1974 — Page 52

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I accept entirely Mr. T. S. Lo's comment and the spirit with which it has been given and I know that he shares some of my frustrations in trying to get things done, but we will certainly try to improve this rather dismal record.

(2) MR. LO TAK-SHING asked the following question (in English):-

Is it proper for the Council to be licensing restaurants, hotels or nightclubs under the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance if such places merely provide background music or music for dancing by the patrons?

MR. ALEX S. C. WU, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENTS AND ADVERTISING Select Committee, replied as follows (in English):

Mr. Chairman, according to Section 2 of the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance, Cap. 172. "public entertain- ment" means any entertainment, which is defined to include, inter alia, musical entertainment and to which the general public are admitted with or without payment for admission. By adopting a pragmatic approach, it is possible to classify restaurants, hotels or nightclubs which feature a band or musical group, as places of public entertainment. However, no such establishment which provides only background music or music for dancing by the patrons has ever been required to take out a public entertainment licence.

The Principal Crown Counsel, Urban Council, has recently advised, both legally and administratively, against requir- ing public entertainment licences for restaurants, hotels or nightclubs which provide floor shows and musical entertainment. The advice has been considered and accepted by the Entertainments and Advertising Select Committee at its most recent meeting.

This legal advice will be disseminated to all interested govern- ment departments as well as the Urban Services Depart- ment licensing staff. All licences already issued to these establishments will be allowed to lapse.

MR. Lo (in English):-I am sorry I am not quite clear about the answer, Mr. Chairman, because the last sentence of paragraph 1 says that no “establishment, etc. etc. has been required to take out a licence."

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The last sentence says that all licences issued will be allowed to lapse. Is it sort of different places or different licences or what?

MR. WU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the licences allowed to lapse are those issued previously, not by this Council. And based on legal advice, I do not think that the Select Committee will issue any licences from now on.

MR. Lo (in English):-Thank you, the last thing is that was the decision made after the question that I asked, because I didn't find any minutes circulating prior to asking the question. I wouldn't have taken up Council's time on it if I had seen the Select Committee's decision.

MR. WU (in English): ---Mr. Chairman, I refer Mr. Lo to the last sentence of paragraph 2 "at its most recent meeting." I don't know whether the minutes have reached you or not.

(3) DR. P. C. WONG asked the following question (in English):

How many standard badminton courts under the management of the Urban Council are available for public use, partic- ularly for playing International Matches?

MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-

Mr. Chairman, the Urban Council has built 19 badminton courts, but only three of these, the indoor courts at Kai Tak Games Hall, are used as such. Five of the nineteen courts are multi-purpose courts and are invariably used for the other purpose i.e. volleyball. The remaining 11 courts, although marked out for badminton, are heavily used as open space or for other recreation.

The badminton courts at Kai Tak Games Hall were not designed to meet international standards and have neither the correct floor surface nor seating capacity. So the answer to this part of Dr. WONG's question is "none". However, I am pleased to be able to say that the Hung Hom Indoor Stadium will permit international standard bad- minton when it is built.