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(b) to advise the Governor on the measures which might broadly be taken to control such pollution.

Quite a challenge, and I'm sure we can anticipate assistance from our Council colleagues as the new Committee gets to grips with this herculean task.

As a member of Dr. Denny HUANG'S "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign Committee, I know how frustrated he feels at the seeming impasse reached on the legislation to put teeth into the campaign. I hope the Sub-Committee now arguing our case with the legal eagles, can persuade them to reach a satisfactory compromise. Inevitably this has meant a postponement of the start-up. But this is better than going off half-cock as have so many previous minor district campaigns.

Whatever is decided legally, it must have the whole-hearted support of the entire Council, otherwise the very people we are trying to reach will ignore our efforts.

It is interesting and timely for us to note that Singapore, which has been so successful in attaining a high standard of urban cleanliness, that we are now trying to emulate them in our campaign, is now turning the blaze of publicity onto pollution problems as distinct from litter. I will be in Singapore on business in the early part of December, and intend to make enquiries regarding the methods they propose to adopt, which might be useful to us in Hong Kong,

Abattoirs

I raised the subject of the need to reorganize handling and other operations last year, and am glad to advise that the Working Party Report has now been issued to members of my Select Committee for study and comment. The Working Party has done a very good and thorough job in examining all the problems. It has made a number of recommendations concerning changes in operational methods and distribution, which will require very careful consideration, as difficult policy and financial decisions will be required. My Select Committee will meet shortly to consider the Report and prepare recommendations for this Council.

Director of Urban Services' Annual Report

Mr. Chairman, I have just read your Annual Report and am delighted to see that you have been able to maintain the racy literary style you set last year. I think your research into the anti-social habits of our forbears in Scotland and Mr. SALES' in Portugal is quite timely and really quite delicious. I would like to quote you as follows-

"Reference has been made more than once in Urban Council public debates to the helpful Edinburgh practice in olden times of calling out

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"Gardy-loo!", before emptying the domestic crockery out of the upper flats of the tenements. It seems to be less well known that in 1809, the Duke of Wellington, while still Sir Arthur WELLESLEY, discovered the same custom in Lisbon: there the warning to raise umbrellas quickly was "Agua Vai”. (Laughter). There is some dispute as to whether a Scottish or a Portuguese expression should be one of the bilingual mottoes for Dr. HUANG's campaign but, no doubt, a more appropriate Cantonese slogan may be settled as speedily."

This is possibly something Dr. HUANG's Committee can use in their publicity for the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign, which perhaps should be renamed "Get Hong Kong Clean". Taking the point made in your Review that the Committee needs a rallying call in Cantonese, as distinct from the Scottish or Portuguese variety, how about SIU SAM YAN JUE. (Laughter).

The Review also invites careful study of your Department's annual expenditure and revenue. This is very timely advice in view of the take-over bid this Council is making for your Department. I see that expenditure in the Urban Area is some $95 million. This is up 19% on the previous year, whereas revenue is only $36 million, although the increase is 38% on 1970. Frankly, on these figures, you are not worth buying, but maybe you have a lot of undisclosed assets waiting to be tapped. At least I hope so, and that you don't have any financial skeletons in the cupboard that we will come face to face with when we get down to our financial juggling. But I think this emphasizes the point I made earlier of the need for a joint working party to carefully examine all the implications of the White Paper.

Finally, I hope that next year's Annual Debate will take place within the more august confines of the Legco Chamber. Not, I hasten to assure Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN, because my appointed colleagues and I are using that as an excuse to slink into that eminent body via the back door. But I am convinced this Council's venture into bilingual meetings will be much better organized in that Chamber, than fiddling about with this room which has outlived its purpose.

I support the Motion before Council. (Applause).

MR. HENRY H. L. Hu:-In the Summer of 1966, there was suddenly a blow of wind to reform the Urban Council. A motion was passed to set up a Local Administration Select Committee to study ways and means to expand the jurisdiction and scope of the Council. I felt very strange at that time and still feel strange now why there was such a blow of wind. I have therefore kept myself away from this Select Committee, because I felt that at that time the Council was proceeding well and smoothly. I should yet be convinced the necessity of change before I could actively participate the work of such Select Committee.

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