1969 — Page 22

B7

26

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 22 of 237

27

[│

pictures, charts, models, feature articles, etc., to illustrate in an interesting and eye catching way one of the following five themes in the hygiene field:

Group 1

-

"The value of personal hygiene”

2

52

"The value of food hygiene"

3

"The value of a balanced diet"

5

"The value of immunization against infectious dis- eases"

"The value of the proper disposal of rubbish".

These displays were set up in the individual schools from 24th to 29th March, during which time students from other schools were invited to view them. On 9th April the displays were set up in the City Hall Exhibition Hall occupying the entire hall and prizes totalling $4,350 were awarded to 10 schools. The overall winner of the competition was the Shau Kei Wan Government Secondary School and group prizes were awarded to the following four schools: Maryknoll Convent School, Kei Heep Secondary Modern School, St. Mary Canossian College, and New Method College, Kowloon. The remaining five prizes were consolation awards.

During the five days that the exhibition was open almost 10,000 people, mainly school children, visited the display. To add variety and further stimulate interest in the subject of health education, officers of the Health Education Section of the Urban Services Department screened half-hour film shows on ten different subjects, such as "What is disease", "How disease travels", "Mosquitoes and Flies". Eight films were shown each day.

From the encouraging attendance at this exhibition the value of health education has been convincingly demonstrated. This will no doubt contribute greatly towards creating a greater awareness in the minds of the public in general and school children in particular of the value of maintaining a high standard of public and personal hygiene.

MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, it is as Chairman of the Recreation & Amenities Select Committee that I would like to bring to the attention of this Council the results of preliminary enquiries by the Festival of Hong Kong Committee, on facilities that may be used for public recreation later on in the year. Sir, these enquiries have brought out vividly that the people of Kowloon lack very sadly in recreational facilities of an order which could be used for public entertainment of vast numbers of people. In point of fact, Sir, there is no single facility in Kowloon which could be used as it stands at the moment for the programme which we envisage for the Festival of Hong Kong. This appalling state of affairs should be brought immediately through you, Sir, to the attention of the Colonial Secretariat.

Time and again over the years this Council has asked for the development of public facilities in Kowloon to the extent that the young people living on the peninsula could make use of them for their recrea- tion and entertainment. It is true that Government has carried out at the instigation of this Council a programme of development of such facilities, but it is also true that that programme has lagged behind actual requirements. It is not enough, Mr. Chairman, for Government to express the pious hope that some day Kowloon-North Kowloon in particular-will have all the facilities that will be required.

(Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point).

Time and tide wait for no man and, as the present generation grows older the demand by them for these facilities will decrease while rising generation will no doubt need such play facilities even more with in- creasing leisure. Mr. Chairman, the fact remains that these facilities are required now for the pleasure of the young people of to-day, not a generation hence, and it is Government's duty in a prosperous com- munity such as ours to provide these facilities without delay. Mr. Chair- man, there is no credit for Hong Kong to accumulate a surplus so long as the people of this Colony stand in need of better housing, better recreation and better social services. And, Sir, it is my duty, as Chair- man of the Recreation & Amenities Select Committee, to bring this matter to the attention of this Council in the strongest possible terms so that you might make adequate representations to the Central Govern- ment. (Applause).

CHAIRMAN: ---This I would be happy to do, Mr. SALES. Perhaps you would give me a list of priorities from your committee?

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, that answer is equally inadequate. It is just as inadequate as the lack of facilities for the purpose that we have in view. You know only too well that this Council has put forward to the Government our requirements, and those requirements should not be dismissed offhand or put in a very low category of priorities. Those requirements should be put into effect immediately because it is the present generation that stands in need of play facilities.

QUESTIONS.

(1) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:—-

Will the Chairman please state when it is expected that the Causeway Bay Recreation Ground will be actually handed over to this Council for development and use as public open space?