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Department is prevented by law from disclosing this to the Anti-corruption branch. LET THE GOVERNMENT TAKE ACTION URGENTLY AND STRONGLY TO STAMP OUT THIS GROWING MENACE OF CORRUPTION.
(The Director of Public Works arrived at this point).
If so much money is around and can be levied into corrupt pockets why cannot or dare not Government impose a proper form of income tax in Hong Kong? I have asked this question for the past 4 years in each of my annual debate speeches. I have never yet had an answer. But every time there is a question of making an improvement whether it be in the building of more technical schools, of renovations to existing public latrines, or a proper fully comprehensive school medical scheme or dental treatment for the masses, there is an answer, it cannot be done, there is no money!
I deplore this abysmal failure of government to impose a proper form of taxation to raise needed revenue when it comes to Social Welfare in Hong Kong, or perhaps it would be more correct to say the dreadful inadequacy and insufficiency of Social Welfare in Hong Kong. There is not a single organization for the handicapped, the blind, the dumb, the deaf, the spastic, the crippled, which is not hamstrung by having its carefully and economically worked out budget slashed to ... or when it is submitted to Government. Mr. Chairman, you are well aware that one such organization recently made application to this Council to run a private cemetery, in order to raise funds from the sale of burial plots for the dead, to take care of expenses for disabled living children. This application was turned down by a majority vote but it was recorded in the minutes of the meeting that members were appalled that any charitable subvented organization should have to go to such length to raise necessary and much needed current finance. Why is Government not doing its duty in the field of Social Welfare? Is it because of lack of finance? Then why not raise the required finance by proper income taxation?
This Council has done its best to meet some needs of Social Welfare by reserving some domestic rooms and shops in its resettlement Estates for compassionate cases and by reserving fixed pitch hawker licences for compassionate cases many of whom are not just direct Social Welfare Department cases but are also cases referred to the Social Welfare Department by voluntary organizations or by councillors from our ward offices. At present, the position seems to be so bad that unless a person or a family is practically starved or homeless they do not meet the required criteria for Social Welfare help, which in any case frequently only consists of some dry rations or persuading some other voluntary organization to give a cash grant or to pay the rent of the family, or persuading a school to give free places for the children. Department does not seem to have the means to do more in so many instances.
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voluntary organization to give a cash grant or to pay the rent of the family, or persuading a school to give free places for the children. Department does not seem to have the means to do more in so many instances. In 1952 as a result of the then Commissioner of Police not having time to attend any Urban Council Meeting or Select Committee Meetings although he was a member, the Director of Social Welfare was appointed to replace him, and it was said that the Urban Council's work apparently concerned him more. In 1968, I think it can be truthfully said that the work of the Social Welfare Department concerns very greatly the members of this Council, elected and appointed, with regard to their policy making, Ward Office work and also because most members are intimately concerned with the running of many voluntary, charitable and partially subvented organizations. However although the Director of Social Welfare is with us he is evidently no more than a "window dressing" because if a question is asked of him which does not concern Resettlement, Hawking or Recreational activity that question is ruled out of order. If for instance, I ask him how that particular organization is going to be helped financially, now that this Council has refused permission for it to run a private cemetery to raise money from the sale of burial plots, and what is his Department doing about it? This question is not allowed and is ruled out of order. If no questions can be asked regarding Social Welfare in general why was the Director appointed to the Council and since he is appointed to the Council why cannot his department come under this council at the earliest possible date in 1969 as is suggested in our statement of aims general policy (page 8, 22). I urge Government to give the closest attention to permitting this advancement. Surely Government would prefer that questions could be asked openly and answers given openly instead of having strikes of pathetically disabled people which surely reflect in the press all over the world and do not enhance the image of Government and social welfare in this Colony.
Mr. Chairman, to revert from the ultra vires to the intra vires I would make some remarks on Environmental Hygiene. Firstly, concerning shades over back yards. The members of the Environmental Hygiene Committee, with the exception of one member, and strongly supported by the Fire Services Department whose advice was sought and by the Health Department, decided that our policy should be not to allow shades over backyards, except where permission was granted by the Urban Council and that the Council should have power to remove illegal shades, commencing with those which are the subject of nuisance complaints. For some peculiar reasons, excuse after excuse has been forthcoming from the department, that the present unsatisfactory policy be allowed to remain. At present anybody who owns a backyard can cover half of it, and provided there is no obstruction to light or ventilation and no obstruction to fire rescue appliances there is no power in the ordinances I am told, to remove that shade,
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Page 151 of 243
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Department is prevented by law from disclosing this to the Anti- corruption branch. LET THE GOVERNMENT TAKE ACTION URGENTLY AND STRONGLY TO STAMP OUT THIS GROWING MENACE OF CORRUPTION.
