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vehicle eventually arrived at Man Wan point at approximately 3.30 p.m. and departed at 5.30, having removed the refuse accumulated at the point. As for the collection vehicle leaving its engine running, I must point out that the mechanical loading apparatus is run off the engine.
MR. ALEX WU (In English):--Mr. Chairman, might I ask if it is possible for the Council to suggest to the building trade or the Building Authority to incorporate garbage disposal systems or sinks in future buildings so as to relieve the work of garbage collection?
CHAIRMAN (In English):-Mr. ALEX WU, your question is most interesting. It will be considered by the Select Committee. But it is not in accordance with Standing Orders as it does not relate to the main question. Thank you very much.
MR. FORSGATE (In English):-Mr. Chairman, as the problem of off-street collection points is a growing one, can the Chairman assure us that he is bringing all pressure to bear on the P.W.D. for the provision of permanent, relatively clean collection points and how many can we expect to see this year and next year, if any?
CHAIRMAN (In English):-Mr. FORSGATE, likewise the question is most interesting for it is a matter of fundamental policy but I find that it in no way relates to the main question on the agenda paper. Nevertheless, I think there are 70 such collection points in the P.W.D. Programme.
MR. P. K. NG (In English): -Mr. Chairman, in the answer here it says no refuse is allowed to remain overnight at these points. However, the question says 70 such baskets were left overnight. What was being done about these 70 baskets left overnight and what will be done about it? The matter of fact is that you don't allow them to remain there but they were still there.
DR. HUANG (In Cantonese):-These 70 baskets, they are merely baskets used for containing refuse and so they cannot be regarded as refuse. After the refuse was collected, the refuse baskets were left behind.
(7) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (In English):-
May we be informed of the estimated values of the current collections of art and museum items in the Urban Council's
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
45
museum and art gallery? To satisfy public interest, might not a first catalogue now be prepared listing details of the collections to date?
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI, CHAIRMAN OF THE MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (In English):
This question concerns the present value of the Museum and Art Gallery collections and the preparation of a catalogue of the collection.
Owing to the steep rise in recent years in the price of works of art, especially Chinese art and antiquities, it is not possible to provide at short notice an estimate of the value of the collection.
The present collections include about 7,000 items. Of these, about 1,500 items were acquired by the Government through purchases and donations and transferred to the Museum & Art Gallery upon its opening in 1962. Since then a total expenditure for the acquisitions of museum pieces and art gallery pieces amounts to no less than $1,250,000.
An estimate of the present-day value of the collections cannot be obtained without carefully evaluating each individual item, but it is known for certain that the value of these individual items has been steadily increasing throughout the years since 1962, and now exceeds the purchase cost several fold.
As to catalogues for the collections, five major catalogues have been published and two catalogues on Chinese art and antiquities are being planned. One is an illustrated catalogue in connection with the display of Chinese antiquities in the museum and the other one is an illustrated catalogue of Chinese ceramics.
The present policy is to publish additional catalogues on special areas or selected topics over a period of time, rather than one catalogue for the entire collection which would become out of date very quickly; especially as the Council is purchasing all the time to meet the requirements when we hope to have a museum as a separate building in the civic centre complex at the railway terminus at Tsim Sha Tsui.
Page 56 of 212
Page 56 of 212
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
vehicle eventually arrived at Man Wan point at approx- imately 3.30 p.m. and departed at 5.30, having removed at the refuse accoumulated at the point. As for the collection vehicle leaving its engine running, I must point out that the mechanical loading apparatus is run off the engine.
MR. ALEX WU (In English):--Mr. Chairman, might I ask if it is possible for the Council to suggest to the building trade or the Building Authority to incorporate garbage disposal systems or sinks in future buildings so as to relieve the work of garbage collection?
CHAIRMAN (In English):-Mr. ALEX WU, your question is most interesting. It will be considered by the Select Committee. But it is not in accordance with Standing Orders as it does not relate to the main question. Thank you very much.
MR. FORSGATE (In English):-Mr. Chairman, as the problem of off-street collection points is a growing one, can the Chairman assure us that he is bringing all pressure to bear on the P.W.D. for the pro- vision of permanent, relatively clean collection points and how many can we expect to see this year and next year, if any?
CHAIRMAN (In English):-Mr. FORSGATE, likewise the question is most interesting for it is a matter of fundamental policy but I find that it in no way relates to the main question on the agenda paper. Nevertheless, I think there are 70 such collection points in the P.W.D. Programme.
MR. P. K. NG (In English): -Mr. Chairman, in the answer here it says no refuse is allowed to remain overnight at these points. However, the question says 70 such baskets were left overnight. What was being done about these 70 baskets left overnight and what will be done about it? The matter of fact is that you don't allow them to remain there but they were still there.
DR. HUANG (In Cantonese):-These 70 baskets, they are merely baskets used for containing refuse and so they cannot be regarded as refuse. After the refuse was collected, the refuse baskets were left behind.
(7) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (In English):-
May we be informed of the estimated values of the current collections of art and museum items in the Urban Council's
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
45
museum and art gallery? To satisfy public interest, might not a first catalogue now be prepared listing details of the collections to date?
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI, CHAIRMAN OF THE MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (In English):
This question concerns the present value of the Museum and Art Gallery collections and the preparation of a catalogue of the collection.
Owing to the steep rise in recent years in the price of works of art, especially Chinese art and antiquities, it is not possible to provide at short notice an estimate of the value of the collection.
The present collections include about 7,000 items. Of these, about 1,500 items were acquired by the Government through purchases and donations and transferred to the Museum & Art Gallery upon its opening in 1962. Since then a total expenditure for the acquisitions of museum picces and art gallery pieces amounts to no less than 1,250,000 dollars.
An estimate of the present-day value of the collections cannot be obtained without carefully evaluating each individual item, but it is known for certain that the value of these individual items has been steadily increasing throughout the years since 1962, and now exceeds the purchase cost several fold.
As to catalogues for the collections, five major catalogues have been published and two catalogues on Chinese art and antiquities are being planned. One is illustrated catalogue in connection with the display of Chinese antiquities in the museum and the other one is an illustrated catalogue of Chinese ceramics.
The present policy is to publish additional catalogues on special areas or selected topics over a period of time, rather than one catalogue for the entire collection which would become out of date very quickly; especially as the Council is purchasing the whole time to meet the requirements when we hope to have a museum as a separate building in the civic centre complex at the railway terminus at Tsim Sha Tsui.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.