HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
464
with all speed to consider in what manner the Ad Hoc Committee's report can be implemented. Naturally, the four committees are somewhat ham-strung because they have not yet received the report of the Government Committee which was set up by the Governor to study development of local administration, and we rely on you, Sir, to take this up with the Colonial Secretary to see if it is possible to have copies of that report put in the hands of the four sub-committees concerned without delay.
Mr. Wilfred WONG has also made a point concerning the number of complaints which come before the various Wards. I know that every month I personally receive between five to ten complaints concerning low-cost housing, resettlement, hawkers, which are taken up direct with the Secretary of the Urban Council. So while the monthly report may show that such and such a Ward does not have any complaints, it does not mean that individual Councillors are not serving the public. For instance, Mr. SALES himself has been very active in reducing the number of bars in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, and in this respect both he and I are doing the best we can for our own district. Perhaps the fact that there are not so many complaints in our district shows how well and efficiently things are running there. (Laughter). I would therefore suggest that while many of us do fully support the views as put forth by Mr. BERNACCHI, perhaps it might be best to have this matter considered in greater detail at the next Standing Committee of the Whole Council.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is that the subject of debate be referred to or back to a committee.
first.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I have a right of general reply
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, do you have it on the original motion or on the new motion?
MR. BERNACCHI:-On the new motion, but it is a right of general reply that I am entitled to exercise before the new motion is put to the vote.
CHAIRMAN:-I am glad to hear that, it only seems fair.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Come now, Mr. SALES, you can join one more Select Committee, surely? Mr. Chairman, Mr. SALES himself would be an appropriate chairman of this Select Committee. (Laughter). The four sub-committees that Mr. SALES has referred to deal with the future, not really of this Council as it is composed at present. The future of a two-tiered system of local Government of which this Council will form perhaps a part of the upper tier, I do not know, but certainly
Page 247 of 279
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
465
the Ad Hoc Committee's report is something dealing with the future. It is something which His Excellency the Governor has said in his public announcement that must be approached with caution slowly, and I do not think that it will come into force for one or two years at least. But my point is that how can the members of the public comprehend the proposals for the future of local Government, which is so much to the front as an issue now, if they are not aware of the functions of this Council which is the sole executive limb of local Government to-day.
This Urban Council consists of 26 Members, I hope the Officials will join any such Ad Hoc Select Committee, so that it is 26 and not 20 members as perhaps Mr. SALES is inclined to think. Therefore, in my submission, it is no good shelving this motion by referring it to the Standing Committee. I deliberately did not state the name of the Ad Hoc Committee, perhaps Public Relations would be an appropriate name. Perhaps this is putting the cart before the horse, and it should be included in the Ad Hoc Select Committee's report. But really to shelve this motion, to put it before another Select Committee, and after all the Standing Committee of the Whole is another Select Committee, is to my mind a waste of time and Members should, as Mr. Henry Hu has said, either vote for or against this proposal to-day. I ask Members who support my motion to vote against Mr. SALES' motion to refer it back to another Select Committee, and therefore to enable my motion to have the floor and be voted upon as a subsequent motion.
CHAIRMAN: —Am I right in thinking that Mr. SALES, having proposed a new motion, has a right to reply?
MR. SALES: No, now you have to put it, then the right to reply passes to me afterwards.
CHAIRMAN: ---We should now vote upon the motion that the subject of debate be referred to or back to a committee, namely, the Standing Committee of the Whole Council.
The question was put.
The motion was carried with 16 votes for, 4 against and 3 abstentions.
CHAIRMAN:
-Thank you.
Mr. SALES' motion is carried and this item will be placed on the agenda for the Standing Committee of the Whole Council.
MR. SALES: -Now the right to speak passes to me; I do not want to exercise it. (Laughter).
Page 248 of 279
of 279
Page 246 of 279
464
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
with all speed to consider in what manner the Ad Hoc Committee's report can be implemented. Naturally, the four committees are some- what ham-strung because they have not yet received the report of the Government Committee which was set up by the Governor to study development of local administration, and we rely on you, Sir, to take this up with the Colonial Secretary to see if it is possible to have copies of that report put in the hands of the four sub-committees concerned without delay.
Mr. Wilfred WONG has also made a point concerning the number of complaints which come before the various Wards. I know that every month I personally receive between five to ten complaints concerning low-cost housing, resettlement, hawkers, which are taken up direct with the Secretary of the Urban Council. So while the monthly report may show that such and such a Ward does not have any com- plaints, it does not mean that individual Councillors are not serving the public. For instance, Mr. SALES himself has been very active in reducing the number of bars in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, and in this respect both he and I are doing the best we can for our own district. Perhaps the fact that there are not so many complaints in our district shows how well and efficiently things are running there. (Laughter). I would therefore suggest that while many of us do fully support the views as put forth by Mr. BERNACCHI, perhaps it might be best to have this matter considered in greater detail at the next Standing Committee of the Whole Council.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is that the subject of debate be referred to or back to a committee.
first.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I have a right of general reply
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, do you have it on the original motion or on the new motion?
MR. BERNACCHI:-On the new motion, but it is a right of general reply that I am entitled to exercise before the new motion is put to the vote.
CHAIRMAN:-I am glad to hear that, it only seems fair.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Come now, Mr. SALES, you can join one more Select Committee, surely? Mr. Chairman, Mr. SALES himself would be an appropriate chairman of this Select Committee. (Laughter). The four sub-committees that Mr. SALES has referred to deal with the future, not really of this Council as it is composed at present. The future of a two-tiered system of local Government of which this Council will form perhaps a part of the upper tier, I do not know, but certainly
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
465
the Ad Hoc Committee's report is something dealing with the future. It is something which His Excellency the Governor has said in his public announcement that must be approached with caution slowly, and I do not think that it will come into force for one or two years at least. But my point is that how can the members of the public com- prehend the proposals for the future of local Government, which is so much to the front as an issue now, if they are not aware of the functions of this Council which is the sole executive limb of local Government to-day.
This Urban Council consists of 26 Members, I hope the Officials will join any such Ad Hoc Select Committee, so that it is 26 and not 20 members as perhaps Mr. SALES is inclined to think. Therefore, in my submission, it is no good shelving this motion by referring it to the Standing Committee. I deliberately did not state the name of the Ad Hoc Committee, perhaps Public Relations would be an appropriate name. Perhaps this is putting the cart before the horse, and it should be included in the Ad Hoc Select Committee's report. But really to shelve this motion, to put it before another Select Committee, and after all the Standing Committee of the Whole is another Select Com- mittee, is to my mind a waste of time and Members should, as Mr. Henry Hu has said, either vote for or against this proposal to-day. I ask Members who support my motion to vote against Mr. SALES' motion to refer it back to another Select Committee, and therefore to enable my motion to have the floor and be voted upon as a subsequent motion.
CHAIRMAN: —Am I right in thinking that Mr. SALES, having proposed a new motion, has a right to reply?
MR. SALES: No, now you have to put it, then the right to reply passes to me afterwards.
CHAIRMAN: ---We should now vote upon the motion that the subject of debate be referred to or back to a committee, namely, the Standing Committee of the Whole Council.
The question was put.
The motion was carried with 16 votes for, 4 against and 3 abstentions.
CHAIRMAN:
-Thank you.
Mr. SALES' motion is carried and this item will be placed on the agenda for the Standing Committee of the Whole Council.
MR. SALES: -Now the right to speak passes to me; I do not want to exercise it. (Laughter).
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.