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not for a moment casting any blame on the Fire Services Department which as I have said has performed its advisory duty towards this Council well despite its acute staff shortage. I think it is fair to say that the Council in dealing with applications for licence for food premises is grateful to the Fire Services in giving its advice, as that Department, in my reading of the Food Business By-laws, is not under any statutory duty or obligation to do so. It is under the Food Business By-laws that this Council grants licences for food business.

Sir, we owe a duty to the public to ensure that food premises are structurally safe, meet with hygenic and health requirements and do not constitute fire hazards. It is in the interest of applicants and for the better image of this Council that the Council's statutory functions are carried out expeditiously. To amend the Food Business By-laws, to create a statutory duty on the Fire Services to inform this Council that it has no objection to the premises being used as food premises is not practical, as it is not a case of the Fire Services, not willing to perform its advisory role, but acute staff shortage has made it almost impossible for that Department. To overcome this practical difficulty, I suggest two alternatives. First, this Council should approach the Central Government to second fire officers to this Council. However, this alternative may not be feasible due to existing shortage of fire officers. Secondly, this Council should employ its own trained fire officers who should hold the qualification of Diploma of Institute of Fire Engineers of the United Kingdom or membership of the Institute of Fire Engineers of the United Kingdom and have attended the United Kingdom Fire Services College's advanced Fire Prevention course. I personally favour the second alternative which upon its being imple- mented will ensure that this Council will receive swift advice. In consequence, the Council's letter of requirement can be despatched to the applicant for his compliance within a short period of time. Thereafter it will be up to the applicant himself to exercise due diligence to comply with the requirements to obtain his licence.

Sir, I now come to the subject of liquor licensing. Since the 1.4.73 this Council has become the authority to grant renewal, transfer or amendment of liquor licences in the urban areas, under the Dutiable Commodities (liquor) Regulations.

By Section 3 of the said Regulations, this Council may delegate its powers and functions under the said Regulations to a Committee. Accordingly, an Urban Council Liquor Licensing Board was con- stituted, and members of the present Food Hygiene Select Committee became members of this Liquor Licensing Board. Whilst the Regula- tions stipulated that four statutory meetings of the Board be held in

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each year, i.e. during March, June, September and December and at such other times as may be necessary for the transaction of its busi- ness, the Board can only issue liquor licences to become effective from either the 1st of January, or the 1st of April, or the 1st of July or the 1st of October, whichever of these dates is the first to follow the date on which the Board decides to grant the licence. It therefore follows that much as the Board desires to issue liquor licences to applicants to be effective as expeditiously as possible, it is prevented from so doing by the Regulations. The Board has agreed that the present statutory issue dates are out of keeping with present-day con- ditions of Hong Kong, and quite some time ago has requested the Central Government to amend the relevant part of the Regulations. I commend to those concerned to effect immediately this rather simple amendment to the Regulations without further delay.

Before resuming my seat, I want to thank officers of the Urban Services Department charged with the duty of food hygiene and liquor licensing for their good work through the past year, and for their co-operation and ready services.

Mr. Chairman, with these remarks, I have pleasure in supporting the motion before Council. (Applause.)

MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, this is my third time to be present in the Annual Conventional Debate of the Urban Council. I am glad to say that, on every such occasion, I have this invaluable opportunity to hear the views and opinions expressed by my learned colleagues and that our Chairman would study and select the proposals to the best interest of the citizens of Hong Kong; this is most encouraging and praiseworthy.

Recently, Government seems to be adopting the steps of pro- crastination in carrying out the most urgent and needed plans; many of them take as long as ten to twenty years to materialize. These plans, in most cases, have vital importance to the day-to-day lives of the majority as pending moisture in a draught but the carrying out of these plans is progressed at the speed of a snail with unnecessary delays in allocation of funds, in making designs and in consulting advisors or specialists from abroad. Such "long post-dated cheques” include plans on housing, education, transport, etc. We are not per- manently attached to this Council. While we are being rested upon the duties, we are obliged to perform them. It is sincerely hoped that we would not have to wait too long to see to the accomplishment of the following proposals:--