HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN,
CHAIRMAN: --Ladies and gentlemen, before we proceed with the form of Agenda, I would like to welcome back Mr. Peter NG on his return to the Colony. (Applause).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the meetings held on 5th November, 27th November and 28th November, 1968 were confirmed.
PAPER.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:-
Report on the Work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of November 1968.
MR. LI YIU-BOR: --Mr. Chairman, as you know, I have no desire to steal the thunder from the Official Members, but referring to the work of the Ward Offices in your Monthly Report, I wish to say that I have been asked by several members of the public at the Kwun Tong ward office about the possibility of a mass resignation of Elected Members from this Council. With your permission I would like to make the position clear. As far as I am aware, the question of a mass resignation of Elected Members from this Council was not on the Agenda of any meeting of the Elected Members, and was never properly discussed as an item of business at any private meeting. I am of the opinion, and I think my colleagues from the Civic Association agree with me, that a mass resignation of Elected Members from this Council would serve no useful purpose and that as we are elected by the electorate to sit on this Council to serve the community, any such move would not be in the public interest.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI :-Mr. Chairman, I did not know my friend, I must correct him Mr. Li Yiu-bor, was going to make this statement. by saying that there is never an official agenda for unofficial meetings. The question of a mass resignation was brought up at one of the meetings of the Elected Unofficials as a point amongst other points, but I agree with him that no decision to resign on mass was taken at that or any other meeting.
(Dr. P. F. WOO arrived at this point).
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I likewise rise in relation to the concern that has been caused in my ward, the Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei ward, concerning the possible resignation en masse of the Elected Members, with particular reference to my Elected Colleague. He is not here to speak for himself, but I would like to say that there is no possibility that the residents of our ward might be deprived of the services of Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN.
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of the Elected Members, with particular reference to my Elected Colleague. He is not here to speak for himself, but I would like to say that there is no possibility that the residents of our ward might be deprived of the services of Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN. As regards the Appointed Members, at no time did the Appointed Members envisage that there would be any trouble in the Council because, in any case, the Appointed Members man most of the Select Committees and do most of the work. (Laughter). However, I would like to record that two Elected Members have made very clear statements on this subject. One, my long-time friend Dr. P. F. Woo who declined to go to the tea party of the Unofficial Members yesterday because he was afraid he might lose his temper on the remaining Elected Members for what he considered their silly attitude. Secondly, my great friend, Mr. Henry Hu, made a sublime act of political faith and friendship when he declared no less than six times at the tea party that he would only walk out of this Chamber if I and my colleagues, the Appointed Members, were to do so. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, unknowing to you, there are 12 Appointed Members on this Council-no less. (Laughter).
(Dr. Denny M. H. HUANG arrived at this point).
MR. R, H. LOBO:--Mr. Chairman, I am so happy to hear that we can only have a "talkathon" and not a "walkathon". (Laughter).
REPORT BY CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL.
CHAIRMAN: ---At a meeting of this Council held in August, a Motion "that this Council urges the Government to provide more public open space within the Central District" was referred to a joint meeting of the Recreation and Amenities and the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committees to consider a suggestion made during the course of debate that a museum and art gallery be built on the site occupied by the Hong Kong Cricket Club if this site became available to the Council.
At a joint meeting of the two Select Committees on 9th December, it was agreed that, if the Hong Kong Cricket Club site were made available to this Council, it should be kept wholly as open space. The joint Committees considered other areas where a museum and art gallery could be sited and their views on these other sites will be sent to Government for consideration.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question:-
In February 1966 a Motion was passed as follows:-
"As the principle of an Ombudsman has been traditional in Chinese society and as this principle is gaining accept-
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243
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN,
CHAIRMAN: --Ladies and gentlemen, before we proceed with the form of Agenda, I would like to welcome back Mr. Peter NG on his return to the Colony. (Applause).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the meetings held on 5th November, 27th November and 28th November, 1968 were confirmed.
PAPER.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:-
Report on the Work of the Urban Council and Urban Services
Department for the month of November 1968.
MR. LI YIU-BOR: --Mr. Chairman, as you know, I have no desire to steal the thunder from the Official Members, but referring to the work of the Ward Offices in your Monthly Report, I wish to say that I have been asked by several members of the public at the Kwun Tong ward office about the possibility of a mass resignation of Elected Members from this Council. With your permission I would like to make the position clear. As far as I am aware, the question of a mass resignation of Elected Members from this Council was not on the Agenda of any meeting of the Elected Members, and was never properly discussed as an item of business at any private meeting. I am of the opinion, and I think my colleagues from the Civic Association agree with me, that a mass resignation of Elected Members from this Council would serve no useful purpose and that as we are elected by the electorate to sit on this Council to serve the community, any such move would not be in the public interest.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI :-Mr. Chairman, I did not know my friend, I must correct him Mr. Li Yiu-bor, was going to make this statement. by saying that there is never an official agenda for unofficial meetings. The question of a mass resignation was brought up at one of the meetings of the Elected Unofficials as a point amongst other points, but I agree with him that no decision to resign on mass was taken at that or any other meeting.
(Dr. P. F. WOO arrived at this point).
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I likewise rise in relation to the concern that has been caused in my ward, the Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei ward, concerning the possible resignation en masse
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
333
of the Elected Members, with particular reference to my Elected Colleague. He is not here to speak for himself, but I would like to say that there is no possibility that the residents of our ward might be deprived of the services of Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN. As regards the Appointed Members, at no time did the Appointed Members envisage that there would be any trouble in the Council because, in any case, the Appointed Members man most of the Select Committees and do most of the work. (Laughter). However, I would like to record that two Elected Members have made very clear statements on this subject. One, my long-time friend Dr. P. F. Woo who declined to go to the tea party of the Unofficial Members yesterday because he was afraid he might lose his temper on the remaining Elected Members for what he considered their silly attitude. Secondly, my great friend, Mr. Henry Hu, made a sublime act of political faith and friendship when he declared no less than six times at the tea party that he would only walk out of this Chamber if I and my colleagues, the Appointed Members, were to do so. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, unknowing to you, there are 12 Appointed Members on this Council-no less. (Laughter).
(Dr. Denny M. H. HUANG arrived at this point).
MR. R, H. LOBO:--Mr. Chairman, I am so happy to hear that we can only have a "talkathon" and not a "walkathon". (Laughter).
REPORT BY CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL.
CHAIRMAN: ---At a meeting of this Council held in August, a Motion "that this Council urges the Government to provide more public open space within the Central District" was referred to a joint meeting of the Recreation and Amenities and the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committees to consider a suggestion made during the course of debate that a museum and art gallery be built on the site occupied by the Hong Kong Cricket Club if this site became available to the Council.
At a joint meeting of the two Select Committees on 9th December, it was agreed that, if the Hong Kong Cricket Club site were made available to this Council, it should be kept wholly as open space. The joint Committees considered other areas where a museum and art gallery could be sited and their views on these other sites will be sent to Government for consideration.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question:-
In February 1966 a Motion was passed as follows:-
"As the principle of an Ombudsman has been traditional in Chinese society and as this principle is gaining accept-
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