HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. BELL: Yes, maybe it's new matter, it's introduced by the answer.
CHAIRMAN: But not by the question.
DR. BELL: Well, I wouldn't agree with you Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry, because I did ask what has happened about it being upgraded to Category B and I now ask you why we missed the bus over it. Mr. Chairman, I don't agree with Mr. Solomon RAFEEK about the beauty of this area, I used to agree. Could you refer this to the Select Committee and suggest to them that they perhaps visit this crematorium to see its present condition. I think they would not be extolling its beauty if they did so.
MR. RAFEEK: Mr. Chairman, I will certainly refer this back to the Select Committee.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, Mr. RAFEEK in his answer to me has suggested that I might be able to draw attention to some specific cases. Perhaps Mr. Chairman, would you ask the Committee if they would contact some of the Church vicars of the churches in Kowloon who have to conduct services in the crematorium and I think they'll get all the complaints from them that they want to know about.
MR. RAFEEK: Mr. Chairman, I will certainly look into this.
CHAIRMAN: Could you help the Chairman of the Select Committee by giving him the names of the particular churches you have in mind?
DR. BELL: Certainly Mr. Chairman. I would like to elaborate if you would let me. One of my complainants compared it to Cape Collinson and said that compared to Cape Collinson it was a "dump". He was also referring to the staff and the way that they were able to generally help the public and the relatives. He said they were not, in any way, comparable with the staff in Cape Collinson.
CHAIRMAN: I think it would help if you're able to give Mr. RAFEEK the name of this particular gentleman so that he can investigate the matter.
MR. SALES: I think it would be desirable for the Select Committee to visit that site. Mr. Chairman, when I was Chairman of that Select Committee we visited the cemeteries under the responsibility of the Urban Council.
CHAIRMAN: If individual Members have not already done so, I'm sure the Chairman will be quite happy to arrange a visit. I've seen the site myself, it's not a very good area. This is partly the trouble, with development going on all round it hasn't the appearance that it might have; but they do their best with what bit of ground they have.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, you'll probably rule me out of order, but perhaps the Director of Public Works would be prepared to answer this. Why did the couple of hundred yards remain on that road not completed for over a year? The rest of the road is a beautiful road.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: Because the contractor went bankrupt, not bankrupt, but he had become so short of money he was unable to keep the contract. The contract had to be terminated and as I've said many a time in this Council that once one terminates a contract it's a very very long drawn out business - finalizing the work that has been done by the original contractor, the defaulting contractor, paying him off before you can start getting new tenders for the fresh work.
DR. BELL: I hope it wasn't the sight of the crematorium that made the contractor go broke Mr. Chairman.
(The Director of Public Works left the meeting at this point).
(21) DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:
May this Council please be advised whether the Chinese translation of the "Mod Pop-in" was considered and chosen by the appropriate Select Committee as I understand that the present Chinese title does not correctly describe the function which is held and which is in fact a function of the Council's youth recreation programme. Is it not possible that some of the controversy which seems to exist concerning this excellent function is caused by a mis-translation?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
This question concerns the Chinese version of "Mod Pop-In". Neither the English nor the Chinese version of the title used for the Urban Council's first open air dance for young people was discussed in Select Committee. The project was approved by the Select Committee and its detailed organization was left in the hands of the Assistant Director concerned, which is standard practice.
I understand that this officer selected both the English and the Chinese versions after consulting appropriate people in show business and Chinese officers in the department. A title calculated to arouse interest was deliberately chosen; it cannot be denied that it achieved its object.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
DR. BELL: Yes, maybe it's new matter, it's introduced by the
answer.
CHAIRMAN:-But not by the question.
DR. BELL: ---Well, I wouldn't agree with you Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry, because I did ask what has happened about it being upgraded to Category B and I now ask you why we missed the bus over it. Mr. Chairman, I don't agree with Mr. Solomon RAFEEK about the beauty of this area, I used to agree. Could you refer this to the Select Com- mittee and suggest to them that they perhaps visit this crematorium to see its present condition. I think they would not be extolling its beauty if they did so.
MR. RAFEEK:-Mr. Chairman, I will certainly refer this back to the Select Committee.
DR. BELL: Mr. Chairman, Mr. RAFEEK in his answer to me has suggested that I might be able to draw attention to some specific cases. Perhaps Mr. Chairman, would you ask the Committee if they would contact some of the Church vicars of the churches in Kowloon who have to conduct services in the crematorium and I think they'll get all the complaints from them that they want to know about.
MR. RAFEEK ----Mr. Chairman, I will certainly look into this.
CHAIRMAN: --Could you help the Chairman of the Select Com- mittee by giving him the names of the particular churches you have in mind?
DR. BELL: Certainly Mr. Chairman. I would like to elaborate if you would let me. One of my complainants compared it to Cape Collinson and said that compared to Cape Collinson it was a "dump”. He was also referring to the staff and the way that they were able to generally help the public and the relatives. He said they were not, in any way, comparable with the staff, in Cape Collinson.
CHAIRMAN: -I think it would help if you're able to give Mr. RAFEEK the name of this particular gentleman so that he can investigate the
matter.
MR. SALES: -I think it would be desirable for the Select Com- mittee to visit that site. Mr. Chairman, when I was Chairman of that Select Committee we visited the cemeteries under the responsibility of the Urban Council.
CHAIRMAN: ---If individual Members have not already done so, I'm sure the Chairman will be quite happy to arrange a visit. I've seen the site myself, it's not a very good area. This is partly the trouble, with development going on all round it hasn't appearance that it might have; but they do their best with what bit of ground they have.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
99
DR. BELL:Mr. Chairman, you'll probably rule me out of order, but perhaps the Director of Public Works would be prepared to answer this. Why did the couple of hundred yards remain on that road not completed for over a year? The rest of the road is a beautiful road.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Because the contractor went bank- rupt, not bankrupt, but he had become so short of money he was un- able to keep the contract. The contract had to be terminated and as I've said many a time in this Council that once one terminates a con- tract it's a very very long drawn out business-finalizing the work that has been done by the original contractor, the de-faulting contractor, paying him off before you can start getting new tenders for the fresh work.
DR. BELL:-I hope it wasn't the sight of the crematorium that made the contractor go broke Mr. Chairman.
(The Director of Public Works left the meeting at this point).
(21) DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:
May this Council please be advised whether the Chinese translation of the "Mod Pop-in" was considered and chosen by the appropriate Select Committee as I under- stand that the present Chinese title does not correctly describe the function which is held and which is in fact a function of the Council's youth recreation programme. Is it not possible that some of the controversy which seems to exist concerning this excellent function is caused by a mis-translation?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:---
This question concerns the Chinese version of "Mod Pop-In". Neither the English nor the Chinese version of the title used for the Urban Council's first open air dance for young people was discussed in Select Committee. The project was approved by the Select Committee and its detailed organization was left in the hands of the Assistant Director concerned, which is standard practice.
I understand that this officer selected both the English and the Chinese versions after consulting appropriate people in show business and Chinese officers in the department. A title calculated to arouse interest was deliberately chosen; it cannot be denied that it achieved its object.
Page 58 of 243
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