1967 — Page 177

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Not very long ago, we celebrated the registration of the One Millionth Resident of the Resettlement Estates—an event that attracted wide attention. It is something that we want the whole world to learn about. We lost little time in our publicity too. But, we have failed to, if we ever wanted to, inform the world of the hidden fact that out of the one million residents, approximately 40% of them are living under inhabitable and disgraceful conditions. By this, I mean the Mark I and Mark II Resettlement Estates which I mentioned last year. Let me illustrate my point by a few simple statistics. On average, there is only one water closet to every 50 people and maybe one shower or wash space to every 100. This is an incredible figure. I understand that these buildings were built under an emergency condition, but certainly the emergency conditions are over now and we must do something to make good what we once could not afford to do. I don't know what the world will think about this, but I cannot see any way, as it is, by which we can convince people that these people, now or in the foreseeable future, can live reasonably, comfortably under the existing circumstances. So, even if it means considerable expense and work I would like to see additional sanitary facilities provided within the buildings or even without (in the form of an annexe), if that helps to get an answer to this problem. If the "Low Cost Housing" accommodation can give reasonable clean dwellings, why cannot our Resettlement Department do the same thing? Perhaps, the shifting of the management, especially on the cleansing side, on to the Housing Authority is the answer.

The Honourable Wilfred WONG spoke eloquently about the Market Construction. All I want is to support him in urging Government to give top priority to expedite the Market Programme at once.

The Hong Kong Week drew much attention and was successfully concluded last month. The outside world has certainly learned a great deal more about Hong Kong products from this, and this would no doubt stimulate the export trade to a certain extent. But what about Hong Kong people's opinion on local products? To what degree is the Hong Kong Week successful in urging Hong Kong people to use their own products? It is said that many of the Government office equipment and appliances are imported materials, and I am afraid this statement bears a certain amount of truth. I can take up this pencil, look at it and find it is made in Austria. We do have a pencil factory in Hong Kong. I believe, and so do many other people, Hong Kong has now to stand on its own feet and I would therefore like to see special legislation introduced to protect our industry. Government should set a good example and take the lead in the usage of local products as far as circumstances permit. For instance, specifications should be established that in all Government construction projects, including those in the Housing Authority and those aided by the Government, there should be a comparison bid between local and imported products; maybe we should even go further to impose an import tax on products, such as steel, steel windows, etc., as we did with the first registration of foreign cars. Higher tax should also be imposed on imported cigarettes and liquor to increase our revenue instead of devaluing our Hong Kong Dollar.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

We have heard a lot of talk about School Buses to help relieve the general congestion in our traffic and also to relieve the pressure on our limited public transportation facilities. It is about time Government should take the lead and bear the expense for such facilities which is long overlooked. "School buses" is not a luxury but a necessity. It is so, in countries like the United Kingdom, the United States of America, or Canada. Hong Kong should find itself a place in this list as well. It appears to me that many schools are far too much concentrated over a certain area (the mid-level on the Island, for example). The intensive planting of schools in a certain area will automatically intensify the traffic problem. Every individual is forced to use the same road at the same time. A massive transportation system will ease this problem in that individual driving may be avoided and this will enhance thoroughfare on the roads.

With these remarks, Sir, I have the pleasure to support the motion. (Applause).

MR. Woo PO-SHING: Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to repeat my appreciation of the good work done by the Government in the past 6 months in the maintenance of law and order in Hong Kong when a handful of trouble-makers are attempting to upset the peaceful pattern of our life for their selfish and despicable ends. Needless to say, the events in the past few months have placed an exceptionally heavy burden on the civil servants and, in particular, on the police whose tremendous patience, restraint, courage, and loyalty have elicited a most heartening response from the community.

The speedy community response and the support of the people given to the Government for its actions must have surprised not only the trouble-makers but also the Government. It is indeed the first time, as far as I can remember, the people in Hong Kong have demonstrated beyond doubt that they are with the Government. And it was only with such staunch support from the people that the Government has been able to perform such an admirable job in withstanding the subversive activities of the trouble-makers. It is comforting to reflect that having been exposed to adversity, the Government and the people have miraculously narrowed the normally wide gap between them.

Now that we have survived the worst of the disturbances and have had the situation well under control, the Government must do whatever it can to sustain and nourish the support which it has successfully rallied from the community and every possible effort must be made to improve

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