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solemn warning to the Government, the people, especially the young people of tomorrow, will not be behind the Government as the people were behind the Government in 1967, if, by that time, the people do not regard the Hong Kong Government as their Government. They can only do that by the introduction of fairly wide-sweeping reforms including the appointment of an Ombudsman as a watchdog of the people.
With those remarks Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure in proposing the adoption of the Statement of Aims for 1970. (Applause).
MR. A. de O. SALES: ---Mr. Chairman, this is the time when by convention Unofficial Members speak their minds on matters which need not be within the range of the Council's responsibility and day-to-day activities. It is good that it should be so in order that thoughts which might be of benefit to Hong Kong could be brought out for public discussion. For my part, I would like to confine myself this year again to certain matters which are directly of interest to me and the Committees on which I serve.
The cultural services which this Council provides through the City Hall continue to expand. The very popular dollar concerts have been increased in number until we now plan to have 52 or even more in the coming fiscal year. The establishment of the post of a Senior Assistant Manager will enable us to lighten the existing heavy work load and also consider projecting these cultural programmes beyond the confines of the City Hall. There is no reason why such a step should not be taken in the coming year. The programmes which have been so successful in the City Hall should be carried out elsewhere, more particularly in Kowloon, but, Mr. Chairman, where else are there the conditions for this to be done satisfactorily? The answer is, simply, nowhere.
For this and other reasons, the Council has made a firm proposal to the Government about the requirements for a Kowloon Civic Centre. Government's reply is awaited. Details of the proposal have been made public. Perhaps Government should make a declaration soon whether it intends to establish such a Civic Centre. If so, where and when. Mr. Chairman, if the Government has $20m. to spare for this purpose as I understand it may well have, then what better way to spend it in the interest of the community than by building such a Civic Centre for the education and entertainment of the classes of our population standing in greatest need and not now completely served by the City Hall? It will also provide the facilities obviously lacking there.
Next, there is the suggestion that this Council should have a symphony orchestra, with a professional nucleus, which Hong Kong should be able to afford, not necessarily all out of public funds, as business concerns might be induced to co-sponsor it for some practical concessions. We might well decide to adopt an existing orchestra if feasible.
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The City Hall management will soon be asked to work seriously on this project and to let my Select Committee have a report on the financial implications and other relevant considerations.
Mr. Chairman, the impressive construction programme we have seen in the last decade appears to be faltering though the Council has approved very important projects for the benefit of the people in the heavily populated areas. It is the implementation of such plans that appears to be slowing down.
There is an uneasy feeling that we are not keeping up the rate of development, much less accelerating it to cope with increasing demand, and also that projects seem to take longer to complete. Mr. Chairman, I would like to be reassured that there is no cause to worry on this score.
The Select Committee has resolved to ask the Government to press on with the construction of multi-purpose sports halls as a matter of major policy. The first one has been approved for Kai Tak East Park. These halls serve many community purposes. They should be found in every major park and, where no park exists in a district, Crown land should be set aside for such a hall all the same. In our climate, it is necessary to provide them for public use in order that community projects may be carried out throughout the year. They will be a boon to the many neighbourhood associations now working so hard for the welfare of local residents.
While we continue with the construction of the district sports and recreational facilities so that every resident anywhere in Hong Kong may have reasonable access to conveniently located play amenities, we must not at any time ignore the need also for major sports buildings for Hong Kong as a whole. The Government has decided to build a fully air-conditioned stadium with a seating capacity of 15,000 people. But, where is it going to be located, when will work start and how long will it take? The Council has also proposed to the Government the construction of a national football stadium in Kowloon; Government's reply is awaited. There are other sports projects which have been suggested over the years. Assuming, Mr. Chairman, that the indoor and the football stadia are accepted, then we must start thinking about a velodrome.
The Government has made a start in organizing a wide range of entertainment for the public. The innovation should be watched with interest and carefully evaluated. The time has come to consider the merits of the various events. Where possible, responsibility for them might well be delegated to established civic or other organizations and the Council could then apply its resources to new projects. Whatever
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Page 144 of 237
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solemn warning to the Government, the people, especially the young people of tomorrow, will not be behind the Government as the people were behind the Government in 1967, if, by that time, the people do not regard the Hong Kong Government as their Government. They can only do that by the introduction of fairly widesweeping reforms including the appointment of an Ombudsman as a watchdog of the people.
