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whether this problem is becoming increasingly more serious, or is it less serious. If it is becoming increasingly serious, what can we do to solve this problem?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU (in English):- It is a good question for me to answer. I can assure the members and also the general public, we have been doing well on hawker problems, and it has been improving constantly. I think probably during the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign, the hawkers supported this Campaign wholeheartedly, and this is a fact which is recognized by the Government, and we really now have no serious hawker problem. Although as Mrs. ELLIOTT pointed out, there is such kind of problem, but comparing with the past, I should say that we have been well on our way to improve this problem. As to solve the hawker problem, it is impossible, because it is a social problem. We would be confronted constantly with various new problems which we should solve from time to time, so I can only assure the Council that we have been well on our way to improve this problem.
MR. C. K. CHAN (in English):- Mr. Chairman, I want to push a little further. I think Mrs. ELLIOTT's point is this. Question No. 6 is a specific problem. A certain hawker who, the special committee has specially recommended to the Select Committee that his licence be cancelled, and yet he flouts the authority of this Council and continues business for four years, and what we are concerned with here is asking the Chairman can we do something to convince the hawker that we are an effective authority? When you are delicensed, you are delicensed, and you will not be in business. But when he is delicensed, he continued his business for four years, and we are no longer very convincing when we say that we are doing this. Can this point, very specific point in this specific case, be seriously considered by the Committee and by the Council as a whole, and effectively carried out by the Urban Services Department?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU (in English):- We will, and I can assure the Council that probably I will make a statement in a short period to inform the Council what result we have got.
(7) MR. AMBROSE K. C. CHOI asked the following question (in English):
Chinese chess is one of the traditional recreational activities in Hong Kong, as well as a healthy and creative hobby. Can the Urban Council sponsor a city-wide Chinese Chess Contest for various age groups with attractive prizes for the winners?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
167
MR. PETER P. K. NG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENTS AND ADVERTISING SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, I am sure we all agree wholeheartedly with Mr. CHOI that Chinese chess is one of the traditional recreational activities as well as a healthy and creative hobby.
The Urban Council has now for a number of years encouraged the healthy pursuit of the game of Chinese chess as part of its policy of promoting and sustaining traditional Chinese games and arts. This support has taken several forms. It has included provision of facilities for playing chess, and the encouragement of the game through organizing or sponsoring competitions.
The Urban Council has provided permanent chess tables with seats wherever a public demand is apparent in a particular location in its many parks and sitting-out areas. There are today 46 tables at 10 locations in public pleasure grounds under the control of the Urban Council. It will be appreciated that this type of facility is largely provided to accommodate relatively small, very individual, groups of people accustomed to playing chess in that locality. The Council has also given direct encouragement to the playing of Chinese chess by sponsoring a variety of Chinese chess competitions for young people. The organizers of the Entertainment and Recreation Programmes have included such items for some years, working closely in conjunction with representative local bodies. For example, an open Chinese Chess Competition for youth was held in 1969; and when the Third Asian Chinese Chess Tournament was held in Hong Kong in 1970, the Urban Council was associated in its sponsorship.
The Urban Council has continued to encourage the game and this year has been involved in sponsoring an Inter-Schools Chess Tournament. This has attracted wide interest and support. No less than seventy schools have played in this team event so far, and the Finals are due to be played off shortly. This tournament has two sections, one for Chinese chess and another for International chess, a combination which is a unique feature in itself.
The Urban Council also intends to hold an individual chess tournament later this year, again with two sections.
Page 117 of 212
Page 117 of 212
166
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
whether this problem is becoming increasingly more serious, or is it less serious. If it is becoming increasingly serious, what can we do to solve this problem?
MR. HENRY H. L. Hu (in English):-It is a good question for me to answer. I can assure the members and also the general public, we have been doing well on hawker problems, and it has been improving constantly. I think probably during the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign, the hawkers supported this Campaign wholeheartedly, and this is a fact which is recognized by the Government, and we really now have no serious hawker problem. Although as Mrs. ELLIOTT pointed out, there is such kind of problem, but comparing with the past, I should say that we have been well on our way to improve this problem. As to solve the hawker problem, it is impossible, because it is social problem. We would be confronted constantly with various new problems which we should solve from time to time, so I can only assure the Council that we have been well to improve this problem.
MR. C. K. CHAN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I want to push a little further. I think Mrs. ELLIOTT's point is this. Question No. 6 is a specific problem. A certain hawker who, the special committee has specially recommended to the Select Committee that his licence be cancelled, and yet he flouts the authority of this Council and con- tinues business for four years, and what we are concerned with here is asking the Chairman can we do something to convince the hawker that we are an effective authority? When you are delicensed, you are delicensed, and you will not be in business. But when he is delicensed, he continued his business for four years, and we are no longer very convincing when we say that we are doing this. Can this point, very specific point in this specific case, be seriously considered by the Committee and by the Council as a whole, and effectively carried out by the Urban Services Department?
MR. HENRY H. L. Hu (in English): -We will, and I can assure the Council that probably I will make a statement in a short period to inform the Council what result we have got.
(7) MR. AMBROSE K. C. CHOI asked the following question (in English):
Chinese chess in one of the traditional recreational activities in Hong Kong, as well as a healthy and creative hobby. Can the Urban Council sponsor a city-wide Chinese Chess Contest for various age groups with attractive prizes for the winners?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
167
MR. PETER P. K. NG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENTS AND ADVERTISING SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, I am sure we all agree wholeheartedly with Mr. CHOI that Chinese chess is one of the traditional recreational activities as well as a healthy and creative hobby.
The Urban Council has now for a number of years encouraged the healthy pursuit of the game of Chinese chess as part of its policy of promoting and sustaining traditional Chinese games and arts. This support has taken several forms. It has included provision of facilities for playing chess, and the encouragement of the game through or- ganizing or sponsoring competitions.
The Urban Council has provided permanent chess tables with seats wherever a public demand is apparent in a particular location in its many parks and sitting-out areas. There are today 46 tables at 10 locations in public pleasure grounds under the control of the Urban Council. It will be appreciated that this type of facility is largely provided to accommodate relatively small, very individual, groups of people accustomed to playing chess in that locality. The Council has also given direct encouragement to the play- ing of Chinese chess by sponsoring a variety of Chinese chess competitions for young people. The organizers of the Entertainment and Recreation Programmes have in- cluded such items for some years, working closely in con- junction with representative local bodies. For example, an open Chinese Chess Competition for youth was held in 1969; and when the Third Asian Chinese Chess Tour- nament was held in Hong Kong in 1970, the Urban Council was associated in its sponsorship.
The Urban Council has continued to encourage the game and this year has been involved in sponsoring an Inter-Schools Chess Tournament. This has attracted wide interest and support. No less than seventy schools have played in this team event so far, and the Finals are due to be played off shortly. This tournament has two sections, one for Chinese chess and another for International chess, a combination which is an unique feature in itself.
The Urban Council also intends to hold an individual chess tournament later this year, again with two sections.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.