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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
STATEMENTS
(1) MR. PETER P. F. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE CEMETERIES, CREMA-TORIA AND FUNERAL PARLOURS SELECT COMMITTEE (in English): ---Mr. Chairman, I take this opportunity of letting the Council and the public know of developments in the little-known but nevertheless important field which is the responsibility of my Select Committee.
In the course of constructing Stage Three of the extension to the Columbarium at Cape Collinson which began on 15th January this year, it has been found possible to provide 614 additional niches to the future Columbarium without affecting the main structure of the building. The total number of niches to be provided in this Stage III extension is now 4,853, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
A site of 20,500 sq. ft. at Winslow Street, Hung Hom has been earmarked for the reprovisioning of the Hung Hom Funeral Depot which is now in Category B of the Public Works Programme. A schedule of accommodation was forwarded to the Architectural Office in February this year. However, in order to fit all our requirements into the proposed site, my Select Committee has recently approved certain modifications, and a revised schedule of accommodation is now being drawn up by the department.
The reprovisioning of Diamond Hill Crematorium is in Category B of the Public Works Programme, and the Government Architect is presently investigating a suitable choice of cremation furnace. The department is awaiting a final suitability report, and the Select Committee will study the report as soon as it becomes available.
Government has earmarked three funeral parlour sites at Diamond Hill, Kowloon, one of which will be allocated to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals for the provision of a non-profit making funeral parlour. A further three funeral parlour sites will be made available at Hung Hom, Kowloon, and a site at Cape Collinson is now under consideration for allocation to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals for the setting up of another non-profit making funeral parlour.
This Council is considering further amendments to the Public Cemeteries By-laws to the effect that managers of private cemeteries shall be held responsible for any mosquito breeding within their cemeteries, including graves, grave monuments and receptacles for fresh flowers.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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There were 2,895 private cremations during the period from January to August of this year, as against 2,568 over the same period last year, showing an increase of 12.7%.
(2) MR. CHARLES C. C. SIN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, (in English):-The Liquor Licensing Board, which consists of all 9 members of the present Food Hygiene Select Committee and the Principal Crown Counsel attached to this Council, at its meeting yesterday dealt with 348 applications for renewal of ordinary liquor licences, 57 applications for renewal of club liquor licences, and 36 new applications for ordinary liquor licences.
Of the 348 cases for renewal of ordinary liquor licences, 2 were withheld on structural grounds.
The applications for renewing club liquor licences were all approved. Of the new applications for ordinary liquor licences, one was refused on structural grounds, 3 were withdrawn by the applicants, and the rest were approved.
A paper containing recommendations for new, streamlined, and hopefully more efficient licensing procedures will be discussed at a special meeting scheduled for the 26th of this month. At this moment, the Board is still awaiting approval from the Central Government for the existing licensing regulation to be changed so that the Board is not restricted to issue liquor licences only on the 4 quarter days; instead the Board may after amendment of the regulation issue licences which will become effective from the 1st day of the month next following the date on which the licences are granted. In the meantime, the Board is in the process of ascertaining how this proposed change in the law would be likely to affect the work of the departments which are involved in the processing of applications for liquor licences.
(3) MR. LO TAK-SHING, CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY HALL SELECT COMMITTEE, (in English):--Mr. Chairman, I believe it is your view that this Council should not give hidden subsidy in its charges for various services provided by it. As you know, pursuant to this the City Hall Select Committee has revised its scale of hire charges. Although hereafter there would still inevitably be an element of hidden subsidy arising from the fact that our costings will not be up-to-date
Page 141 of 212
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Page 141 of 212
Page 104 of 212
140
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
STATEMENTS
(1) MR. PETER P. F. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE CEMETERIES, CREMA- TORIA AND FUNERAL PARLOURS SELECT COMMITTEE (in English): ---Mr. Chairman, I take this opportunity of letting the Council and the public know of developments in the little-known but nevertheless important field which is the responsibility of my Select Committee.
In the course of constructing Stage Three of the extension to the Columbarium at Cape Collinson which began on 15th January this year, it has been found possible to provide 614 additional niches to the future Columbarium without affecting the main structure of the building. The total number of niches to be provided in this Stage III extension is now 4,853, and the project is expected to be com- pleted by the end of this year.
A site of 20,500 sq. ft. at Winslow Street, Hung Hom has been earmarked for the reprovisioning of the Hung Hom Funeral Depot which is now in Category B of the Public Works Programme. A schedule of accommodation was forwarded to the Architectural Office in February this year. However, in order to fit all our requirements into the proposed site, my Select Committee has recently approved certain modifications, and a revised schedule of accommodation is now being drawn up by the department.
The reprovisioning of Diamond Hill Crematorium is in Category B of the Public Works Programme, and the Government Architect is presently investigating a suitable choice of cremation furnace. The department is awaiting a final suitability report, and the Select Com- mittee will study the report as soon as it becomes available.
Government has earmarked three funeral parlour sites at Diamond Hill, Kowloon, one of which will be allocated to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals for the provision of a non-profit making funeral parlour. A further three funeral parlour sites will be made available at Hung Hom, Kowloon, and a site at Cape Collinson is now under consideration for allocation to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals for the setting up of another non-profit making funeral parlour.
This Council is considering further amendments to the Public Cemeteries By-laws to the effect that managers of private cemeteries shall be held responsible for any mosquito breeding within their cemeteries, including graves, grave monuments and receptacles for fresh flowers.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
141
There were 2,895 private cremations during the period from January to August of this year, as against 2,568 over the same period last year, showing an increase of 12.7%.
(2) MR. CHARLES C. C. SIN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, (in English):-The Liquor Licensing Board, which con- sists of all 9 members of the present Food Hygiene Select Committee and the Principal Crown Counsel attached to this Council, at its meeting yesterday dealt with 348 applications for renewal of ordinary liquor licences, 57 applications for renewal of club liquor licences, and 36 new applications for ordinary liquor licences.
Of the 348 cases for renewal of ordinary liquor licences, 2 were withheld on structural grounds.
The applications for renewing club liquor licences were all approved. Of the new applications for ordinary liquor licences, one was refused on structural grounds, 3 were withdrawn by the applicants, and the rest were approved.
A paper containing recommendations for new, streamlined, and hopefully more efficient licensing procedures will be discussed at a special meeting scheduled for the 26th of this month. At this moment, the Board is still awaiting approval from the Central Govern- ment for the existing licensing regulation to be changed so that the Board is not restricted to issue liquor licences only on the 4 quarter days; instead the Board may after amendment of the regulation issue licences which will become effective from the 1st day of the month next following the date on which the licences are granted. In the meantime, the Board is in the process of ascertaining how this proposed change in the law would be likely to effect the work of the depart- ments which are involved in the processing of applications for liquor licences.
(3) MR. LO TAK-SHING, CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY HALL SELECT COMMITTEE, (in English):--Mr. Chairman, I believe it is your view that this Council should not give hidden subsidy in its charges for various services provided by it. As you know, pursuant to this the City Hall Select Committee has revised its scale of hire charges. Although hereafter there would still inevitably be an element of hidden subsidy arising from the fact that our costings will not be up-to-date
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