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strengthen this feeling of mutual respect and affection, perhaps some of our leading citizens might wish to take the initiative in forming a local branch of the Commonwealth Institute so as to foster closer cultural exchange and better understanding between Hong Kong people and other peoples in the Commonwealth.
Mr. Chairman, I hope that Members will give this motion their fullest support, since in the years to come it will, if implemented, strengthen the sense of community belonging among Hong Kong People, and in particular, generate pride and responsibility among our young people, who want above all wider outlets for their talents and creativity in a go-ahead Hong Kong.
Let us hope that this Hong Kong Festival of the Arts, if it can be held annually will be able to capture the loftier spirit of our times, and give our people faith and confidence in the future of Hong Kong.
In closing, Mr. Chairman, may I quote an extract from a commemorative preface written by Edmund BLUNDEN, on the occasion of last year's Music and Fine Arts Festival, which it is most apt:
not least the rising generation thronged where still, the purpose richly carried through year upon year, the city smiles upon its folk enjoying many occasions, welcoming genius and talent in their various forms
MR. LI:-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Motion moved by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN. The time is getting rather late and unless Mr. CHEONG-LEEN is prepared to provide dinner I will try to be as brief as possible. The Motion is, as Members are aware, neither political nor controversial. If it were either, I'm afraid Mr. CHEONG-LEEN would have to ask a more eloquent and less controversial speaker to plead his cause. Also, the Motion is couched in such broad and general terms that it does not tie the hands of the Select Committees concerned and so it makes it easier for Members to support the proposal. I don't know who was the real culprit for calling Hong Kong a cultural desert years ago. If, in view of the many tall buildings which have sprung up in post-war Hong Kong, the city were compared to a concrete jungle, we would have accepted the comparison without reserve. Fortunately, since the completion of the City Hall in 1962, the misleading term has more or less disappeared and it is hoped that if this Motion is passed the Urban Council as a whole may one day deservedly take credit as a patron of the arts. With this happy note, Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure in seconding the Motion.
CHAIRMAN:-The Motion has been moved and seconded, does any Member wish to speak?
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In connection with this Motion which I will support, I would like to say that I am glad that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN has built into it its reference to the relevant Select Committees for study, and also for the need of staff, for you will all be aware that it is one thing to pass a motion and another to produce results. A very large proportion of the work involved in organising the visual arts side of an Arts Festival will fall upon the staff of the Museum and Art Gallery, while for the performing arts side, i.e., music and drama, the burden will fall upon the Assistant Manager's section of the City Hall.
An Arts Festival which is worthy of the name (and effort) will make tremendous demands on staff and if this is to be a regular feature of Council's programme, it is inevitable, I think, that additional staff will be required-for whom, of course, no provision at all has been made this year. Much of the success of any festival will depend largely on the ability of staff to secure the participation of interested groups and individuals.
Reference has been made to the successful "Festival" of Music and Fine Arts last year which was organized as a special occasion to mark the 5th Anniversary of the opening of the City Hall. This, however, was made possible only by the very considerable effort of the staff who worked at a pitch of intensity and with an expenditure of time which it would be unreasonable to require of them "repetitiously", i.e., annually or even biennially and, moreover, at the expense of more pressing work, particularly in the Museum and Art Gallery.
However, given the staff and the money, the Department would, I am sure, be happy to play its part in helping to organise festivals such as Mr. CHEONG-LEEN envisages, and it will be up to the Select Committees concerned to get together and work out details of feasibility, scope, staffing implications and cost in order to present a solid case to Government for any additional staff which will be necessary and also for the release of the necessary funds without which it will not be possible to proceed.
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, may I say a few words as the Chairman of the City Hall Select Committee. I have spoken to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN on the telephone about this matter and I also spoke to the Manager of the City Hall. Mr. Chairman, my association with the City Hall Select Committee has been ever since its inception; in point of fact, it was formed as a result of a Motion which I introduced into this Council. So, the development of the City Hall's programme is not something that is being made haphazardly-it is a conscious effort on the part of the Select Committee to develop the work of the City Hall according to a programme which the staff is capable of carrying out. Now, the position is that after 5 years the City Hall Select Committee has reached a point when the management has been instructed to expand
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strengthen this feeling of mutual respect and affection, perhaps some of our leading citizens might wish to take the initiative in forming a local branch of the Commonwealth Institute so as to foster closer cultural exchange and better understanding between Hong Kong people and other peoples in the Commonwealth.