(The Director of Public Works arrived at this point).
If so much money is around and can be levied into corrupt pockets why cannot or dare not Government impose a proper form of income tax in Hong Kong? I have asked this question for the past 4 years in each of my annual debate speeches. I have never yet had an answer. But every time there is a question of making an improvement whether it be in the building of more technical schools, of renovations to existing public latrines, or a proper fully comprehensive school medical scheme or dental treatment for the masses, there is an answer, it cannot be done, there is no money!
I deplore this abysmal failure of government to impose a proper form of taxation to raise needed revenue when it comes to Social Welfare in Hong Kong, or perhaps it would be more correct to say the dreadful inadequacy and insufficiency of Social Welfare in Hong Kong. There is not a single organization for the handicapped, the blind, the dumb, the deaf, the spastic, the crippled, which is not hamstrung by having its carefully and economically worked out budget slashed to ,, or when it is submitted to Government. Mr. Chairman, you are well aware that one such organization recently made application to this Council to run a private cemetery, in order to raise funds from the sale of burial plots for the dead, to take care of expenses for disabled living children. This application was turned down by a majority vote but it was recorded in the minutes of the meeting that members were appalled that any charitable subvented organization should have to go to such length to raise necessary and much needed current finance. Why is Government not doing its duty in the field of Social Welfare? Is it because of lack of finance? Then why not raise the required finance by proper income taxation?
This Council has done its best to meet some needs of Social Welfare by reserving some domestic rooms and shops in its resettlement Estates for compassionate cases and by reserving fixed pitch hawker licences for compassionate cases many of whom are not just direct Social Welfare Department cases but are also cases referred to the Social Welfare Department by voluntary organizations or by councillors from our ward offices. At present, the position seems to be so bad that unless a person or a family is practically starved or homeless they do not meet the required criteria for Social Welfare help, which in any case fre- quently only consists of some dry rations or persuading some other
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
279
voluntary organization to give a cash grant or to pay the rent of the The family, or persuading a school to give free places for the children. Department does not seem to have the means to do more in so many instances. In 1952 as a result of the then Commissioner of Police not having time to attend any Urban Council Meeting or Select Committee Meetings although he was a member, the Director of Social Welfare was appointed to replace him, and it was said that the Urban Council's work apparently concerned him more. In 1968, I think it can be truthfully said that the work of the Social Welfare Department concerns very greatly the members of this Council, elected and appointed, with regard to their policy making, Ward Office work and also because most members are intimately concerned with the running of many voluntary, charitable and partially subvented organizations. However although the Director of Social Welfare is with us he is evidently no more than a "window dressing" because if a question is asked of him which does not concern Resettlement, Hawking or Recreational activity that question is ruled out of order. If for instance, I ask him how that particular organization is going to be helped financially, now that this Council has refused permission for it to run a private cemetery to raise money from the sale of burial plots, and what is his Department doing about it? This question is not allowed and is ruled out of order. If no questions can be asked regarding Social Welfare in general why was the Director appointed to the Council and since he is appointed to the Council why cannot his department come under this council at the earliest possible date in 1969 as is suggested in our statement of aims general policy (page 8, 22). I urge Government to give the closest attention to permitting this advancement. Surely Government would prefer that questions could be asked openly and answers given openly instead of having strikes of pathetically disabled people which surely reflect in the press all over the world and do not enhance the image of Government and social welfare in this Colony.
Mr. Chairman, to revert from the ultravires to the intravires I would make some remarks on Environmental Hygiene. Firstly, con- cerning shades over back yards. The members of the Environmental Hygiene Committee, with the exception of one member, and strongly supported by the Fire Services Department whose advice was sought and by the Health Department, decided that our policy should be not to allow shades over backyards, except where permission was granted by the Urban Council and that the Council should have power to remove illegal shades, commencing with those which are the subject of nuisance complaints. For some peculiar reasons, excuse after excuse has been forthcoming from the department, that the present unsatis- factory policy be allowed to remain. At present anybody who owns a backyard can cover half of it, and provided there is no obstruction to light or ventilation and no obstruction to fire rescue applicances there is no power in the ordinances I am told, to remove that shade,
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