1973 — Page 169

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This is of particular significance to Hong Kong. If the area around the treatment works could not be used because of the smell, then it would be a great draw back because of the scarcity of land in Hong Kong. After what I have seen, I am convinced that some such system is a must for Hong Kong.

With these remarks, I am happy to support the motion before the Council. (Applause).

MR. PETER P. K. NG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, ten months have elapsed since the Urban Council was rightfully given a face-lift with a financial autonomy and a new structure consisting of only Unofficial Members. (Mr. F. K. HU arrived at this point.) One would naturally expect from this that with this changeover, the Urban Council would from then on enjoy an entire say and go in its own affairs free from the slightest flick of influence from outside the Council walls. Unfortunately, this is something that yet remains to be seen. Administratively, the Urban Council currently relies to a great extent on the services of the Urban Services Department, but the physical movement of its staff is still largely in the hands of Government, despite the fact that the general upkeep of the Department accounts for a handsome share of the Council's annual budget. Although many of the staff do give us their unreserved effort in performing their duties, it is rather disheartening sometimes to see some of the U.S.D. officials, including those at high level, are not always pushing the interest of the Council to the best of their ability. I do not make this comment on no grounds. The control of Advertising Signs for instance, which has been handled by the Urban Council for the last 12 or more years, has recently become, in the view of a few U.S.D. officials, a subject of ambiguity, and such query sparkled out at a time when the relevant Select Committee has drawn up, after a series of meetings attended by the Director of the U.S.D. and a representative of Legal Department, comprehensive by-laws for better control of advertising signs. As far as I am concerned, this is a matter of little dispute. For advertising signs have direct bearing on urban amenities and public health, and to divorce them from the Council's province would be at some time denying its role in the amenity field. One may argue by saying that advertising signs pose a greater fire-prevention and public safety hazard and therefore concern more the Fire Services Department and Public Works Department. I do not dispute that these two departments, (in fact other related departments as well), have a part to play. But if this argument goes sound in this respect it would then also apply to other fields where the Urban Council is still having a significant control. In the case of restaurants, cinemas, bars, multi-purpose public games

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halls etc., both fire and structural safety are involved but its admini- strative control still comes under the Urban Council for obvious reasons. Why then should advertising signs be ruled as an exception, especially when it is a subject that concerns urban life directly, and should in my view be rated with equal if not higher standing in the ruling of the Urban Council? And mind you, Mr. Chairman, the progress of the processing of these bylaws has come to a standstill ever since September of last year and I do not see any sign of it being revived in the near future. One must bear in mind that urban amenity is our main concern, and to deny the Council its control over advertis- ing signs would automatically dissolve its authority in other aspects in the same field.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to say a few words on Public Enter- tainment in the context of the Urban Council. For the past year, the Council provided a wide range of entertainment items including variety shows, pop concerts, Cantonese operas, roller skating, etc. in the general interest of our over 4 million population. Up to December, 1973, a sum of about $350,000 was spent in the entertainment field and the same amount will be spent for similar purposes in due course. Indeed, our throngs have stretched far and wide in providing public entertain- ment and recreation; but internally division of control on a venue/ location basis still exists. Regarding this, I have strong doubts as to its effectiveness in the present circumstances, for I do not favour policy distinction and discrimination for public entertainment and recreation. Our main concern is to decide and give whatever meets the general needs of the public, and to do it properly. The best way would be to group all entertainment items under the same roof to be dealt with by one single Select Committee for better co-ordination and execution purposes. One has to face the fact that suitable available venues are falling short of our needs, and it is therefore necessary to use the existing ones for multi-fold purposes and this very factor makes uni- form and undivided control and policy decision all the more essential. Mr. Chairman, I hope you will agree I am not going after a change of committee structure but simply suggesting a re-grouping of duties for the overall benefit of the Urban Council and Hong Kong as a whole. Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I support the motion. (Applause.)

DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, after many knowledgeable colleagues have expressed their valuable views on different fields, I would like to confine myself to two subjects. Firstly, the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign and secondly, Chinese as an official language.