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the Hawker Control Force has issued as many warnings as they have, because I am still of the opinion that the main object of the Control Force is to endeavour to get the hawkers to conform with the law, rather than to get as many summonses to their credit as possible. Therefore I am particularly pleased to see this and presume the warnings have been listened to by the hawkers concerned. But the hawker problem as a whole is considerable, and I would like to disclose to this Council that the Hawkers Select Committee is now considering an overall plan for hawkers. That information has somehow or other leaked to the press in a rather distorted form, and I hope members of the press will not take offence when I say that I would personally prefer to see them release it when decisions have been reached, rather than releasing what is supposed to be parts of a paper that is marked "confidential", and is at present before the Hawkers Select Committee.
DR. BELL:--Mr. Chairman, there is no chairman for the ward system, but may I be permitted to say a word or two? In your paragraph 4, you drew attention to the number of people who attended the ten Urban Council ward areas during the month. For statistical purposes, I think it would be far better to break down which districts are seeing how many of these people. (Laughter). It is a very relevant point, because later when you are considering whether you ought to alter your districts, or have more people in certain districts, there is some point in having it broken down.
Also Mr. Chairman, while I am on my feet, I would if you would permit me, like to draw attention to one thing in connexion with your "Keep Your District Clean” campaign. In the Tsim Sha Tsui district, it was pointed out to me by some members of the public, that the notices suggesting that people keep their district clean are causing rather a serious traffic hazard. They are placed at the pedestrian crossings and are blinding motorists to the pedestrians coming across. I would draw your attention to this.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if my colleagues on the other side of the table have finished with all their election speeches, may I, as Chairman of the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee make a statement? (Laughter). Sir, my friend and colleague, Dr. LEE, said that God created the Urban Services Department. I think the Official version is, while God may have created the Urban Services Department, the devil certainly made the Urban Council. (Laughter).
The need to develop more public open space for rest and recreation has been given much prominence in the press in recent weeks. It is timely therefore that our work in this connexion should be properly explained.
What we aim to do is clear because we have said many times that it is our intention to get all the open space in the urban areas that we can lay our hands on. We may not get all that we want because the Government, by force of habit, prefers to sell all it can, though Crown land is in fact public land and as such should first be applied to meet public requirements in full. The dreadful shortage of parks, gardens, playgrounds and playing fields must be made good as quickly as possible in our view.
What we want to offer to the public is a reasonable supply of recreation facilities in all districts so that no child need go far to play nor adult to seek rest from his overcrowded living condition. So we ask the Government to give us more land, not only where it is easy to allocate, but particularly in the older and more densely populated districts where the need is perhaps greatest.
It is our ambition to provide, wherever it may be possible for us to do, a wide selection of district or neighbourhood play facilities according to our experience of public demand. To this end we must set our sights and give the highest priority. All must agree that setting priorities is important and our first responsibility is towards those who need help most.
Sir, the question of car parks under our management is now very much in the limelight. My Select Committee would like me in the circumstances, I am sure, to explain also that the Urban Council is given only the management of these car parks, and it has no authority whatsoever to set the fees. The Urban Council was consulted in this matter, but the Urban Council recommendations were not accepted in full, and this point ought to be emphasized at this stage.
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and Gentlemen, I also have a statement to make.
Members will recall that at the meeting of Council on 1st February, 1966, the Chairman (Mr. KINGHORN) made a statement which resulted in Mr. BERNACCHI's asking whether I quote "it was to be inferred that Members of this Council are not to enjoy the privilege of being advised by the Attorney General, who is the Government's Legal Adviser, and we as a Council are a Council of Government". end of quotation. The matter was put to the Colonial Secretary. I am informed that there is no obligation on the Government, or on its legal advisers, to furnish a legal opinion on the request of individual members of Council, nor would it be appropriate that they should do so. The advice of the Crown Law Officers is, however, normally available to the Council on matters directly connected with the performance of the Council's statutory duties, such as the drafting of by-laws.
