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(8) MR. Woo Po-shing asked the following question:
In view of the recent fire disasters, could the whole question of resettlement of roof-top squatters be treated by the Commissioner for Resettlement as an urgent necessity? Could the question be referred to the Resettlement Policy Select Committee for consideration of recommending amendments of the priorities accordingly?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
The question of roof-top squatters was most recently examined by the Resettlement Policy Select Committee in January 1968 in the general context of its review of resettlement priorities. The Committee decided that the policy regarding roof-top squatters should remain unchanged for the present; but it reserved its position should there be any changes in the policy relating to the occupants of dangerous buildings, which is now being generally re-examined by Government.
MR. WOO:-In view of the recent fire disasters, will the Commissioner refer the question to the Select Committee-the second part of my question?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-It has already been referred to the Select Committee and as I pointed out they considered the matter in January.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, could the question be answered -the question surely is, as a result of the fires which have now occurred involving loss of life-the urgency of the matter is now apparent, so could it again be referred to the Resettlement Policy Select Committee whatever their decision was in January 1968.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I see no difficulty Sir.
(9) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
Can the Chairman advise to what extent the Ward System of the Urban Council will duplicate the activities of the Urban District Officers?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
Sir, I do not believe that the Ward System of the Urban Council will duplicate the activities of the City District Officers. (Laughter).
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MR. CHEONG-LEEN: I wish to congratulate you on your brevity, it's even shorter than the question. Mr. Chairman, could you enumerate the reasons which lead you to believe that the Ward System of the Urban Council will not duplicate the activities of the City District Officers?
CHAIRMAN:-I think I should take care here not to anticipate a lot of what will be said in the forthcoming debate on the Motion. Also, I am not an expert on City District Officers. But it must be apparent to start with that Ward Offices are manned by Council Members and not civil servants. Now, the public will, in thinking whether to visit a Ward Office member or a District Officer, choose the one they want to go to; they will not go to both and, therefore, I don't think there will be any duplication.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I received a complaint from a member of the public recently which I referred to one of the recently gazetted officers of the City District Office system. Would you say that that is a duplication of effort?
CHAIRMAN: It seems to me undesirable to do that because you could get quicker results by referring it to the department concerned.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I thought that I would test out the City District Office system and it worked quite well. I was wondering whether the City District Office system couldn't act as the executive arm of the Ward Offices. Do you envisage that that is possible Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN:-No, Sir, I do not.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: In the case that I illustrated it did act in such a manner and it was for this reason that I posed this question to you-"What were the reasons that would have led you to believe that there would be no duplication of activities,"—and I would assume from your reply, Sir, that you have not provided any valid reasons, you were simply assuming, and that seems to be against standing orders. Now may I ask question No. 10? (Laughter).
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I say that I speak for myself and certainly not for MR. CHEONG-LEEN, that I would like to put this question to you-why cannot the District Officers duplicate the work of the Ward System-I for one would be delighted if they took over the work which I'm doing in Tsimshatsui, and I'm quite sure my secretary would too.
CHAIRMAN:-As I say, I don't wish to duplicate what may be said in the debate hereafter, but in answer, very briefly, to that question, I think the main point that I wish to make is that the City District Officers are...
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(8) MR. Woo PO-SHING asked the following question:·
In view of the recent fire disasters, could the whole question of resettlement of roof-top squatters be treated by the Commissioner for Resettlement as an urgent necessity? Could the question be referred to the Resettlement Policy Select Committee for consideration of recommend ing amendments of the priorities accordingly?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
The question of roof-top squatters was most recently examined by the Resettlement Policy Select Committee in January 1968 in the general context of its review of resettlement priorities. The Committee decided that the policy regard- ing roof-top squatters should remain unchanged for the present; but it reserved its position should there be any changes in the policy relating to the occupants of dangerous buildings, which is now being generally re- examined by Government.
MR. WOO:-In view of the recent fire disasters, will the Commis- sioner refer the question to the Select Committee-the second part of my question?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-It has already been referred to the Select Committee and as I pointed out they considered the matter in January.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, could the question be answered -the question surely is, as a result of the fires which have now occurred involving loss of life-the urgency of the matter is now apparent, so could it again be referred to the Resettlement Policy Select Committee whatever their decision was in January 1968.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: -I see no difficulty Sir.
(9) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
*
Can the Chairman advise to what extent the Ward System of the Urban Council will duplicate the activities of the Urban District Officers?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
Sir, I do not believe that the Ward System of the Urban Council will duplicate the activities of the City District Officers. (Laughter).
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MR. CHEONG-LEEN: I wish to congratulate you on your brevity, it's even shorter than the question. Mr. Chairman, could you enumerate the reasons which lead you to believe that the Ward System of the Urban Council will not duplicate the activities of the City District Officers?
CHAIRMAN:-I think I should take care here not to anticipate a lot of what will be said in the forthcoming debate on the Motion. Also, I am not an expert on City District Officers. But it must be apparent to start with that Ward Offices are manned by Council Members and not civil servants. Now, the public will, in thinking whether to visit a Ward Office member or a District Officer, choose the one they want to go to; they will not go to both and, therefore, I don't think there will be any duplication.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I received a complaint from a member of the public recently which I referred to one of the recently gazetted officers of the City District Office system. Would you say that that is a duplication of effort?
CHAIRMAN: It seems to me undesirable to do that because you could get quicker results by referring it to the department concerned.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I thought that I would test out the City District Office system and it worked quite well. I was wonder- ing whether the City District Office system couldn't act as the executive arm of the Ward Offices. Do you envisage that that is possible Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN:-No, Sir, I do not.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: In the case that I illustrated it did act in such a manner and it was for this reason that I posed this question to you— "What were the reasons that would have led you to believe that there would be no duplication of activities,”—and I would assume from your reply, Sir, that you have not provided any valid reasons, you were simply assuming, and that seems to be against standing orders. Now may I ask question No. 10? (Laughter).
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I say that I speak for myself and certainly not for Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, that I would like to put this question to you-why cannot the District Officers duplicate the work of the Ward System-I for one would be delighted if they took over the work which I'm doing in Tsimshatsui, and I'm quite sure my secretary would too.
CHAIRMAN:-As I say, I don't wish to duplicate what may be said in the debate hereafter, but in answer, very briefly, to that question, I think the main point that I wish to make is that the City District
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