Mr. Chairman, I hope that Members will give this motion their fullest support, since in the years to come it will, if implemented, strengthen the sense of community belonging among Hong Kong People, and in particular, generate pride and responsibility among our young people, who want above all wider outlets for their talents and creativity in a go-ahead Hong Kong.
Let us hope that this Hong Kong Festival of the Arts, if it can be held annually will be able to capture the loftier spirit of our times, and give our people faith and confidence in the future of Hong Kong.
In closing, Mr. Chairman, may I quote an extract from a com- memorative preface written by Edmund BLUNDEN, on the occasion of last year's Music and Fine Arts Festival, which it most apt:
not least the rising generation thronged where still, the purpose richly carried through year upon year, the city smiles upon its folk enjoying many occasions, welcoming genius and talent in their various forms
MR. LI:-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Motion moved by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN. The time is getting rather late and unless Mr. CHEONG-LEEN is prepared to provide dinner I will try to be as brief as possible. The Motion is, as Members are aware neither political nor controversial. If it were either, I'm afraid Mr. CHEONG-LEEN would have to ask a more eloquent and less controversial speaker to plead his cause. Also, the Motion is couched in such broad and general terms that it does not tie the hands of the Select Committees concerned and so it makes it easier for Members to support the proposal. I don't know who was the real culprit for calling Hong Kong a cultural desert years ago. If, in view of the many tall buildings which have sprung up in post-war Hong Kong, the city were compared to a concrete jungle, we would have accepted the comparison without reserve. Fortunately, since the completion of the City Hall in 1962, the misleading term has more or less disappeared and it is hoped that if this Motion is passed the Urban Council as a whole may one day deservedly take credit as a patron of the arts. With this happy note, Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure to second the Motion.
CHAIRMAN:-The Motion has been moved and seconded, does any Member wish to speak?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
111
In connection with this Motion which I will support, I would like to say that I am glad that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN has built into it its refer- ence to the relevant Select Committees for study, and also for the need of staff, for you will all be aware that it is one thing to pass a motion and another to produce results. A very large proportion of the work involved in organising the visual arts side of an Arts Festival will fall upon the staff of the Museum and Art Gallery, while for the performing arts side, i.e., music and drama, the burden will fall upon the Assistant Manager's section of the City Hall.
An Art's Festival which is worthy of the name (and effort) will make tremendous demands on staff and if this is to be a regular feature of Council's programme, it is inevitable, I think, that additional staff will be required-for whom, of course, no provision at all has been made this year. Much of the success of any festival will depend largely on the ability of staff to secure the participation of interested groups and individuals.
Reference has been made to the successful "Festival" of Music and Fine Arts last year which was organized as a special occasion to mark the 5th Anniversary of the opening of the City Hall. This, however, was made possible only by the very considerable effort of the staff who worked at a pitch of intensity and with an expenditure of time which it would be unreasonable to require of them "repetitiously", i.e., annually or even biennially and, moreover, at the expense of more pressing work, particularly in the Museum and Art Gallery.
However, given the staff and the money, the Department would I am sure be happy to play its part in helping to organise festivals such as Mr. CHEONG-LEEN envisages, and it will be up to the Select Committees concerned to get together and work out details of feasibility, scope, staffing implications and cost in order to present a solid case to Govern- ment for any additional staff which will be necessary and also for the release of the necessary funds without which it will be not possible to proceed.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I say a few words as the Chair- man of the City Hall Select Committee. I have spoken to Mr. CHEONG- LEEN on the telephone about this matter and I also spoke to the Manager of the City Hall. Mr. Chairman, my association with the City Hall Select Committee has been ever since its inception; in point of fact, it was formed as a result of a Motion which I introduced into this Council. So, the development of the City Hall's programme is not something that is being made haphazardly-it is a conscious effort on the part of the Select Committee to develop the work of the City Hall according to a programme which the staff is capable of carrying out. Now, the position is that after 5 years the City Hall Select Committee has reached a point when the management has been instructed to expand
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