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I would mention that the question of noise has been discussed by the Health Education Select Committee on several occasions and any constructive views or suggestions which any Member may wish to put to that Committee on the matter will be welcomed and carefully considered.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I notice that the public are at liberty to make a complaint to the police. Do you know whether the police are at liberty to ignore the complaint? (Laughter).
MR. SALES:- May I answer that supplementary?
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, are you at liberty to ignore Mrs. ELLIOTT?
CHAIRMAN:- Having been a constable myself, I have a high respect for the Police, and I do not think that they would ignore a complaint of that sort. They would try to do something.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I ask the question because I know if I make a complaint about noise, it is attended to. But I have people coming to my ward who say their complaints are ignored.
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, the Police may be forgiven for not attending to any requests recently. They have been controlling pedestrians and traffic. (Laughter).
There has not been any policeman available to control noise.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, I wonder if I may ask a supplementary on Mr. Hu's question. Is Mr. Hu perhaps finding McDonnell Road where he lives, and where also the Chairman of the Health Education Select Committee lives, rather a noisy place? Perhaps he hears the sound of the Chairman of the Health Education Select Committee's mah jong. (Laughter).
MR. HU:- I can answer this question. As a matter of fact, I asked the question because I had a complaint at my ward in Stanley. There is a certain musical instrument played in a shop which regularly disturbs the tranquillity of the people living around the shop, so at that time I wrote a letter to the Police at Stanley and I raised this point. I am grateful for Dr. Woo's answer to this question. I would now like to ask Dr. Woo, as Chairman of the Health Education Select Committee, was any conclusion reached with regard to noise in the Urban area?
DR. WOO:- We have discussed the question, not on any specific noise, but noise in general. We discussed certain things, for instance, noise of piling and road works. But of course, we are unable to come to a conclusion. We are still waiting for a reply from the Colonial Secretary as to whether we should amend the Ordinance.
As regards to the time, we have discussed this matter with Radio Hong Kong and Rediffusion, and they are quite prepared to warn listeners before 11 o'clock to lower the volume of their set as much as possible, but as regards to the time limit, I don't know whether Mr. Hu wants to reduce the limit from 11 o'clock. We have never come to any conclusion.
MR. HU:- Thank you very much.
MR. SALES:- May I extend an invitation to Mr. Henry Hu to move across the harbour and live in Kowloon, and join the Kowloon Residents Association, where his interests will be properly protected. (Laughter). Evidently they are not protected at the moment by the Reform Club.
MR. HU:- I will take up your offer. (Laughter). Mr. Chairman, may I ask one supplementary question? I don't quite understand. In the answer to my question, Dr. Woo did say that alternatively, if troubled by noise which does not constitute an offence under the Summary Offences Ordinance, a member of the public is at liberty to complain to a magistrate. I am at a loss to understand. As a lawyer, I don't quite understand. If we can't report to the police, how can we report to the magistrate?
DR. WOO:- I can quote an example to Mr. Hu. If Mr. Hu were disturbed by the noise of piling next door, and the limit was 11 p.m. - the piling is entitled to carry on until 11 - but Mr. Hu could complain to the magistrate if that noise of piling was disturbing him.
MR. BERNACCHI:- On a point of clarification, Mr. Chairman, I think Dr. Woo means "lay a complaint before a magistrate".
MR. SALES:- Was this answer similarly drafted by our legal advisers? (Laughter).
(21) MR. CHEUNG WING-IN asked the following question:
Will the Chairman please explain what is the relation between this Council and Cemeteries run by private bodies?
Is there any liaison between this Council and such cemeteries, and if so, in what form?
Does this Council exercise any supervision and control over such cemeteries?
Is the Council consulted before fees for burial plots are fixed by these cemeteries?
Page 713
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 367 of 38Z'
712
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I would mention that the question of noise has been discussed by the Health Education Select Committee on several occasions and any constructive views or suggestions which any Member may wish to put to that Committee on the matter will be welcomed and carefully considered.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I notice that the public are at liberty to make a complaint to the police. Do you know whether the police are at liberty to ignore the complaint? (Laughter).
MR. SALES: -May I answer that supplementary?
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, are you at liberty to ignore Mrs. ELLIOTT?
CHAIRMAN:-Having been a constable myself, I have a high respect for the Police, and I do not think that they would ignore a complaint of that sort. They would try to do something.
MRS. ELLIOTT:--Mr. Chairman, I ask the question because I know if I make a complaint about noise, it is attended to. But I have people coming to my ward who say their complaints are ignored.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, the Police may be forgiven for not attending to any requests recently. They have been controlling pedes- trians and traffic. (Laughter).
There has not been any policeman available to control noise.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, I wonder if I may ask a supplementary on Mr. Hu's question. Is Mr. Hu perhaps finding McDonnell Road where he lives, and where also the Chairman of the Health Education Select Committee lives, rather a noisy place? Perhaps he hears the sound of the Chairman of the Health Education Select Committee's mah jong. (Laughter).
MR. HU-I can answer this question. As a matter of fact I asked the question because I had a complaint at my ward in Stanley. There is a certain musical instrument played in a shop which regularly disturbs the tranquillity of the people living around the shop, so at that time I wrote a letter to the Police at Stanley and I raised this point. I am grateful for Dr. Woo's answer to this question. I would now like to ask Dr. Woo, as Chairman of the Health Education Select Com- mittee, was any conclusion reached with regard to noise in the Urban area?
DR. WOO:-We have discussed the question, not on any specific noise, but noise in general. We discussed certain things for instance, noise of piling and road works. But of course we are unable to come
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
713
to a conclusion. We are still waiting for a reply from the Colonial Secretary as to whether we should amend the Ordinance.
As regards to the time, we have discussed this matter with Radio Hong Kong and Rediffusion and they are quite prepared to warn listeners before 11 o'clock to lower the volume of their set as much as possible, but as regards to the time limit, I don't know whether Mr. Hu wants to reduce the limit from 11 o'clock. We have never come to any conclu- sion.
MR. HU:-Thank you very much.
MR. SALES: -May I extend an invitation to Mr. Henry Hu to move across the harbour and live in Kowloon, and join the Kowloon Residents Association, where his interests will be properly protected. (Laughter). Evidently they are not protected at the moment by the Reform Club.
MR. HU-I will take up your offer. (Laughter). Mr. Chairman, may I ask one supplementary question? I don't quite understand. In the answer to my question, Dr. Woo did say that alternatively if troubled by noise which does not constitute an offence under the Summary Offences Ordinance, a member of the public is at liberty to complain If we can't report to
to a magistrate. I am at a loss to understand. the police, how can we report to the magistrate? quite understand.
As a lawyer, I don't
DR. WOO:-I can quote an example to Mr. Hu. If Mr. Hu were disturbed by the noise of piling next door, and the limit was 11 p.m. -the piling is entitled to carry on until 11-but Mr. Hu could complain to the magistrate if that noise of piling was disturbing him.
MR. BERNACCHI:-On a point of clarification, Mr. Chairman, I think Dr. Woo means "lay a complaint before a magistrate”.
MR. SALES: -Was this answer similarly drafted by our legal advisers? (Laughter).
(21) MR. CHEUNG WING-IN asked the following question:
Will the Chairman please explain what is the relation between this Council and Cemeteries run by private bodies?
Is there any liaison between this Council and such cemeteries
and if so, in what form?
Does this Council exercise any supervision and control over
such cemeteries?
Is the Council consulted before fees for burial plots are fixed
by these cemeteries?
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.