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the Hawker Control Force has issued as many warnings as they have, because I am still of the opinion that the main object of the Control Force is to endeavour to get the hawkers to conform with the law, rather than to get as many summonses to their credit as possible. Therefore I am particularly pleased to see this and presume the warn- ings have been listened to by the hawkers concerned. But the hawker problem as a whole is considerable, and I would like to disclose to this Council that the Hawkers Select Committee is now considering an over- all plan for hawkers. That information has somehow or other leaked to the press in a rather distorted form, and I hope members of the press will not take offence when I say that I would personally prefer to see them release it when decisions have been reached, rather than releasing what is supposed to be parts of a paper that is marked "confidential", and is at present before the Hawkers Select Committee.
DR. BELL:--Mr. Chairman, there is no chairman for the ward system, but may I be permitted to say a word or two? In your para- graph 4, you drew attention to the number of people who attended the ten Urban Council ward areas during the month. For statistical purposes, I think it would be far better to break down which districts are seeing how many of these people. (Laughter). It is a very relevant point, because later when you are considering whether you ought to alter your districts, or have more people in certain districts, there is some point in having it broken down.
Also Mr. Chairman, while I am on my feet, I would if you would permit me, like to draw attention to one thing in connexion with your "Keep Your District Clean” campaign. In the Tsim Sha Tsui district, it was pointed out to me by some members of the public, that the notices suggesting that people keep their district clean are causing rather a serious traffic hazard. They are placed at the pedestrian crossings and are blinding motorists to the pedestrians coming across. I would draw your attention to this.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if my colleagues on the other side of the table have finished with all their election speeches, may I, as Chairman of the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee make a statement? (Laughter). Sir, my friend and colleague, Dr. LEE, said that God created the Urban Services Department. I think the Official version is, while God may have created the Urban Services Department, the devil certainly made the Urban Council. (Laughter).
The need to develop more public open space for rest and recrea- tion has been given much prominence in the press in recent weeks. It is timely therefore that our work in this connexion should be proper- ly explained.
What we aim to do is clear because we have said many times that it is our intention to get all the open space in the urban areas
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
61
that we can lay our hands on. We may not get all that we want because the Government, by force of habit, prefers to sell all it can, though Crown land is in fact public land and as such should first be applied to meet public requirements in full. The dreadful shortage of parks, gardens, playgrounds and playing fields must be made good as quickly as possible in our view.
What we want to offer to the public is a reasonable supply of recreation facilities in all districts so that no child need go far to play nor adult to seek rest from his overcrowded living condition. So we ask the Government to give us more land, not only where it is easy to allocate, but particularly in the older and more densely populated districts where the need is perhaps greatest.
It is our ambition to provide, wherever it may be possible for us to do, a wide selection of district or neighbourhood play facilities according to our experience of public demand. To this end we must set our sights and give the highest priority. All must agree that setting priorities is important and our first responsibility is towards those who need help most.
Sir, the question of car parks under our management is now very ,much in the limelight. My Select Committee would like me in the circumstances, I am sure, to explain also that the Urban Council is given only the management of these car parks, and it has no authority whatsoever to set the fees. The Urban Council was consulted in this matter, but the Urban Council recommendations were not accepted in full, and this point ought to be emphasized at this stage.
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and Gentlemen, I also have a statement to
make.
Members will recall that at the meeting of Council on 1st February, 1966, the Chairman (Mr. KINGHORN) made a statement which resulted in Mr. BERNACCHI's asking whether I quote "it was to be inferred that Members of this Council are not to enjoy the privilege of being advised by the Attorney General, who is the Government's Legal Adviser, and we as a Council are a Council of Government". end of quotation. The matter was put to the Colonial Secretary. I am informed that there is no obligation on the Government, or on its legal advisers, to furnish a legal opinion on the request of in- dividual members of Council, nor would it be appropriate that they should do so. The advice of the Crown Law Officers is, however, normally available to the Council on matters directly connected with the performance of the Council's statutory duties, such as the drafting of by-laws.
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