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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. BERNACCHI:-Sir, whilst not wishing to challenge your ruling as to Mr. BLAKER's supplementary, although I do not agree with it, I would ask another question to the same effect. The question is, does Government have any plans for making available to this Council any additional land in the Central District? What about making available to this Council, for use by the public, the ground occupied by the Hong Kong Cricket Club when not being used for cricket games?

CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I am not competent to give any reply on this question. I can only give the same reply as I gave to Mr. BLAKER. MR. BERNACCHI:-Would you then, Sir, investigate my supple- mentary and give me an answer next time?

CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I will refer these two questions to the Colonial

Secretariat.

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, could you also contact the Cricket Club, because I have heard a rumour that they are quite willing to give their ground up?

CHAIRMAN:-All these questions and remarks will be of interest to the Committee which is dealing with the matter of club grounds held on private recreational leases.

(5) MR. HENRY H. L. Hu asked the following question:

It has been suggested that the triangular piece of land between the bus terminus and I. L. No. 38 at the southern end of Stanley Beach would make a good sitting-out area or small park. Would the Chairman please consider this suggestion?

THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-

The land in question is actually a strip approximately 120 yards long and averaging 25 yards wide, bordering Stanley Beach Road between the bus terminus and Inland Lot No. 38. It is in an area zoned for low residential de- velopment, and which has already been partly developed with buildings on the seaward side. The portion which is the subject of the question is designated for sale, in four lots, and there is a concrete pill box in each of these lots which will have to be demolished as a condition of development.

In view of the above it would not be feasible to follow up your suggestion, Sir. Fortunately, Stanley is compara- tively well provided with open space and recreational

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facilities. In addition to its beaches there is a play- ground with facilities for mini-soccer and four sitting out areas. A children's playground and garden is now under construction.

MR. HU:-Thank you, Sir, for your negative answer to my ques- tion. In the first paragraph of your answer you say that this piece of land is designed for sale in four lots. May I ask you by whom?

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -I am afraid, Mr. Chairman, the file which I had on this subject has been taken off my desk. I believe you have it, so I was unable to do any research before the meeting. I frankly do not know. I imagine it will be by the Crown Lands Office, but not being able to see the plan I cannot say for certain.

MR. HU:-It will be sold by the Government in other words? DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-If it is Crown Land. But in the absence of the plan which, as I have said, was taken off my desk and passed to the Chairman for his information, I am not able to check that it is Crown Land.

MR. HU:-Mr. Chairman, in the last sentence of your reply you say that "In addition to its beaches there is a playground with facilities for mini-soccer and four sitting out areas, and that a children's play- ground and a garden is now under construction." Where is the garden and sitting areas? Are they far away from the beach or not?

CHAIRMAN: -I only inquired as to the new playground and garden under construction. This is on the road leading out of the centre of Stanley towards Stanley Barracks. It is not far out, but it is on the opposite side of the centre of Stanley from the area of land that you are speaking about. However, the area of land that you are speaking about is within about 50 yards of the sea.

MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, you know that I have received a com- plaint concerning the flushing system of the public toilet at Stanley beach near this area, and also that there is a complaint in the South China Morning Post today, page 16, about the flushing system and about a changing room in this area. Would you please, Mr. Chair- man, kindly reconsider your answer to me, for this in my view is a much needed area for sitting out, and also for a changing room to be built. Would you kindly reconsider your answer to my question?

CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I must draw your attention to our Standing Order 8(4) which is that "every question shall be put and answered without discussion". The short answer to your question is: no, Sir.

MR. BERNACCHI :--Perhaps, whilst Mr. Hu is considering 8(4), I could ask for clarification? What do you mean by low residential development? Is it cheap residential development, or is it low in respect of height, i.e. house as opposed to multi-storey development?

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