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its work in the field of staging popular concerts. As a matter of fact, the City Hall Select Committee is embarking on a more ambitious series of celebrity concerts. We have so far staged nearly 50 popular concerts and the attendance has been over 95%. The enthusiastic response and the experience which has been gained as a result will now be manifest through the development of the celebrity concert programme which will entail a slightly higher charge in order to cover the costs of visiting artists of world repute. The other point that the Council should bear in mind is a statement which I made not so long ago when I said that the expansion of the services which the City Hall can render to the public will require more staff and we have asked for another Assistant Director, an additional post to be created, merely to cope with the ambitious plans which the Select Committee has for the cultural entertainment of the people. It is envisaged by the Select Committee that the management will move gradually into the field of the impresario: acting as the impresario for Hong Kong in order to bring more and better performances to the public at a price range which the public can afford. That is the ambition of the City Hall Select Committee. At the same time, we are not unmindful of the need of creating even more opportunities for local groups and individuals and for that reason the popular concerts will continue and, if possible, we are likely to stage even more performances within the facilities that are under our control. I am, therefore, not prepared to disrupt these plans in order to stage a single spectacle, as I told Mr. CHEONG-LEEN and he respects my reason. I am prepared to develop this programme usefully on a consistent basis so that throughout the year the people of Hong Kong can enjoy such performances of a cultural nature, rather than to spend our energy and our money in one spectacular show within a relatively short period of time.
Eventually, and I think it is desirable, there might be a festival of music and fine arts, just as we staged one last year when we celebrated our fifth anniversary. Another point which I've made to Mr. CHEONG-LEEN is that the City Hall Select Committee, and this is an important point, is already thinking and carrying out preliminary planning for the centenary celebrations of the City Hall next year in October 1969, and I cannot at this time accept any commitment on the part of the City Hall Select Committee and the City Hall management to stage another festival of the nature that is contemplated. If we are to accept this undertaking, I cannot see that we will be able to carry it out much before 1970, even if at that time. I would far rather see the programme of popular concerts pursued and even expanded and also the programme of celebrity concerts introduced. I have only spoken for the City Hall Select Committee and I am quite sure that my colleague and friend, Mr. Wilson WANG, likewise has his programmes already laid down for the expansion of the Museum and Art Galleries section—so, with the best will in the world, I think that we would like
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to support Mr. CHEONG-LEEN but we would rather that this matter be deferred because it is not fair to undertake it at this time without the staff to embark on a scheme of this nature. This is a point that I would like Mr. CHEONG-LEEN to consider with goodwill and in all sincerity.
MR. WANG—Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee, perhaps I too will have to say a few words. Let me start off by saying that I am prepared to support the Motion which has been amended with due reference to the various Select Committees concerned and I am quite happy about it provided that it is understood that sponsorship would depend upon the findings of the Select Committee. Mr. CHEONG-LEEN in introducing the Motion has paid tribute to Mrs. DEKKER for organizing a few festivals before the opening of the City Hall. I too endorse the same sentiments, but I must say, in my opinion, that the fact that the festival did not continue after the opening of the City Hall was not at all a mere coincidence. Since the facilities of the City Hall were available local artists were then able to make use of it in the staging of various exhibits, each in his own field, at regular intervals of time at their convenience. I think we must not overlook the fact that the space of the City Hall is not at all to be taken for granted as entirely adequate for a large-scale festival, as we experienced during our last anniversary functions. You will find that it is always difficult to find enough space for each individual claim in their own interest and in their own field. Given the money and the staff, we may still have a study whether or not, as Mr. SALES has mentioned, we would like to have more often, and at more regular intervals, more exhibits of the various aspects of the arts during the course of the year's programme, rather than have a big single function once a year or once in every two years. With these remarks I am happy to support the Motion provided that the end clause—the end of the Motion is well emphasized.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN has quite converted me to the idea of having a Hong Kong Festival of Arts, but I must say I find the Motion rather confusing because it seems to be contradictory. If we're going to resolve to have it and then study afterwards I'm not quite sure how I'm going to vote, I'd prefer it if we could amend the motion to "resolve that a Hong Kong Festival of Arts be referred to the relevant Select Committee for further study", missing out the word "sponsor", because I can't see how we can sponsor before we study it.
