Page 237 of 279
446
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
Ladies and Gentlemen, before taking the first item on the agenda, I am sure Members will wish me to express our very sincere congratulations to Mr. Wilfred WONG on his appointment by Her Majesty the Queen as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and to Mr. Michael WRIGHT as Companion of St. Michael and St. George in the New Year Honours List. (Applause).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 29th November, 1st and 22nd December, 1966 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:
Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of December 1966.
QUESTIONS.
(1) DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware that residents of Pak Tai Street, To Kwa Wan complain of the unpleasant smell coming from an indigenous chemical factory at No. 72 of the same street? What steps will the department take to abate the nuisance?
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
1. The factory in question was originally built for the manufacture of seasoning powder (Mei Ching) by a chemical process, but recently a part of the building has been converted for the preparation and packing of frozen shrimps and is licensed by the Council for this purpose.
2. The factory is in a building designed for industrial purposes only and is situated in a designated offensive trade area.
3. The smell which appears to have caused the complaint arose from the shells and other debris from shrimps which were awaiting removal and became offensive, particularly during the hot weather.
4. The nuisance was abated by providing a larger number of dust-bins with well-fitting lids to contain the debris, and by making a smooth hard surface, which could more easily be cleaned, for the dust-bins to stand on.
5. Recent enquiries by the staff have indicated that the complainants are now satisfied.
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask one supplementary question. Since the nuisance arises mainly in the summer time, is it possible to have the whole of the factory air-conditioned and sealed off from the neighbouring residents who complain about the nuisance?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I am not able to say whether it is possible to air-condition these particular premises, but I do not think we can require the owners to air-condition them as they are in an offensive trade area and it would be, I think, too much of an imposition to insist upon air-conditioning.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may we ask the chairman of the Air-conditioning Select Committee to answer that supplementary? (Laughter).
MR. WILFRED WONG:-Mr. Chairman, there is no such committee as the Air-conditioning Select Committee. (Laughter).
MR. SALES: The former Air-conditioning Select Committee.
DR. LEE:-Since Dr. COOMBES said that the premises are licensed by the Department, could the factory which gives rise to an offensive smell be advised to air-condition in the interests of public health?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: I do not think it could, Sir.
DR. LEE:-Has this point been raised at all with the relevant Select Committee?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I do not think this particular question has been raised, but we cannot air-condition all offensive trades.
DR. LEE: Some time ago some of the bone factories in Kennedy Town gave out a smell and we laid down conditions to put them right. I think these conditions were accepted. Could this particular example be referred to the factory concerned?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-Mr. Chairman, this has certainly been considered by the Offensive Trades Select Committee, but the factory has been licensed since 1946.
447
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Page 237 of 279
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Page 238 of 279
447
279
Page 237 of 279
446
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
Ladies and Gentlemen, before taking the first item on the agenda, I am sure Members will wish me to express our very sincere congratula- tions to Mr. Wilfred WONG on his appointment by Her Majesty the Queen as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and to Mr. Michael WRIGHT as Companion of St. Michael and St. George in the New Year Honours List. (Applause).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 29th November, 1st and 22nd December, 1966 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:
Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services
Department for the month of December 1966.
QUESTIONS.
(1) DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware that residents of Pak Tai Street, To Kwa Wan complain of the unpleasant smell coming from an indigenous chemical factory at No. 72 of the same street? What steps will the department take to abate the nuisance?
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
cess,
The factory in question was originally built for the manufac- ture of seasoning powder (Mei Ching) by a chemical pro- but recently a part of the building has been converted for the preparation and packing of frozen shrimps and is licensed by the Council for this purpose.
2.
3.
The factory is in a building designed for industrial pur- poses only and is situated in a designated offensive trade
area.
The smell which appears to have caused the complaint arose from the shells and other debris from shrimps which were awaiting removal and became offensive, particularly during the hot weather.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
447
4.
The nuisance was abated by providing a larger number of dust-bins with well-fitting lids to contain the debris, and by making a smooth hard surface, which could more easily be cleaned, for the dust-bins to stand on.
5.
Recent enquiries by the staff have indicated that the com- plainants are now satisfied.
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask one supplementary question. Since the nuisance arises mainly in the summer time, is it possible to have the whole of the factory air-conditioned and sealed off from the neighbouring residents who complain about the nuisance?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I am not able to say whether it is possible to air-condition these particular prem- ises, but I do not think we can require the owners to air-condition them as they are in an offensive trade area and it would be, I think, too much of an imposition to insist upon air-conditioning.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may we ask the chairman of the Air-conditioning Select Committee to answer that supplementary? (Laughter).
MR. WILFRED WONG:-Mr. Chairman, there is no such committee as the Air-conditioning Select Committee. (Laughter).
MR. SALES: The former Air-conditioning Select Committee.
DR. LEE:--Since Dr. COOMBES said that the premises are licensed by the Department, could the factory which gives rise to an offensive smell be advised to air-condition in the interests of public health?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: I do not think it could, Sir.
DR. LEE:-Has this point been raised at all with the relevant Select Committee?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I do not think this particular question has been raised, but we cannot air-condition all offensive trades.
DR. LEE: Some time ago some of the bone factories in Kennedy Town gave out a smell and we laid down conditions to put them right. I think these conditions were accepted. Could this particular example be referred to the factory concerned?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-Mr. Chairman, this has certainly been considered by the Offensive Trades Select Committee, but the factory has been licensed since 1946.
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