1970 — Page 66

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -I was wondering, Mr. Chairman, if Mr. BERNACCHI, looking to me, was thinking that I supply the water as Water Authority. (Laughter).

MR. HU:-I have one supplementary. The drinking fountains which we had before, did we supply the same kind of water as latrine water?

MR. SALES: It's the mains supply of course. Mains water supply.

MR. HU:-Was that the reason why people did not drink the fountain water which we provided?

MR. SALES: If Mr. Hu is casting aspersions about the quality of the water supply in Hong Kong, then I would ask the Director of Public Works to answer that.

MR. HU: Is the latrine water fit for drinking or not? Or should we supply a special kind of water for drinking?

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Well, Mr. Hu, I drink it myself,

I am still alive. (Laughter).

CHAIRMAN: -I think we are straying a bit far from the original question. Mr. Hu, can we have the next one please?

(12) MR. HENRY H. L. Hu asked the following question:

In 1965 and 1966, both in Select Committees and Public Meet- ings, the idea of constructing more markets and bazaars has been said to make a contribution towards solving the hawker problem. Could the Chairman inform the Council if this is true? How many markets and bazaars have we constructed since the 1st April, 1965 and how many have we planned since then? Could the Chairman inform the Council when it is planned to demolish the old Shau Kei Wan Market (77 years old) and construct a new one on the site? When is the construction of a new market likely to be completed?

MR. R. H. LOBO, CHAIRMAN OF THE Markets SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:

Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to my Friend Mr. Henry Hu for asking this question as it gives me an opportunity to say something about the current market programme and its relationship with the hawker problem.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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Mr. Hu's question is in fact a loaded one, as it is one which is divided into several parts, in addition to breaking Mr. SALES' monopoly of having to answer 10 questions out of 18.

In regard to markets making contributions towards solving the hawker problem, I would like to say that the Council's primary objective is to provide markets as convenient shopping centres where local residents can buy fresh pro- visions at reasonable prices and under hygienic conditions. This policy is being actively pursued in the form of re- construction of out-dated inadequate markets, and the building of new ones where the demand for marketing facilities warrants it. The provision of more and better marketing facilities will no doubt help in several ways towards the Council's offorts in tackling the hawker problem, although this is not the direct aim in the Council's provision of markets.

Where possible, properly constructed hawker bazaars are in- corporated as an adjunct to the new market projects.

In answer to Mr. Hu's more specific questions about the progress since 1st April, 1965, I wish to add that the market programme was revived towards the end of 1967. Since then two permanent and four temporary markets have been built; and in the same period ten hawker bazaars, seven of them permanent, have been established. The permanent markets are: Fook Lai Road Market which was opened in September 1968 and incorporates 12 market stalls and 30 hawker pitches, and North Point Market which was opened in January 1970, and has 12 market stalls for the sale of meat, fish and poultry, and 42 mini-stalls for the sale of vegetables, in addition to a roof equipped and used for a children's playground, a Hawker Control Force station and public convenience amenities. The four temporary markets, each of which is filling a gap pending reprovisioning of an existing market, are at Shau Kei Wan, Canal Road, Kwun Tong and Cha Kwo Ling, and provide a total of 84 market stalls and 402 hawker pitches.

The hawker bazaars established since the programme was revived are at Tin Chiu Street, Tai On Street, Wong Tai Sin, Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon City, Shanghai Street, Ho Man Tin, Hammer Hill Road, Shui Wo Street and Hip Wo Street.

In addition, 18 markets are in various stages of planning; and three of them, Shau Kei Wan, Shek Tong Tsui and Ngau