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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, the meeting is called to order.
Unfortunately, Mr. Rowe will not be with us today as he is ill and I shall have to answer his questions on his behalf. As usual, I would like Members to bear with me on the question of supplementaries.
## MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting held on 6th January, 1970 were confirmed.
## PAPERS
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of January, 1970.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st October, 1969 to 31st December, 1969.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st October, 1969 to 31st December, 1969.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN:—As Chairman of the Health Education Select Committee I rise to make some further remarks on the subject of anti-spitting which I mentioned briefly at the last Meeting.
The Health Education Select Committee discussed at considerable length at its January meeting the question of spitting in public in order to ascertain whether or not an anti-spitting campaign should be held. During previous anti-spitting campaigns the over-riding consideration was that tuberculosis was regarded as a serious and widespread disease in Hong Kong to which spitting was a contributing factor. It is true that up to about 15 years ago tuberculosis was supposed to be one of the most dreaded of diseases, with a comparatively high death rate. In virtually all the older Chinese movies, tuberculosis was portrayed as the dreaded killer disease, from which there was no possibility of recovery.
However, in view of the giving of B.C.G. to all new-born babies for protection against tuberculosis and improved methods of treatment, including the use of more modern and effective drugs, it can be said that tuberculosis, whilst still a major disease in Hong Kong, is no longer a dreaded disease, and can usually be cured or kept under control if regular treatment is instituted early enough.
(Mr. Raymond Y. K. KAN arrived at this point).
413
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Furthermore, the Health Education Select Committee's medical advisers state that most of the spitting that takes place in Hong Kong nowadays is not done by people suffering from tuberculosis but by persons suffering from chronic post-nasal infection, which I presume is due to Hong Kong's high humidity and most trying weather at certain times of the year.
In this connexion I may add that the medical staff in tuberculosis clinics impress most strongly upon their patients the importance of disposing of their sputum in an hygienic way and, at the same time, they discourage indiscriminate spitting.
A further point made by the medical advisers is that as far as spreading tuberculosis is concerned, indiscriminate coughing and sneezing was much more dangerous than spitting.
Taking all these facts into consideration, the logical conclusion arrived at is that spitting in public in Hong Kong is nowadays more of an anti-social habit and an unpleasant nuisance rather than a danger to public health.
When looked at from that standpoint, the question of priority in the Health Education Select Committee's programme arises. In other words, is the need to eradicate spitting in public as urgent as the need for instance to take steps to protect and improve the eyesight of our children and young people, or to impress on the general public the importance of adequate nutrition, or the vital need for improving and maintaining a good standard of food hygiene?
With this in mind, the Health Education Select Committee has decided that no anti-spitting campaign will be planned for the time being until further research has been carried out and information obtained on how the problem has been tackled in neighbouring countries. In the meantime the Education Department has been requested to review and bring up-to-date what is contained in school text-books on the subject of spitting as an anti-social habit and a nuisance.
As Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee, I wish to make the following comments:
The recommendations on the revision of the Hawker By-laws prepared by the Ad Hoc Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. John BLAKER were considered by the Hawker Policy Select Committee on 21st January and with some slight amendments were accepted. Drafting instructions are now being forwarded to the Honourable the Attorney General with the request that they be accorded the highest possible priority. I am hopeful that the draft By-laws will be available for consideration by the Council within the next four months.
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, the meeting is called to order.
Unfortunately, Mr. Rowe will not be with us today as he is ill and I shall have to answer his questions on his behalf. As usual, I would like Members to bear with me on the question of supple- mentaries.
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting held on 6th January, 1970 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of January, 1970. (2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st October, 1969 to 31st December, 1969.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st October, 1969 to 31st December, 1969.
MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN:—As Chairman of the Health Educa- tion Select Committee I rise to make some further remarks on the subject of anti-spitting which I mentioned briefly at the last Meeting.
The Health Education Select Committee discussed at considerable length at its January meeting the question of spitting in public in order to ascertain whether or not an anti-spitting campaign should be held. During previous anti-spitting campaigns the over-riding considera- tion was that tuberculosis was regarded as a serious and widespread disease in Hong Kong to which spitting was a contributing factor. It is true that up to about 15 years ago tuberculosis was supposed to be one of the most dreaded of diseases, with a comparatively high death rate. In virtually all the older Chinese movies, tuberculosis was portrayed as the dreaded killer disease, from which there was no possibility of recovery.
However, in view of the giving of B.C.G. to all new-born babies for protection against tuberculosis and improved methods of treatment, including the use of more modern and effective drugs, it can be said that tuberculosis, whilst still a major disease in Hong Kong, is no longer a dreaded disease, and can usually be cured or kept under control if regular treatment is instituted early enough.
(Mr. Raymond Y. K. KAN arrived at this point).
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
413
Furthermore, the Health Education Select Committee's medical advisers state that most of the spitting that takes place in Hong Kong nowadays is not done by people suffering from tuberculosis but by persons suffering from chronic post-nasal infection, which I presume is due to Hong Kong's high humidity and most trying weather at certain times of the year.
In this connexion I may add that the medical staff in tuberculosis clinics impress most strongly upon their patients the importance of disposing of their sputum in an hygienic way and, at the same time, they discourage indiscriminate spitting.
A further point made by the medical advisers is that as far as spreading tuberculosis is concerned, indiscriminate coughing and sneezing was much more dangerous than spitting.
Taking all these facts into consideration, the logical conclusion arrived at is that spitting in public in Hong Kong is nowadays more of an anti-social habit and an unpleasant nuisance rather than a danger to public health.
When looked at from that standpoint, the question of priority in the Health Education Select Committee's programme arises. In other words, is the need to eradicate spitting in public as urgent as the need for instance to take steps to protect and improve the eyesight of our children and young people, or to impress on the general public the importance of adequate nutrition, or the vital need for improving and maintaining a good standard of food hygiene?
With this in mind, the Health Education Select Committee has decided that no anti-spitting campaign will be planned for the time being until further research has been carried out and information obtained on how the problem has been tackled in neighbouring countries. In the meantime the Education Department has been requested to review and bring up-to-date what is contained in school text-books on the subject of spitting as an anti-social habit and a nuisance.
As Chairman of the Hawker Policy Select Committee, I wish to make the following comments: --
The recommendations on the revision of the Hawker By-laws prepared by the Ad Hoc Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. John BLAKER were considered by the Hawker Policy Select Com- mittee on 21st January and with some slight amendments were accepted. Drafting instructions are now being forwarded to the Honourable the Attorney General with the request that they be accorded the highest possible priority. I am hopeful that the draft By-laws will be available for consideration by the Council within the next four months.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.