1967 — Page 128

of 259

Page 128 of 259

Page 128 of 259

232

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Consider ultra vires motions for example. In any case, it might be more fitting for the Chairman of Select Committees to report, if there is to be any reporting at all. In the other cases which I have con- sidered, we do circulate a committee paper informing Members of the outcome of the motion that has been debated. Perhaps this sometimes escapes memory.

Members are, of course, free at all times to telephone me, or the Secretary, or the Assistant Directors, and inquire what is happening or has happened about a particular matter.

DR. Woo:-Mr. Chairman, may I have the right to reply? I am not surprised that as you did not agree with me last time you should not agree with me this time. It is not in any way criticizing anybody, but it is my intention that the public has got to be informed of what has been happening. I do not like to contradict Mr. WONG who says that, as far as he can remember, only two motions were not made public. To-night Mr. BERNACCHI has got all his files and books in front of him and he has mentioned many motions in his speech. You, Mr. Chairman, referred to formal motions concerning Select Committee and things like that. Of course, it is not necessary to report on such motions. But matters like the motion for increasing the fees for pleasure grounds, which was moved by Mr. SALES at the last meeting. Don't you think that these matters should be made public to say whether we are going to increase the fees and when they will be increased? I am merely stating that every three months if there is a motion passed by this Council, if anything has been done or not done just tell the public. Now this has been done, or the Committee is still studying the motion, or the Government is still studying the motion. Things like that, but keep the public civically minded of what has been done previously by this Council, instead of waiting until a couple of years to announce, “oh, this has been done". People have forgotten what has been happening in this Council. I am not trying to embarrass anybody in this Council, whether the staff, or the Chairman of this Council. I think it is the right procedure to inform the public in order to get a good image of this Council. It is not my intention to try to criticize you or the staff of this department, but there is a procedure we should follow, whether it is three months or six months is immaterial, but a time has got to be set, if the motion is passed by this Council, for the motion to be referred back publicly and announced in this chamber.

The question was put.

The motion was carried with 11 votes for, 1 against and 10 ab- stentions.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

233

(2) DR. A. M. S. BELL, CHAIRMAN OF THE RESETTLEMENT POLICY

SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:

That domestic resettlement should be given, if needed, to the dependants of persons killed and to persons seriously in- capacitated and their dependants, as a result of injuries received during the disturbances while going about their lawful business.

She said:-Mr. Chairman, you will recall that at our last meeting the Council decided by a majority vote to refer to the Resettlement Policy Select Committee a motion moved by Mr. Woo Po-shing, instead of voting on the motion itself. That Committee, of which I am Chair- man, met on the 28th of September when we agreed on the wording of the motion which stands in my name on the Order Paper today. We also agreed on the procedure to be followed in putting it into effect, and on this aspect I need perhaps say no more than that each case of this kind will be carefully and sympathetically considered, and decided on its merits. Finally the Policy Select Committee considered the motion to be a suitable gesture to those people and their dependants who suffered in civil disturbances who by going about their normal business showed the world that they have confidence in Hong Kong.

MR. LO: Mr. Chairman, I rise to second Dr. BELL's motion. As members have heard from Dr. BELL this matter has now been fully discussed and examined by the Resettlement Select Committee. As a result of this, some amendments have been made to the original motion. These are intended to clarify and to define more exactly the conditions under which victims of the disturbances would be entitled to resettle-

ment.

For instance, the original motion proposed that resettlement should be given if needed. Would this include factory resettlement or shop resettlement? The present motion makes clear that only domestic re- settlement will be given as it is considered that other types of resettle- ment are inappropriate.

The committee has also considered the degree of incapacity which a victim must suffer before becoming entitled to resettlement. Mem- bers will appreciate that injuries suffered may range from very serious ones, such as blinding or the loss of a limb, to very minor ones, such as cuts and bruises, which will heal in a short time. It is also possible for a person to be seriously injured, but the nature of his injury may be such that he will make a complete recovery. I think members will agree that it will not be right to offer resettlement for minor injuries, which have little or no effect on the person's earning capacity. The case of a person seriously injured, but who will recover completely in due course is similar. Accordingly, the motion now proposes that