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various councils want to serve on these committees. At the very least, Sir, I should have expected that you would have read the recommenda- tions.

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, paragraph 3 of the answer says "the results of police action do not indicate that this type of gambling is so prevalent in other estates." May I suggest that possibly the results may indicate that not enough action is taken; and I would like to ask Mr. BARTY, through you, if the Police could be more active in those estates mentioned here, because my information would contradict this.

CHAIRMAN:-I will be very glad to put your point to Mr. Barty.

(17) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:—

(a) I have received suggestions that the Urban Council should co-operate with the Shau Kei Wan Kaifong Association in improving the facilities at the Shau Kei Wan Kaifong play- ground, which is the only playground available for the 200,000 residents living in Shau Kei Wan; will the Secre- tary for Chinese Affairs be prepared to use his good offices in this respect?

(b) Can the Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Com- mittee advise how many street playgrounds are planned for Shau Kei Wan? When will the first street playground be opened and where will it be located?

MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-

In answer to the first part of the question, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs very much regrets that he has been pre- vented from attending the meeting to speak on this matter for himself, but he has told me that he will be very pleased to do all that he can along the lines suggested by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.

The answer to the second part of the question is that the narrow streets of Shau Kei Wan do not provide much space suit- able for use as street playground sites. The intense com- petition for space by hawkers and for road improvement has further reduced the scope for such development. Despite the difficulties I have just mentioned, I am glad to say that two street playgrounds have been planned for Shau Kei Wan. The first street playground will be located at Aldrich Street, between Chai Wan Road and Shau Kei

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Wan Road. The site, measuring about 4,500 sq. ft., will be converted into a children's playground and is expected to be ready for use later in the year. The second playground will be located west of Tai Cheong Street but it will be some time before this will become available because of quarrying operations in the area.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, could the Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee enlighten me as to whether the Shau Kei Wan Kaifong Association has a permanent lease or a temporary lease on the playground in that area, because apparently it is the only playground in Shau Kei Wan?

MR. SALES-Sir, this matter was first raised by me in the Urban Amenities Select Committee, in January, 1965 if I remember correctly, when representations were made to me privately on this subject, and we were assured that the conditions of the playground would be im- proved. Now as to the actual conditions of the lease, I am not aware, but I believe that it is on a permit rather than a lease, because it is not listed among the playgrounds held on recreational leases by private organizations in Hong Kong. I would like to pursue this matter. It is not clear whether it is on permit, an annual permit or a lease. Perhaps the Secretary of the Urban Council might inquire and let the information be known to the Select Committee, and Mr. CHEONG-LEEN as well.

MR. HU:-I have a supplementary to ask, Mr. Chairman. I understand that a lot of the land in Shau Kei Wan belongs to the Taikoo Dockyard Co. Ltd. Have you, Mr. Chairman, any intention to negotiate with the Taikoo Dockyard to give us certain open space for the develop- ment of children's playgrounds or for any other recreational purposes?

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-I think, Mr. Chairman, that Mr. Henry Hu is right, that Taikoo Dockyard does own, or lease, or has on long lease, quite a large area of the land in Shau Kei Wan, and also I think it is fair to say that they have developed a great deal of it with very much improved housing for their staff. They have laid it out with a certain amount of recreational space in the layout of the buildings. I am not aware there is any proposal that we should try to resume land from them for public open space.

MR. HU:-Thank you. I understand that the management of the Taikoo Dockyards are very sensible people, as far as my experience is concerned, so that they would probably be willing to give us some open space, not only for their own employees but for the general in- habitants in that area. It is because of the answer that Mr. SALES has given where he says "so far as he is aware this is the only open space in that area" that I raised this question.