MR. SALES:-I have suggested a certain wording. I don't know whether Mr. CHEONG-LEEN is prepared to accept it Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, Mr. SALES has proposed certain amendments to this Motion and with your permission and Mr. SALES' permission I would like to read that out "Resolve that where feasible-
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its work in the field of staging popular concerts. As a matter of fact, the City Hall Select Committee is embarking on a more ambitious series of celebrity concerts. We have so far staged nearly 50 popular con- certs and the attendance has been over 95%. The enthusiastic response and the experience which has been gained as a result will now be manifest through the development of the celebrity concert programme which will entail a slightly higher charge in order to cover the costs of visiting artists of world repute. The other point that the Council should bear in mind is a statement which I made not so long ago when I said that the expansion of the services which the City Hall can render to the public will require more staff and we have asked for another Assistant Director, an additional post to be created, merely to cope with the ambitious plans which the Select Committee has for the cultural entertainment of the people. It is envisaged by the Select Committee that the management will move gradually into the field of the impres- sario: acting as the impressario for Hong Kong in order to bring more and better performances to the public at a price range which the public can afford. That is the ambition of the City Hall Select Com- mittee. At the same time, we are not unmindful of the need of creating even more opportunities for local groups and individuals and for that reason the popular concerts will continue and, if possible, we are likely to stage even more performances within the facilities that are under our control. I am, therefore, not prepared to disrupt these plans in order to stage a single spectacle, as I told Mr. CHEONG-LEEN and he respects my reason. I am prepared to develop this programme usefully on a consistent basis so that throughout the year the people of Hong Kong can enjoy such performances of a cultural nature, rather than to spend our energy and our money in one spectacular show within a relatively short period of time.
Eventually, and I think it is desirable, there might be a festival of music and fine arts, just as we staged one last year when we celebrated our fifth anniversary. Another point which I've made to Mr. CHEONG- LEEN is that the City Hall Select Committee, and this is an important point, is already thinking and carrying out preliminary planning for the centenary celebrations of the City Hall next year in October 1969, and I cannot at this time accept any commitment on the part of the City Hall Select Committee and the City Hall management to stage another festival of the nature that is contemplated. If we are to accept this undertaking, I cannot see that we will be able to carry it out much before 1970, even if at that time. I would far rather see the programme of popular concerts pursued and even expanded and also the programme of celebrity concerts introduced. I have only spoken for the City Hall Select Committee and I am quite sure that my colleague and friend, Mr. Wilson WANG, likewise has his programmes already laid down for the expansion of the Museum and Art Galleries section-so, with the best will in the world, I think that we would like
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
113
to support Mr. CHEONG-LEEN but we would rather that this matter be deferred because it is not fair to undertake it at this time without the staff to embark on a scheme of this nature. This is a point that I would like Mr. CHEONG-LEEN to consider with goodwill and in all sincerity.
MR. WANG-Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee, perhaps I too will have to say a few words. Let me start off in saying that I am prepared in support the Motion which has been amended with due reference to the various Select Com- mittees concerned and I am quite happy about it provided that it is understood that sponsorship would depend upon the findings of the Select Committee. Mr. CHEONG-LEEN in introducing the Motion has paid tribute to Mrs. DEKKER for organizing a few festivals before the opening of the City Hall. I too endorse the same sentiments, but I must say, in my opinion, that the fact that the festival did not continue after the opening of the City Hall was not at all a mere coincidence. Since the facilities of the City Hall were available local artists were then able to make use of it in the staging of various exhibits, each in his own field, at regular intervals of time at their convenience. I think we must not overlook the fact that the space of the City Hall is not at all to be taken for granted as entirely adequate for a large-scale festival, as we experienced during our last anniversary functions. You will find that it is always difficult to find enough space for each individual claim in their own interest and in their own field. Given the money and the staff, we may still have a study whether or not, as Mr. SALES has mentioned, we would like to have more often, and at more regular intervals, more exhibit of the various aspects of the arts during the course of the year's programme, rather than have a big single function once a year or once in every two years. With these remarks I am happy to support the Motion provided that the end clause--the end of the Motion is well emphasized.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN has quite converted me to the idea of having a Hong Kong Festival of Arts, but I must say I find the Motion rather confusing because it seems to be contradictory. If we're going to resolve to have it and then study after- wards I'm not quite sure how I'm going to vote, I'd prefer it if we could amend the motion to "resolve that a Hong Kong Festival of Arts be referred to the relevant Select Committee for further study", missing out the word "sponsor", because I can't see how we can sponsor before we study it.
MR. SALES: -I have suggested a certain wording. I don't know whether Mr. CHEONG-LEEN is prepared to accept it Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, Mr. SALES has proposed certain amendment to this Motion and with your permission and Mr. SALES' permission I would like to read that out "Resolve that where feasible-
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