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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
QUESTIONS
(1) MR. PETER P. F. CHAN asked the following question (in English) : -
I understand that a person has donated or will donate a substantial sum of money to finance a swimming pool to be run by the Urban Council in the Aberdeen area. May Members be informed of the general policy on receipts of donations from members of the public towards projects approved or acceptable by the Council?
MR. PETER P. K. NG, ACTING CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
This question concerns the Council's general policy on acceptance of donations from members of the public.
Section 25 of the Urban Council Ordinance No. 19 of 1973, provides among other things that the Council may within the urban areas accept gifts and donations, whether of property or otherwise, and whether subject to any special trust or not. This power has been exercised from time to time, the most recent example being the acceptance on 30th August of the kind gift of two contemporary paintings by the well-known Brazilian artist, Daja, which will form part of the City Hall collection. The Council is prepared to consider accepting any donation or gift capable of being used in the Council's statutory duties, but naturally it would prefer that such gift or donation should be made without conditions, although if reasonable conditions were attached to any donation these would not preclude acceptance. There is, however, no set policy on such acceptance, and the Council would prefer that each case be considered entirely on its merits.
(2) MR. PETER P. F. CHAN asked the following question (in English):
How is the bone-ash produced as a by-product in our abattoirs disposed of? If it is sold, does the Council know whether this bone-ash will be exported? Can the Council consider making the ash available to local pig breeders who I understand are facing a problem on the supply of this ash?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
133
MR. R. H. LOBO, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND ABATTOIRS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
I thank Mr. Peter P. F. CHAN for raising this question which concerns the sale of meat and bone meal from the By-products Plant of our abattoirs. This matter has a long history, about which I welcome this opportunity to inform the Council.
Prior to 1st September, 1972, all meat and bone meal produced at the By-products Plant was sold to local farmers through the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. This arrangement worked quite well until early 1972, when local farmers switched their preference to imported products even though there was little difference in the retail price and the quality of the local product was much higher. This was probably because of the credit and free transport facilities offered by the importers. As a result, stock piled up in the By-products Plant and reached a total of 4,488 piculs by July 1972. This caused considerable concern, especially when beetle infestation began to set in. In order to salvage the situation, it was decided then to put the product out to public tender, and the firm of Fuk Hing Hong was subsequently awarded the contract to purchase the entire output of meat and bone meal from the By-products Plant from the period 1st September, 1972 to 31st August, 1973. As far as I am aware, Fuk Hing Hong exports all the product. Arrangements have, however, been made to set aside 55 piculs per month outside the new contract, of which 25 piculs are required by the Recreation and Amenities Division of U.S.D., and 30 piculs by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, which has indicated its willingness to pay for this amount at the contract price.
Members will also be interested to learn that in June of this year the Urban Services Department was approached by an interested party with a request that the meat and bone meal from the By-products Plant be sold exclusively to them for re-sale to local farmers. This request was carefully considered by the Department and by my Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee, but it was considered in the best interests of the Council, and to ensure that the situation similar to that experienced last July did
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Page 100 of 212
132
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
QUESTIONS
(1) MR. PETER P. F. CHAN asked the following question (in English) : -
I understand that a person has donated or will donate a substantial sum of money to finance a swimming pool to be run by the Urban Council in the Aberdeen area. May Members be informed of the general policy on receipts of donations from members of the public towards projects approved or acceptable by the Council?
MR. PETER P. K. NG, ACTING CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
This question concerns the Council's general policy on accept-
ance of donations from members of the public.
Section 25 of the Urban Council Ordinance No. 19 of 1973, provides among other things that the Council may within the urban areas accept gifts and donations, whether of property or otherwise, and whether subject to any special trust or not. This power has been exercised from time to time, the most recent example being the acceptance on 30th August of the kind gift of two contemporary paintings by the well-known Brazilian artist, Daja, which will form part of the City Hall collection. The Council is prepared to consider accepting any donation or gift capable of being used in the Council's statutory duties, but naturally it would prefer that such gift or donation should be made without conditions, although if reason- able conditions were attached to any donation these would not preclude acceptance. There is, however, no set policy on such acceptance, and the Council would prefer that each case be considered entirely on its merits.
(2) MR. PETER P. F. CHAN asked the following question (in English):
How is the bone-ash produced as a by-product in our abat- toirs disposed of? If it is sold, does the Council know whether this bone-ash will be exported? Can the Council consider making the ash available to local pig breeders who I understand are facing a problem on the supply of this ash?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
133
MR. R. H. LOBO, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND ABATTOIRS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
I thank Mr. Peter P. F. CHAN for raising this question which concerns the sale of meat and bone meal from the By- products Plant of our abattoirs. This matter has a long history, about which I welcome this opportunity to in- form the Council.
Prior to 1st September, 1972, all meat and bone meal pro- duced at the By-products Plant was sold to local farmers through the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. This arrangement worked quite well until early 1972, when local farmers switched their preference to imported pro- ducts even though there was little difference in the retail price and the quality of the local product was much higher. This was probably because of the credit and free transport facilities offered by the importers. As a result, stock piled up in the By-products Plant and reached a total of 4,488 piculs by July 1972. This caused con- siderable concern, especially when beetle infestation began to set in. In order to salvage the situation, it was decided then to put the product out to public tender, and the firm of Fuk Hing Hong was subsequently awarded the contract to purchase the entire output of meat and bone meal from the By-products Plant from the period 1st September, 1972 to 31st August, 1973. As far as I am aware, Fuk Hing Hong exports all the product. Arrangements have, however, been made to set aside 55 piculs per month outside the new contract, of which 25 piculs are required by the Recreation and Amenities Division of U.S.D., and 30 piculs by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, which has indicated its willingness to pay for this amount at the contract price.
Members will also be interested to learn that in June of this year the Urban Services Department was approached by an interested party with a request that the meat and bone meal from the By-products Plant be sold exclusively to them for re-sale to local farmers. This request was care- fully considered by the Department and by my Markets and Abattoirs Select Committee, but it was considered in the best interests of the Council, and to ensure that the situation similar to that experienced last July did
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