1973 — Page 165

Page 165 of 212

屏

258

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

ago, we have doubled the figure and we have slaughtered last year 2,581,584 pigs, making an average of over 7,000 pigs a day; 160,000 cattle, over 450 a day; and about 47 goats per day. This figure has certainly doubled notwithstanding the fact that the consumption of poultry and other commodities has also risen. Statistics of interest: This last Lunar New Year, we slaughtered 33,000 during the period of holiday making, and a record of over 11,000 pigs slaughtered during one day. We all know how long it takes to plan and finally have an abattoir built and made ready for operation. We have the experience of the Cheung Sha Wan Abattoir, to serve as a good example. I am bringing this to the attention of my colleagues and Government, hoping that eventually something will be done and that planning should start soon for an additional abattoir. I am not claiming that this should

be done in the urban area, all I am asking for is a new abattoir.

Together with the planning of new facilities we must accelerate training to ensure the availability of qualified meat and food inspectors. I hope too that the courses conducted locally would give our inspectors the necessary certificates and diplomas which will be recognized by the U.K. and other countries. The staff of our abattoirs deserve every encouragement and compliment for the good work they have been doing over the years, sometimes under very difficult conditions.

Finally, the building of public facilities I believe that the time is come for this Council, perhaps with the Tourist Association and P.W.D. and other bodies, to decide to have adequate toilet facilities in heavily visited tourists' look-out points. It has come to the atten- tion of many that when bus-loads of tourists arrive at various scenic points the passengers on disembarking find that there are no facilities whatsoever for them, making it necessary for them to meet the call of nature the best way they can find. Amusing as this may seem to be, it makes one of Hong Kong's largest industries fall behind other countries, not to speak of imported Lap Sap Chung.

With these words, I support the motion. (Applause.)

MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE (in English):-Sir, a nautical term was used by His Excellency the Governor in his address to the first meeting of this reconstituted Council in April, when he, metaphorically speak- ing, passed over command to you, Sir, the new ship, manned by a motley crew composed of old salts and a few greenhorns, which I would like to think you have now licked into a fairly good crew. Although there has been some muttering in the crew's quarters that the Captain is driving us too hard, and thinks he is in command of a slave galley. However, to round off this nautical miscellancy, I

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

259

must say that although the work is hard at times, the pay is good. (Laughter.)

Bearing in mind your request that our remarks be kept to the point, I will refer to the activities covered by some of the committees on which I serve, both inside and outside this Council.

First dealing with the Environment. The state of the streets, now, leaves a lot to be desired, and it needs only a cursory glance to observe back-sliding. Those of us who are members of Dr. HUANG's com- mittee, are fully alive to this situation, deplore it, and are doing some- thing about it. The emphasis this year will be concentrated in three main areas of action:

(1) A Districts Clean-up Operation in April/May and later in

September/October.

(2) A "Clean Our Beaches" Operation in June, July and August. (3) And finally at the end of the year, another "Keep Hong Kong

Clean" Campaign, or possibly in early 1975.

A high degree of community involvement is an essential ingredient for any success, and I hope all members of this Council will use their influence to encourage people, especially the young, to get involved. A stiffening in the legislation and more effective deployment of the anti-litter squads should help to convince the non-co-operative litter bug in our midst.

In his speech last year, the Director of Urban Services, in reply to a complaint about garbage disposal in the New Territories, by Mr. John MACKENZIE reeled off an imposing series of proposals for im- proving environmental conditions there--five hundred new aqua privies -three hundred small refuse incinerators-three hundred refuse collec- tion points, etc., etc. Could we be informed one year later, Sir, how results have measured up to the predictions?

Environmental Pollution

At this juncture, perhaps I should give a short account of the work of EPCOM, the Committee on Pollution of Land and Water, established some two years ago, of which I was Chairman. This Com- mittee has now been reconstituted, and will consider all forms of pollution of Air, Land, Water and Noise, with a new Chairman, John MARDEN-Our old colleague. But to revert to the ground already covered by EPCOM last year.

Page 165Page 166