HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 9th January, 1968, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:-
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of January, 1968.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st October, 1967 to 31st December, 1967.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during 1st October, 1967 to 31st December, 1967.
DR. BELL:- Arising from the first paper laid, Mr. Chairman, with your permission I would like to say something regarding the Ward system. Statistics are written down there and, as you know, at the public meeting I drew attention to the fact that some of the Ward offices were not very satisfactory. As a result of various investigations and so on which have been done and suggestions made, I have decided to use only one of the offices myself in the Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po Ward. From now onwards I shall only be using the Sai Yee Street office. It is very much more satisfactory and it has a very good room, I can deal with the people that come in in some degree of privacy. I believe my co-worker of the Mong Kok Sham Shui Po Ward, Mr. Kenneth Lo, has agreed to use the Un Chau Street office.
Also, in connection with the Wards, Mr. Chairman, I had occasion, as you will know, to write to you on an important matter, and I have also mentioned it to the Heads of one or two other departments, it is the question that junior members of staff of these departments, when they go to see the people who have come to visit us and about whom we may have written letters to the heads of departments, have very often asked the question quite abruptly and rudely, "Why did you go to see a Councillor? You had no need to go and see a Councillor?" I feel that this is something that must be dealt with either by the heads of the departments concerned or even perhaps by the Secretariat. I feel very strongly about this, it is a question that should not be asked of the people. It's no concern of the officers to ask why members of the public went to see a Councillor. If the individual considers they have a need to go and see a Councillor that is entirely their own decision to make and they should not be questioned on that decision, I would be very grateful if you could take steps to have the members of staff circularised to the effect that there is no need for them to ask this sort of question. Thank you.
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CHAIRMAN: I will do this Dr. BELL. At the same time I would take the opportunity to point out that much depends upon the form of the question. It may be that the question is rudely put, as you have said it is, or it may be that the question simply expresses a desire to put the complainant onto the quickest route to getting redress, by saying the department concerned can deal with the complaint direct.
MRS. ELLIOTT: --Mr. Chairman, may I just second what Dr. BELL says about this. May I also ask you if you can ask the officers if they will please put the reference numbers on their replies, because sometimes it's impossible to file the letters-not the Resettlement Department but some other department.
CHAIRMAN: -Certainly, Mrs. ELLIOTT.
MR. BERNACCHI:- As Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee, I must just make one comment and that is under the heading "Kowloon City Hawker Bazaar". The last sentence reads: "However, complaints have been received about poor business particularly in the centre of the new bazaar and the matter is under investigation". In fact, a decision has been taken that will, we hope, improve the access to the centre and back of the Bazaar.
MR. SALES--Mr. Chairman, I am out of order, I know, but I would like to say, on behalf of the Appointed members who are on the Hawkers Select Committee, it is most encouraging to know that the Chairman of that Select Committee takes an interest in hawker problems outside of Chai Wan. (Laughter).
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) Will you please advise this Council what land has been reserved as public open space in the former Naval Dockyard?
(b) When is it likely to be allocated to this Council for development for public recreational use?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
(a) The statutory Town Plan for the Central Area has been referred back to the Town Planning Board for amendment. The Board is still in the process of preparing the plan and no decision has yet been taken on the amount of land which will be set aside for public open space.
(b) I regret that I am unable to say when the plan will be completed and approved by the Governor-in-Council.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 9th January, 1968, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:-
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban
Services Department for the month of January, 1968. (2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statis- tical Report for the period 1st October, 1967 to 31st December, 1967.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during 1st October, 1967 to 31st December, 1967.
DR. BELL:-Arising from the first paper laid, Mr. Chairman, with your permission I would like to say something regarding the Ward system. Statistics are written down there and, as you know, at the public meeting I drew attention to the fact that some of the Ward offices were not very satisfactory. As a result of various investigations and so on which have been done and suggestions made, I have decided to use only one of the offices myself in the Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po Ward. From now onwards I shall only be using the Sai Yee Street office. It is very much more satisfactory and it has a very good room, I can deal with the people that come in in some degree of privacy. I believe my co-worker of the Mong Kok Sham Shui Po Ward, Mr. Kenneth Lo, has agreed to use the Un Chau Street office. Also, in connection with the Wards, Mr. Chairman, I had occasion, as you will know, to write to you on an important matter, and I have also mentioned it to the Heads of one or two other departments, it is the question that junior members of staff of these departments, when they go to see the people who have come to visit us and about whom we may have written letters to the heads of departments, have very often asked the question quite abruptly and rudely, "Why did you go to see a Councillor? You had no need to go and see a Councillor?" I feel that this is something that must be dealt with either by the heads of the departments concerned or even perhaps by the Secretariat. I feel very strongly about this, it is a question that should not be asked of the people. It's no concern of the officers to ask why members of the public went to see a Councillor. If the individual considers they have a need to go and see a Councillor that is entirely their own deci- sion to make and they should not be questioned on that decision, I would be very grateful if you could take steps to have the members of staff circularised to the effect that there is no need for them to ask this sort of question. Thank you.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
447
CHAIRMAN: I will do this Dr. BELL. At the same time I would take the opportunity to point out that much depends upon the form of the question. It may be that the question is rudely put, as you have said it is, or it may be that the question simply expresses a desire to put the complainant onto the quickest route to getting redress, by saying the department concerned can deal with the complaint direct.
MRS. ELLIOTT: --Mr. Chairman, may I just second what Dr. BELL says about this. May I also ask you if you can ask the officers if they will please put the reference numbers on their replies, because some- times it's impossible to file the letters-not the Resettlement Department but some other department.
CHAIRMAN: -Certainly, Mrs. ELLIOTT.
MR. BERNACCHI:-As Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee, I must just make one comment and that is under the heading. "Kow- loon City Hawker Bazaar". The last sentence reads: "However, com- plaints have been received about poor business particularly in the centre of the new bazaar and the matter is under investigation". In fact, a decision has been taken that will, we hope, improve the access to the centre and back of the Bazaar.
MR. SALES--Mr. Chairman, I am out of order, I know, but I would like to say, on behalf of the Appointed members who are on the Hawkers Select Committee, it is most encouraging to know that the Chairman of that Select Committee takes an interest in hawker pro- blems outside of Chai Wan. (Laughter).
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) Will you please advise this Council what land has been reserved as public open space in the former Naval Dock- yard?
(b) When is it likely to be allocated to this Council for devel-
opment for public recreational use?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
(a) The statutory Town Plan for the Central Area has been referred back to the Town Planning Board for amendment. The Board is still in the process of preparing the plan and no decision has yet been taken on the amount of land which will be set aside for public open space.
(b) I regret that I am unable to say when the plan will be completed and approved by the Governor-in-Council.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.