With those remarks Mr. Chairman, I have pleasure in proposing the adoption of the Statement of Aims for 1970. (Applause).
MR. A. de O. SALES: ---Mr. Chairman, this is the time when by convention Unofficial Members speak their minds on matters which need not be within the range of the Council's responsibility and day-to- day activities. It is good that it should be so in order that thoughts which might be of benefit to Hong Kong could be brought out for public discussion. For my part, I would like to confine myself this year again to certain matters which are directly of interest to me and the Committees on which I serve.
The cultural services which this Council provides through the City Hall continue to expand. The very popular dollar concerts have been increased in number until we now plan to have 52 or even more in the coming fiscal year. The establishment of the post of a Senior Assistant Manager will enable us to lighten the existing heavy work load and also consider projecting these cultural programmes beyond the confines of the City Hall. There is no reason why such a step should not be taken in the coming year. The programmes which have been so successful in the City Hall should be carried out elsewhere, more particularly in Kowloon, but, Mr. Chairman, where else are there the conditions for this to be done satisfactorily? The answer is, simply, nowhere.
For this and other reasons, the Council has made a firm proposal to the Government about the requirements for a Kowloon Civic Centre. Government's reply is awaited. Details of the proposal have been made public. Perhaps Government should make a declaration soon whether it intends to establish such a Civic Centre. If so, where and when. Mr. Chairman, if the Government has $20m. to spare for this purpose as I understand it may well have, then what better way to spend it in the interest of the community than by building such a Civic Centre for the education and entertainment of the classes of our population stand- ing in greatest need and not now completely served by the City Hall? It will also provide the facilities obviously lacking there.
Next, there is the suggestion that this Council should have a symphony orchestra, with a professional nucleus, which Hong Kong should be able to afford, not necessarily all out of public funds, as
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
267
business concerns might be induced to co-sponsor it for some practical concessions. We might well decide to adopt an existing orchestra if feasible.
The City Hall management will soon be asked to work seriously on this project and to let my Select Committee have a report on the financial implications and other relevant considerations.
Mr. Chairman, the impressive construction programme we have seen in the last decade appears to be faltering though the Council has approved very important projects for the benefit of the people in the heavily populated areas. It is the implementation of such plans that appears to be slowing down.
There is an uneasy feeling that we are not keeping up the rate of development, much less accelerating it to cope with increasing demand, and also that projects seem to take longer to complete. Mr. Chairman, I would like to be reassured that there is no cause to worry on this score.
The Select Committee has resolved to ask the Government to press on with the construction of multi-purpose sports halls as a matter of major policy. The first one has been approved for Kai Tak East Park. These halls serve many community purposes. They should be found in every major park and, where no park exists in a district, Crown land should be set aside for such a hall all the same. In our climate, it is necessary to provide them for public use in order that community projects may be carried out throughout the year. They will be a boon to the many neighbourhood associations now working so hard for the welfare of local residents.
While we continue with the construction of the district sports and recreational facilities so that every resident anywhere in Hong Kong may have reasonable access to conveniently located play amenities, we must not at any time ignore the need also for major sports buildings for Hong Kong as a whole. The Government has decided to build a fully air-conditioned stadium with a seating capacity of 15,000 people. But, where is it going to be located, when will work start and how long will it take? The Council has also proposed to the Government the construction of a national football stadium in Kowloon; Govern- ment's reply is awaited. There are other sports projects which have been suggested over the years. Assuming, Mr. Chairman, that the indoor and the football stadia are accepted, then we must start thinking about a velodrome.
The Government has made a start in organizing a wide range of entertainment for the public. The innovation should be watched with interest and carefully evaluated. The time has come to consider the merits of the various events. Where possible, responsibility for them might well be delegated to established civic or other organizations and the Council could then apply its resources to new projects. Whatever
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