1972 — Page 128

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

because of lack of control inside and around the bazaars, and in some cases, a waste of money and a waste of use of Crown land. No improvement to the situation can be expected unless we make these bazaars attractive and roofed over and unless we continue to build modern markets to absorb hawkers from streets.

I suggest that consideration should be given in regard to restricting perhaps the scope of commodities sold by hawkers. If we are to maintain control and uniformity, I venture to say that this could only be achieved if and when we disallow hawkers from selling goods larger than the size of their stalls.

Hawkers (Siu Fans) are little traders and in Hong Kong, they are said to be meeting the need, but when someone considers that they are selling radios, electric fans, bales of cloth, ready to wear clothes and at prices similar or higher than those in the stores from where they obtain the goods, one wonders if those hawkers are serving a need rather than creating problems of congestion, traffic and law and order.

I will now refer to two matters which come under the Select Committees I chair.

Markets. I am glad that we have achieved some measure of success in regard to our markets. There are some 22 market items in the P.W.D. current work programme 1972-73. The market programme got off the ground in 1970. Since then, 2 new and 3 re-provisioned markets have been completed in addition to 2 other markets now under construction for use in 1973-74. This is not all that I would have liked seen done. I hope that in the future we will achieve greater progress.

I am glad that Government has accepted the suggestion which some of my colleagues and I have made over the years about making the best use of the land available and incorporate in the same market building other services and facilities, i.e. a multi-purpose structure. This idea however has not gone beyond talking stage because apparently Government Departments cannot make up their minds on what is to be included in the plans and there seems to be some horse trading going on instead.

Mr. Chairman, this is the 3rd time I am speaking on the reprovisioning of the Central Market a sheer waste of valuable land for its current utilization and the service it provides and now, the Western Market is due for demolition shortly. I would like to urge that immediate consideration be given to combining these two markets, not far from each other, into one attractive and functional modern building in an area, perhaps the new reclamation, somewhere mid-way between these two markets. This new multi-purpose building should also have an arcade where flowers are to be sold preferably at ground level facing the street, under cover and quite visible to the public. It is about time we start considering in earnest giving the community greater pride and interest in the immediate environment.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Abattoirs. The year under review has been an important one in the development of abattoir services. The principal recommendations in the Abattoirs' Working Party Report have now been accepted by Government and put into implementation. A night shift for the slaughter of pigs was started on 1st November, 1972 at Cheung Sha Wan Abattoir and an early morning shift at Kennedy Town Abattoir. Quivering hot meat from freshly slaughtered carcasses is now made available to shopkeepers and housewives in good time for the morning market on both sides of the harbour. Action is in hand to overhaul completely the two pig dressing lines and we can confidently say that in the future mechanical break-downs or defects will be significantly reduced. The Legislature has approved as a priority public work item the further mechanization proposals in the Abattoirs' Working Party Report and work is expected to start some time next year. A third pig dressing line will be installed and after its completion the working capacity of Cheung Sha Wan Abattoir will be substantially increased. It is too early to assess to the full merits and demerits of the night shift scheme but so far the indications are it is working satisfactorily. I anticipate that similar arrangements will be made in Kennedy Town Abattoir in due course. This is a reliable guarantee that the Urban Council will be able to meet adequately and effectively the increasing demand for fresh meat in our increasingly affluent community. However, we must urge Government to give early consideration to the apparent need of building a third urban abattoir so that additional capacity can be made available in good time in anticipation of the steady workload increases in the years to come.

Future of the Urban Council. With the re-structuring of the Urban Council so imminent, there is an important factor requiring serious attention by all, not in a few months' time instead, before the coming new year. I am referring to the choosing of the new Chairman of the Council.

There have been several possibilities discussed in private regarding the potential future Chairman. There were suggestions that he or she should be someone from outside the Council, someone hired for the job. There were also suggestions of compromises and of "giving face". These proposals we must strongly oppose.

This is a functional body with responsibilities to discharge, with obligations to meet and a Council which must be prepared to stand up to its policies and obligations. There can be no haphazard wheeling-dealing approach nor can there be compromised situations

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