192
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Proposals were put to the Finance Select Committee and the necessary funds were voted.
Work on the surfacing of Shui Wo Street Bazaar, which is the largest item involved, has recently commenced and the Public Works Department are preparing formal estimates of costs to enable funds to be released for four other items. However, there is some difficulty in several bazaars with water supplies as the hawkers are unwilling to comply with the Waterworks requirement regarding deposits, etc.
The Select Committee decided that roofing was a very costly item, (possibly costing $12 million) and whilst it should be provided in future whenever practicable, existing bazaars would need to be looked at in greater detail.
The Department was asked to make a survey of all existing bazaars requiring roofs so that proposals and a priority list could be put to the Select Committee. The survey of bazaars has now been completed, and the Department will shortly be putting a paper to the Hawkers Select Committee for consideration.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English): Mr. Chairman, could the Chairman of the Hawkers Select Committee clarify why the hawkers were unwilling to comply? Was it because the cost is too high? Could he just give me some idea?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU (in English): Mr. Chairman, I understand that it was due to the difficulty of temporary removal of certain hawkers to some place, and I understand that the problem has now been solved.
(2) MR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I refer to the August meeting motion by Dr. P. C. WONG "that a containerisation pattern of refuse collection should be adopted by using disposable bags and large, plastic boxes, thus abolishing the use of the conventional rattan baskets".
This matter was discussed in the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee meeting on 12th October, 1973. It was agreed that it was not practical to provide door-to-door refuse collection, and to supply plastic bags free of charge to all domestic dwellings because of the expenses involved. It was further agreed that before a decision was made on whether or not there should be a "containerisation" pattern of refuse collection, the Select Committee would await a report from the Department on the results of the experiment on the use of plastic baskets for street sweeping. In this connection, the department has since placed an order for the supply of 200 heavy-duty plastic containers, and will put them into trial use as soon as they are received.
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MOTION
THE CHAIRMAN, Urban Council, moved the following motion (in English): "That in accordance with section 39 of the Urban Council Ordinance, Number 19 of 1973, the estimates of its revenue and expenditure for the next financial year be approved by this Council for transmission to the Governor."
He said (in English): This is actually the first budget which the Council is presenting entirely on its own responsibility. It is the result of many months of hard work on the part of the staff of the Urban Services Department, for which the Council is thankful.
It was first very carefully considered by all relevant select committees. The Finance Select Committee then went through all figures in co-ordinating the requirements of the select committees and the Urban Services Department. Finally, at the last meeting of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, you had every opportunity of examining together in detail all items of revenue and expenditure.
Evidently, the budget anticipates a position in 1974/75 only as far as material factors can be assessed today. Hong Kong lives in fast changing times so our present calculations may be off target even before the next financial year starts, more so as it covers the cost of running the Hong Kong Government's largest department numbering nearly 16,000 people and discharging statutory functions prescribed for this Council, and performing discretionary services on our own. Thus, because such a high proportion of our expenditure is taken up by Personal Emoluments (approximately 70%), any adjustment by the Central Government in rates of pay and allowances, without so much as by our leave, will throw us off gear, for sure. Of course, with rising costs and strong inflationary pressures, it is only fair that those who work in the public service should be taken care of in a reasonable manner, but Council depends heavily on revenue from rates (nearly
192
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Proposals were put to the Finance Select Committee and the necessary funds were voted.
Work on the surfacing of Shui Wo Street Bazaar, which is the largest item involved, has recently commenced and the Public Works Department are preparing formal estimates of costs to enable funds to be released for four other items. However, there is some difficulty in several bazaars with water supplies as the hawkers are unwilling to comply with the Waterworks requirement regarding deposits, etc.
The Select Committee decided that roofing was a very costly item, (possibly costing $12 million) and whilst it should be provided in future whenever practicable, existing bazaars would need to be looked at in greater detail.
The Department was asked to make a survey of all existing bazaars requiring roofs so that proposals and a priority list could be put to the Select Committee. The survey of bazaars has now been completed, and the Department will shortly be putting a paper to the Hawkers Select Committee for consideration.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English):-)
-Mr. Chairman, could the Chair- man of the Hawkers Select Committee clarify why the hawkers were unwilling to comply? Was it because the cost is too high? Could he just give me some idea?
MR. HENRY H. L. Hu (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I under- stand that it was due to the difficulty of temporary removal of certain hawkers to some place, and I understand that the problem has now been solved.
(2) MR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I refer to the August meeting motion by Dr. P. C. WONG "that a containerisa- tion pattern of refuse collection should be adopted by using dispos- able bags and large, plastic boxes, thus abolishing the use of the conventional rattan baskets".
This matter was discussed in the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee meeting on 12th October, 1973. It was agreed that it was not practical to provide door-to-door refuse collection, and to supply plastic bags free of charge to all domestic dwellings because of the expenses involved. It was further agreed that before a decision was
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made on whether or not there should be a "containerisation" pattern of refuse collection, the Select Committee would await a report from the Department on the results of the experiment on the use of plastic baskets for street sweeping. In this connection, the department has since placed an order for the supply of 200 heavy-duty plastic con- tainers, and will put them into trial use as soon as they are received.
MOTION
THE CHAIRMAN, Urban Council, moved the following motion (in English):-
"That in accordance with section 39 of the Urban Council Ordinance, Number 19 of 1973, the estimates of its revenue and expenditure for the next financial year be approved by this Council for transmission to the Governor."
He said (in English):-This is actually the first budget which the Council is presenting entirely on its own responsibility. It is the result of many months of hard work on the part of the staff of the Urban Services Department, for which the Council is thankful.
It was first very carefully considered by all relevant select com. mittees. The Finance Select Committee then went through all figures in co-ordinating the requirements of the select committees and the Urban Services Department. Finally, at the last meeting of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, you had every opportunity of examining together in detail all items of revenue and expenditure.
Evidently, the budget anticipates a position in 1974/75 only as far as material factors can be assessed today. Hong Kong lives in fast changing times so our present calculations may be off target even before the next financial year starts, more so as it covers the cost of running the Hong Kong Government's largest department numbering nearly 16,000 people and discharging statutory functions prescribed for this Council, and performing discretionary services on our own. Thus, because such a high proportion of our expenditure is taken up by Personal Emoluments (approximately 70%), any adjustment by the Central Government in rates of pay and allowances, without so much as by our leave, will throw us off gear, for sure. Of course, with rising costs and strong inflationary pressures, it is only fair that those who work in the public service should be taken care of in a reasonable manner, but Council depends heavily on revenue from rates (nearly
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