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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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being built behind the Kowloon Central Post Office at the junction of Nathan/Gascoigne Roads. It is expected that this car-park will be structurally completed in the later part of this year.

It is planned that this new public library will provide a com- prehensive library service including reference, adult lending and junior libraries with a total basic stock of 90,000 volumes. In addition, an area, with a seating capacity of 200, will be reserved as a reading-room. It is hoped that this library will be opened in 1971-72. To cope with students' need for study rooms, approval has also been given by Government for a pilot scheme in- volving the conversion of the first floor of one of the buildings at Kowloon Park in Tsim Sha Tsui into a study-room with about 300 seats, and it is hoped that the study-room will be available in the not too distant future, in fact we are pressing to have this study room by April this year.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-After experience has been gained in respect of the study room in Tsim Sha Tsui, could the Select Committee con- cerned also look into the possibility of a study room for Yau Ma Tei?

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Well, I would like to mention that the Director of Education has also contemplated setting up a study room, a pilot project in a Government primary school, and this will be staffed by teachers and graduates and college graduates and so on and it is going to be compared to see whether the Urban Services staff carry it out well or whether the teachers will be able to carry it out better. These two pilot schemes should be ready at the same time. It is quite possible it could be Yau Ma Tei, but I am not quite sure. We cannot continue to consider any further scheme on our part until we have seen the result of the pilot scheme in Tsim Sha Tsui.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN: ---Mr. Chairman, we hope it will be in Yau Ma Tei because it happens to be the Ward of Mr. SALES and myself.

MR. SALES-Mr. Chairman, is the Chairman of the Library Select Committee aware that there is a reading room in the Tsim Sha Tsui Kaifong Headquarters and, if so, to what extent is the Select Committee co-operating with them for the improvement of such facilities as are in existence there?

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Yes, we are aware. We have tried to get a list of all the small reading rooms run by Kaifongs and Churches, and I may add that there is another one in the Union Church. We have been able to advise them on the kind of books they can put there for

students' use, like dictionaries and so on. There is some co-operation, may be not as much as we would like, but we hope that this co- operation will grow.

(6) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:

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Will the Chairman please take up with the Secretariat the suggestion for a block vote to be granted to this Council for the better development of cultural services and the easier promotion of cultural activities in which the public is increasingly interested?

THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:

This question deals with the suggestion that a block vote be granted to this Council for the development and pro- motion of cultural services.

This suggestion was first made by Mr. SALES at the Council's meeting on 6th January. It has, since the receipt of Mr. SALES's question, been considered by the City Hall Select Committee when certain proposals involving the Library and Museum and Art Gallery Select Committees to whom these proposals have now to be referred, were made.

I shall certainly take the question up with the Secretariat as

soon as agreement on the matter has been reached.

MR. SALES:—Mr. Chairman, is it necessary to wait for details of the requirements of the Select Committee before the principle is established with the Government?

CHAIRMAN: --I would think so, Mr. SALES. Normally we do not make a request without giving a little more than just a bare request. In this case we have to consider the amount to be sought, the purpose for which it is to be employed and how it is to be disbursed.

MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I have it on record that I dis- agree with you that it is necessary to give details before the principle is acceptable to the Government?

CHAIRMAN:-Certainly, Mr. SALES.

(7) MR. PETER C. K. CHAN asked the following question:

I note that the cost of the Official Record of Proceedings of this Council is $2.00 per copy regardless of the length of the record.

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