Page 21 of 259
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
this basis, the number of unlicensed hawkers in 1970 would be approximately 40,000. But this is without having regard to the proposed 10 year plan which is already in Members' hands and which I hope in 3 years' time will make a difference at least to the number of unlicensed hawkers. Personally, I take the view that this Council owes a duty to the hawkers which are licensed, but that in itself means that this Council should not close its eyes to the problem of unlicensed hawking. Indeed, if this is permitted to continue, it would completely destroy our plans for the future.
As far as the third part of the question is concerned I understand from the Director of Social Welfare that various forms of assistance are available to families in need, both from voluntary agencies and from Government Departments, not only in the form of material aid but also in connexion with assistance towards employment. Also, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service runs an employment assistance scheme, there are other employment assistance agencies, and the Labour Department has an employment information service. Some agencies provide vocational training or assist families by teaching crafts and providing materials for handwork, the sale of which provides an income for the family. These services of course are not specifically provided for hawkers, but are available to meet needs in the population at large. The Director has assured me that he would be willing to receive and investigate or pass on to appropriate quarters any specific proposals that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN would like to send him.
In conclusion, I would refer to my answer to Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN's question at the last meeting of this Council and say that, in my opinion, the best way to get the younger generation of hawkers off the streets to earn a living, other than by legal or illegal hawking, is by a free and compulsory primary education scheme coupled with more technical training facilities. The emphasis is as much on compulsory as it is on free. In this competitive Hong Kong of ours where the average family income is small, it is natural for large families to want to get their children on to the street to earn more money by hawking. But, in my opinion, we have a duty towards the younger generation, that must be faced whatever the cost, and anyhow I am not one who subscribes to the theory that compulsory education, free if the parents so desire, would seriously affect the economy of Hong Kong.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
25
MR. SALES: Sir, if there are no supplementary questions, all I want to do is to congratulate my colleague, Mr. BERNACCHI, on having made his speech on Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's motion well in advance of it. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, by way of personal explanation, may I say that I do agree with Mr. BERNACCHI in principle, and I am glad that we are all moving in the same direction.
(12) MR. HENRY H. L. HU asked the following question:
Can the Chairman please state what action is taken by the Urban Services Department to check on the purity and circulation of air in cinemas and restaurants?
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
Cinemas and restaurants are "scheduled premises" the ventilation of which is controlled by Sections 93 - 103 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance.
If a cinema or restaurant is to be ventilated by an air-conditioning system, the proprietor must submit a certificate from the supplier containing particulars of the system for approval by the Council. The installation will not be approved unless the requirements of the law are met; these are that the amount of fresh air delivered to the premises is at least 450 cu. ft. per hour for each occupant in the case of cinemas and 600 cu. ft. in the case of restaurants. The air intake must be so situated that a clean supply of fresh air is drawn in.
During routine inspections of cinemas and restaurants (including surprise night inspections) health staff inspect the air-conditioning equipment to check that the amount of fresh air provided is up to the requirement, that the ventilating system is working continuously while the premises are occupied, and that the air filters are properly maintained and kept clean.
Legal action is taken in any case where, after due warning, a contravention of the law is found. During the past three years nearly 3000 surprise checks were made, 12 warnings were issued but only 1 prosecution was necessary.
Where scheduled premises are not artificially ventilated by air-conditioning the natural ventilation must be adequate, and must be kept free from obstruction at all times when the
Page 21 of 259
Page 21 of 259
.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
this basis, the number of unlicensed hawkers in 1970 would be approximately 40,000. But this is without having regard to the proposed 10 year plan which is already in Members' hands and which I hope in 3 years' time will make a difference at least to the number of unlicensed hawkers. Personally, I take the view that this Council owes a duty to the hawkers which are licensed, but that in itself means that this Council should not close its eyes to the problem of unlicensed hawking. Indeed, if this is permitted to continue, it would completely destroy our plans for the future.
As far as the third part of the question is concerned I under- stand from the Director of Social Welfare that various forms of assistance are available to families in need, both from voluntary agencies and from Government Depart- ments, not only in the form of material aid but also in connexion with assistance towards employment. Also, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service runs an employ- ment assistance scheme, there are other employment assistance agencies, and the Labour Department has an employment information service. Some agencies provide vocational training or assist families by teaching crafts and providing materials for handwork, the sale of which pro- vides an income for the family. These services of course are not specifically provided for hawkers, but are available to meet needs in the population at large. The Director has assured me that he would be willing to receive and investigate or pass on to appropriate quarters any specific proposals that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN would like to send him. In conclusion, I would refer to my answer to Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN's question at the last meeting of this Council and say that, in my opinion, the best way to get the younger generation of hawkers off the streets to earn a living, other than by legal or illegal hawking, is by a free and compulsory primary education scheme coupled with more technical training facilities. The emphasis is as much on compulsory as it is on free. In this com- petive Hong Kong of ours where the average family in- come is small, it is natural for large families to want to get their children on to the street to earn more money by hawking. But, in my opinion, we have a duty towards the younger generation, that must be faced whatever the cost, and anyhow I am not one who subscribes to the theory that compulsory education, free if the parents so desire, would seriously affect the economy of Hong Kong.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
25
MR. SALES: Sir, if there are no supplementary questions, all I want to do is to congratulate my colleague, Mr. BERNACCHI, on having made his speech on Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's motion well in advance of it. (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, by way of personal explana- tion, may I say that I do agree with Mr. BERNACCHI in principle, and I am glad that we are all moving in the same direction.
(12) MR. HENRY H. L. Hu asked the following question:
Can the Chairman please state what action is taken by the Urban Services Department to check on the purity and circulation of air in cinemas and restaurants?
THE DEPUTY Director of MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:
Cinemas and restaurants are "scheduled premises" the ventila- tion of which is controlled by Sections 93 - 103 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance.
If a cinema or restaurant is to be ventilated by an air-condi- tioning system, the proprietor must submit a certificate from the supplier containing particulars of the system for approval by the Council. The installation will not be approved unless the requirements of the law are met; these are that the amount of fresh air delivered to the premises is at least 450 cu. ft. per hour for each occupant in the case of cinemas and 600 cu. ft. in the case of restaurants. The air intake must be so situated that a clean supply of fresh air is drawn in.
During routine inspections of cinemas and restaurants (includ- ing surprise night inspections) health staff inspect the air- conditioning equipment to check that the amount of fresh air provided is up to the requirement, that the ventilating system is working continuously while the premises are occupied, and that the air filters are properly maintained and kept clean.
Legal action is taken in any case where, after due warning, a contravention of the law is found. During the past three years nearly 3000 surprise checks were made, 12 warnings were issued but only 1 prosecution was necessary.
Where scheduled premises are not artificially ventilated by air- conditioning the natural ventilation must be adequate, and must be kept free from obstruction at all times when the
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