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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, the meeting is called to order. I hope you all had a happy time over New Year.
MINUTES.
The minutes of the meeting held on 20th December, 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 December, 1968.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI : — As a ward councillor myself, is it possible to have a breakdown of the subjects the applicants come about? I know in my own ward for instance, that the majority of the applications are about resettlement, but I have not the slightest knowledge of the other wards, and I think that a breakdown of what the applicants come about would be convenient and constructive.
The other remark that I would like to make is in my capacity as Chairman of the Hawkers Policy Select Committee. Pages 12 and 13 of the Report referring to a survey of cooked food stalls states "The purpose of this survey was to decide whether or not the stalls should be allowed an enlarged area for seating customers". Is this a continuation of a previous decision that was held up, I think, because of the riots in 1967?
CHAIRMAN: -I will look into it. It is not question-time yet.
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, it is well that this Council should be given a brief report on the rapid progress that has been made in presenting concerts and theatrical performances for public entertainment and education at the charge of $1.00. In 1968 there were 38 such presentations. At most of them there was full attendance although the overall percentage is 94, which is in itself an impressive record of the enthusiastic response on the part of the public. This great number of presentations was possible because of the good work done by the management and staff of the City Hall working under pressure and at weekends and holidays.
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375
The Council is also waiting for a decision from the Government on enlarging the scope of these concerts so that persons and groups of high international standing may be invited to perform when evidently their fees will be beyond what the Council is able to afford at the present time. In the event, the Select Committee would put up the charges to a reasonable extent but as far as possible a good number of seats would still be set aside for sale at the current rate of $1.00.
Moreover, at regular intervals in the year, the Select Committee intends to organize music festivals over a short period (miniature festivals, as it were) such as the one the City Hall presented at Christmas which met with very good response indeed.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. R. H. LOBO asked the following question:
Will the Chairman please inform me if steps are being taken to repair certain sections of the roof of the pedestrian subway leading to the Star Ferry since it has been leaking in many places during rain and for some time thereafter?
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:
This roof has been a source of trouble ever since its completion, owing to unequal settlement of the light weight structure which was built on newly reclaimed land. Arrangements have been made to lay a new elastic water-proofing membrane over the existing roof during the present dry season.
(2) MR. R. H. LOBO asked the following question:
Can the Chairman please inform me why members of the public are prevented by U.S.D. staff from approaching the Cenotaph or from walking on the paved area around the Cenotaph?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
My friend, Mr. LOBO, has asked why members of the public are prevented by the staff of the Urban Services Department from approaching the Cenotaph or from walking on the paved area around the Cenotaph.
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43
Page 232 of 243
374
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, the meeting is called to order. I hope you all had a happy time over New Year.
MINUTES.
The minutes of the meeting held on 20th December, 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 December, 1968.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI : — -As a ward councillor myself, is it possible to have a breakdown of the subjects the applicants come about? I know in my own ward for instance, that the majority of the applications are about resettlement, but I have not the slightest knowledge of the other wards, and I think that a breakdown of what the applicants come about would be convenient and constructive.
The other remark that I would like to make is in my capacity as Chairman of the Hawkers Policy Select Committee. Pages 12 and 13 of the Report referring to a survey of cooked food stalls states "The purpose of this survey was to decide whether or not the stalls should be allowed an enlarged area for seating customers". Is this a continuation of a previous decision that was held up, I think, because of the riots in 1967?
CHAIRMAN: -I will look into it. It is not question-time yet.
MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, it is well that this Council should be given a brief report on the rapid progress that has been made in presenting concerts and theatrical performances for public entertain- ment and education at the charge of $1.00. In 1968 there were 38 such presentations. At most of them there was full attendance although the overall percentage is 94, which is in itself an impressive record of the enthusiastic response on the part of the public. This great number of presentations was possible because of the good work done by the management and staff of the City Hall working under pressure and at weekends and holidays.
Sir, it is planned to keep up this programme but the Council ought to know too that the Select Committee has applied for an Assistant Manager, not only to make good the present shortage of staff at this
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level and so cope with our requirements, but also to give the public an even more varied and ambitious programme in 1969 and the years ahead.
The Council is also waiting for a decision from the Government on enlarging the scope of these concerts so that persons and groups of high international standing may be invited to perform when evidently their fees will be beyond what the Council is able to afford at the present time. In the event, the Select Committee would put up the charges to a reasonable extent but as far as possible a good number of seats would still be set aside for sale at the current rate of $1.00.
Moreover, at regular intervals in the year, the Select Committee intends to organize music festivals over a short period (miniature festi- vals, as it were) such as the one the City Hall presented at Christmas which met with very good response indeed.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. R. H. LOBO asked the following question:
Will the Chairman please inform me if steps are being taken to repair certain sections of the roof of the pedestrian subway leading to the Star Ferry since it has been leaking in many places during rain and for some time thereafter?
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:
This roof has been a source of trouble ever since its comple- tion, owing to unequal settlement of the light weight structure which was built on newly reclaimed land. Arrangements have been made to lay a new elastic water- proofing membrane over the existing roof during the present dry season.
(2) MR. R. H. LOBO asked the following question:
Can the Chairman please inform me why members of the public are prevented by U.S.D. staff from approaching the Cenotaph or from walking on the paved area around the Cenotaph?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
My friend, Mr. LOBO, has asked why members of the public are prevented by the staff of the Urban Services Depart- ment from approaching the Cenotaph or from walking on the paved area around the Cenotaph.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.