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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
QUESTIONS.
(1) DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
Is the Chairman aware that smoke and soot nuisances are complained of as from food factories at 13 and 15 Hung Fook Street, Kowloon? What steps will the Chairman take to correct these nuisances?
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
Two complaints from nearby residents concerning smoke and soot emanating from the chimneys of these factories were received on 7th and 9th March this year. The two factories concerned have been licensed by the Council for making beancurd since 1958.
2.
3.
4.
Following these complaints, investigations were made on 12th March; the chimney of No. 13 was found to be in a defective condition and the one at No. 15 was without a spark arrester. The licensees of both factories were co-operative and took action to remedy these defects quickly; satisfactory repairs to the broken chimney of No. 13 were effected by 14th of March and a spark arrester was provided for the chimney of No. 15 by 1st April.
Advice was also given to the licensees on the need for regular cleaning of these chimneys, on proper stoking of fires and the use of better quality or, if possible, smoke-less fuel (both were using household coal).
Though there is no doubt that these individual complaints were justified there are, so far, insufficient grounds to warrant legal action by the Council, but close observation will be kept on the premises concerned, and if the advice already given to the licensees is followed the nuisance should be reduced to a minimum.
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, a supplementary question. Has the Council any power to lay down what kind of fuel licensed premises can use, and following on that, can we make use of our office to persuade holders of permits to use gaseous fuel, in which case there would be less likelihood of complaints regarding chimneys of restaurants and laundries? (Laughter).
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: I would say, Mr. Chairman, that there is no legal power to force licensees to use any particular form of fuel. It could be included in the conditions and requirements of the licence, but certainly not in the by-laws. It
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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is not a very practical matter in that it would not be possible to get people to use gas or, say, electricity in factories. They could use a much better quality hard coal instead of soft coal.
DR. LEE: I wonder whether the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services has considered the use of butane gas, not an ordinary gas. What objection is there to the use of methane gas?
MR. SALES: Sir, has my colleague Dr. LEE any interest to declare in the gas company, or any other such company? (Laughter).
DR. LEE: I can assure the senior Nominated Member that I have no interests to declare. (Laughter)
CHAIRMAN: Dr. LEE, I think your last supplementary was too far away from the original question for me to ask the Vice-Chairman to reply on this occasion. May we have notice of it and send a reply?
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary on this? Could you tell me offhand the height of these chimneys in relation to the height of the buildings round about where the complaints were made?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: Mr. Chairman, the chimneys are legal in height, which means at least three feet above the level of the roof. They are some 90 feet away and 20 feet above the complainants' flat.
DR. BELL: Is it an old building or a new building? I presume from the height it's an old building.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: I am not able to say how old the building is.
DR. BELL: Is there going to be some review regarding chimneys, Mr. Chairman, in the urban areas? I asked a similar question to this some time ago. In that particular case it was an unlicensed factory which was involved, but at that time I suggested that there might be a review. Has anything more been done about this suggestion in regard to these factory chimneys, the height of them, and who should be responsible for them?
CHAIRMAN: I regret, Dr. BELL, that I cannot answer that question. Was it your understanding that a review would be carried out by a particular Select Committee?
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, it was my understanding that this Council would be informed, or at least perhaps the members concerned with this side of it—perhaps it comes under the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee—I don't know. Also the Labour Department, as far as I can understand, might be involved in this, and perhaps the Fire Services too. I don't know. It was to see in general who would
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
QUESTIONS.
(1) DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
Is the Chairman aware that smoke and soot nuisances are complained of as from food factories at 13 and 15 Hung Fook Street, Kowloon? What steps will the Chairman take to correct these nuisances?
THE DEPUTY Director of MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
Two complaints from nearby residents concerning smoke and soot emanating from the chimneys of these factories were received on 7th and 9th March this year. The two factories concerned have been licensed by the Council for making beancurd since 1958.
2.
3.
4.
Following these complaints, investigations were made on 12th March; the chimney of No. 13 was found to be in a defective condition and the one at No. 15 was without a spark arrester. The licensees of both factories were co-operative and took action to remedy these defects quickly; satisfactory repairs to the broken chimney of No. 13 were effected by 14th of March and a spark arrester was provided for the chimney of No. 15 by 1st April.
Advice was also given to the licensees on the need for regular cleaning of these chimneys, on proper stoking of fires and the use of better quality or, if possible, smoke- less fuel (both were using household coal).
Though there is no doubt that these individual com- plaints were justified there are, so far, insufficient grounds to warrant legal action by the Council, but close observa- tion will be kept on the premises concerned, and if the advice already given to the licensees is followed the nuisance should be reduced to a minimum.
DR. LEE-Mr. Chairman, a supplementary question. Has the Council any power to lay down what kind of fuel licensed premises can use, and following on that, can we make use of our office to persuade holders of permits to use gaseous fuel, in which case there would be less likelihood of complaints regarding chimneys of restaurants and laundries? (Laughter).
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES: -I would say, Mr. Chairman, that there is no legal power to force licensees to use any particular form of fuel. It could be included in the conditions and requirements of the licence, but certainly not in the by-laws. It
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
63
is not a very practical matter in that it would not be possible to get people to use gas or, say, electricity in factories. They could use a much better quality hard coal instead of soft coal.
DR. LEE:--I wonder whether the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services has considered the use of butane gas, not an ordinary gas. What objection is there to the use of methane gas?
MR. SALES: Sir, has my colleague Dr. LEE any interest to declare in the gas company, or any other such company? (Laughter).
DR. LEE: I can assure the senior Nominated Member that I have no interests to declare. (Laughter)
CHAIRMAN: -Dr. LEE, I think your last supplementary was too far away from the original question for me to ask the Vice-Chairman to reply on this occasion. May we have notice of it and send a reply? DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary on this? Could you tell me offhand the height of these chimneys in relation to the height of the buildings round about where the complaints were made?
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:--Mr. Chairman, the chimneys are legal in height, which means at least three feet above the level of the roof. They are some 90 feet away and 20 feet above the complainants' flat.
DR. BELL: Is it an old building or a new building? I presume from the height it's an old building.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-I am not able to say how old the building is.
DR. BELL:--Is there going to be some review regarding chimneys, Mr. Chairman, in the urban areas? I asked a similar question to this some time ago. In that particular case it was an unlicensed factory which was involved, but at that time I suggested that there might be a review. Has anything more been done about this suggestion in regard to these factory chimneys, the height of them, and who should be responsible for them?
CHAIRMAN:-I regret, Dr. BELL, that I cannot answer that ques- tion. Was it your understanding that a review would be carried out by a particular Select Committee?
DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, it was my understanding that this Council would be informed, or at least perhaps the members concerned with this side of it-perhaps it comes under the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee-I don't know. Also the Labour Department, as far as I can understand, might be involved in this, and perhaps the Fire Services too. I don't know. It was to see in general who would
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