters and will eventually be making a report to the Standing Com- mittee. Until the matter has been fully considered and approved by the Standing Committee, it is not possible to say when a simultaneous translation system can be in- troduced.
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, through you, I would ask Dr. Woo a question. Dr. Woo, when was your Ad Hoc Committee appointed?
DR. Woo:-It was appointed on 9th March, 1965.
MR. HU:-And since the 12th November, 1965 your Committee did not do anything?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, you must address the Chairman.
MR. HU: --I'm sorry. Mr. Chairman, could I ask Dr. Woo through you, did his Ad Hoc Committee do anything after 12th November, 1965?
DR. Woo: Yes sir.
MR. HU: What was that?
DR. WOO:-After the meeting, the secretary and myself-
CHAIRMAN: ---Mr. Hu is still on his feet, he is not leaving the floor to you yet.
DR. WOO: --I am sorry. The answer is yes. After the experiment, the secretary and myself have been trying hard to fix a date for a meeting. It has proved very difficult to find a date suitable to all the members, and it was only three days ago that the matter was decided.
MR. HU:
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Mr. Chairman, through you may I ask, what are the matters to which Dr. Woo referred, that is "many matters of detail still have to be considered". What are these matters?
DR. Woo:-I do not know whether Mr. Hu attended this experi- ment at the City Hall. If he did, he will realize the technical difficulties.
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, through you, I would say I did not attend this meeting, but I was invited to attend the seminar of the Hong Kong University Students Federation on the 29th December last year. They did very well with this simultaneous translation, both from English to Cantonese, and vice versa and from Mandarin to English and vice I really don't know, Mr. Chairman, what the technical matters are which are so difficult. Therefore I want to know.
versa.
DR. Woo:-I am unable to furnish Mr. Hu with all the details. One thing he must appreciate is that we must have competent inter- preters and the second thing, we must have this system installed in this Council chamber.
MR. HU: I would still ask what is your estimate as to when simultaneous translation can be introduced into this Council, and into the Select Committee meetings. As you probably know, Mr. Chairman, I am very much concerned with this matter. If it is possible I would like Dr. Woo to give us an assurance that a system will be introduced as soon as possible.
DR. Woo:-I can assure Mr. Hu I am as eager as himself to produce a report as soon as possible, but the answer to his question is contained in the last paragraph at my reply.
MR. HU:-Do I understand, Mr. Chairman, that Dr. Woo cannot give us the date when this simultaneous translation can be introduced?
DR. Woo:-That is perfectly correct.
Whenever I ask a
MR. HU:-A small protest, Mr. Chairman. supplementary question, you always have that gavel in your hand! (Laughter). I raise my protest again.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I say that the Appointed Members en bloc support Mr. Henry Hu in his protest.
(15) MR. HENRY H. L. Hu asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware of the smells which emit from the abattoir at Ma Tau Kok, particularly during the summer season? What steps can be taken to reduce these smells
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