Page 24 of 154
17
16
# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Usage of the Concert Hall and Theatre has always been near the maximum level. During the past 6 months, only four days in the Concert Hall and three days in the Theatre were vacant because of last-minute cancellations or other reasons.
There has been a drop in demand for the Exhibition Hall and the Exhibition Gallery, but indications are that usage will increase by the end of 1975.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, on being notified of the ability to hire the City Hall, when is the hirer required to pay a deposit? And secondly, when the hirer subsequently cancels the booking and when it is too late, there may be nobody to hire the facilities. For example, if a deposit of 25% is paid and the hirer subsequently decides to cancel the booking and, at that time, the management may not be able to find somebody else to take up the facilities and therefore the facilities may not be occupied.
MR. HU (in English): - We receive the confirmation from the City Hall Manager that the booking is confirmed. Usually in the letter of confirmation, it is indicated that before a given date he should pay the fee. Usually, I think, within two months after the confirmation of the letter. Secondly, about the second part of your question, that is to say whether we can hire out the booking which is cancelled. I think it is clear that if the cancellation is before two months, usually there will be no difficulty, it can be hired out. But if it is within two months, of course, we are not quite sure whether we can hire out or not.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):- Will this affect our revenue? And I remember that recently I enquired at the City Hall and was told that it was reserved although the hirer had not confirmed his booking. And after three or four weeks, the hirer still has not confirmed it. It seems that the facility has been reserved, but while other hirers would like to make use of it, and after the time has lapsed, it is not possible to hire it to somebody else. I think this will affect the use of the City Hall.
CHAIRMAN (in English):- Your question gives me the chance to clarify this matter as a past Chairman of the City Hall Select Committee. The answer given by Mr. Henry Hu is clear. If an applicant gets the use of a facility in the City Hall, it is so advised and is called upon to pay immediately 25% of the charges. And, two months beforehand, that organization has to pay in full. In either case, if it gives up the booking, the money is lost to it. If it gives up the booking within that period of two months, it is a total loss of 100% of the fee. But if it gives up before two months, then it loses only the deposit. Then, City Hall management will advise the other applicants on the reserve list in turn. Now, you ask what happens if a person does not take up the booking within this period. Whether he uses it or not, it is not really the City Hall management's business because, as long as he pays 100% for the hire of the City Hall, he has the right to give it up even at the last minute but the fee is forfeited in full. This is the point at issue. He loses his money. But, in the past few years, as Mr. Hu has brought out in his reply, there have only been very few occasions when such losses have occurred, and at no time has there been a loss to the Urban Council. On the other hand, there is a double income to the Council if the facility is let again.
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG (in Cantonese): — Mr. Chairman, perhaps the Chairman of the City Hall management Committee can give us some notes on the procedure on the hire of the City Hall so that we can all understand?
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, one point raised by Miss YEUNG is that whether there has been occasion when the rent is due and it was not paid. Can the booking still be reserved for that particular hirer? In that case, the hirer does not pay and the day is still reserved for him.
CHAIRMAN (in English):- There is no question of any hirer taking undue advantage of the rules which are applied without favour. The rules are clear and are available to all applicants. In fact, as requested, the City Hall booking rules will be issued to all Members who might wish to have them. There can be no doubt in any applicant's mind about the procedure to follow.
(4) MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):
Has the Urban Services Department taken measure in arranging USD staff in the Hawker Permitted Area to control the sanitary condition of these particular Areas?
And how do they function?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Mr. Chairman, in rising to answer question No. 4 I would, with your permission, like to also reply to question No. 7
Page 24 of 154
17
16
Page 24 of 154
17
16
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Usage of the Concert Hall and Theatre has always been near the maximum level. During the past 6 months, only four days in the Concert Hall and three days in the Theatre were vacant because of last-minute cancellations or other reasons.
There has been a drop in demand for the Exhibition Hall and the Exhibition Gallery, but indications are that usage will increase by the end of 1975.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, on being notified of the ability to hire the City Hall, when is the hirer required to pay a deposit? And secondly, when the hirer subsequently cancels the book- ing and when it is too late, there may be nobody to hire the facilities. For example, if a deposit of 25% is paid and the hirer subsequently decides to cancel the booking and, at that time, the management may not be able to find somebody else to take up the facilities and therefore the facilities may not be occupied.
MR. HU (in English): -We receive the confirmation from the City Hall Manager that the booking is confirmed. Usually in the letter of confirmation, it is indicated that before a given date he should pay the fee. Usually, I think, within two months after the confirmation of the letter. Secondly, about the second part of your question, that is to say whether we can hire out the booking which is cancelled. I think it is clear that if the cancellation is before two months, usually there will be no difficulty, it can be hired out. But if it is within two months, of course, we are not quite sure whether we can hire out or not.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Will this affect our revenue?
And
I remember that recently I enquired at the City Hall and was told that it was reserved although the hirer had not confirmed his booking. And after three or four weeks, the hirer still has not confirmed it. It seems that the facility has been reserved, but while other hirers would like to make use of it, and after the time has lapsed, it is not possible to hire it to somebody else. I think this will affect the use of the City Hall.
CHAIRMAN (in English):--Your question gives me the chance to clarify this matter as a past Chairman of the City Hall Select Com- mittee. The answer given by Mr. Henry Hu is clear. If an applicant gets the use of a facility in the City Hall, it is so advised and is called upon to pay immediately 25% of the charges. And, two months beforehand, that organization has to pay in full. In either case, if it gives up the booking, the money is lost to it. If it gives up the booking
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
within that period of two months, it is a total loss of 100% of the fee. But if it gives up before two months, then it loses only the deposit. Then, City Hall management will advise the other applicants on the reserve list in turn. Now, you ask what happens if a person does not take up the booking within this period. Whether he uses it or not, it is not really the City Hall management's business because, as long as he pays 100% for the hire of the City Hall, he has the right to give it up even at the last minute but the fee is forfeited in full. This is the point at issue. He loses his money. But, in the past few years, as Mr. Hu has brought out in his reply, there have only been very few occasions when such losses have occurred, and at no time has there been a loss to the Urban Council. On the other hand there is a double income to the Council if the facility is let again.
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG (in Cantonese): —Mr. Chairman, perhaps the Chairman of the City Hall management Committee can give us some notes on the procedure on the hire of the City Hall so that we can all understand?
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, one point raised by Miss YEUNG is that whether there has been occasion when the rent is due and it was not paid. Can the booking still be reserved for that particular hirer? In that case, the hirer does not pay and the day is still reserved for him.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-There is no question of any hirer taking undue advantage of the rules which are applied without favour. The rules are clear and are available to all applicants. In fact, as requested, the City Hall booking rules will be issued to all Members who might wish to have them. There can be no doubt in any applicant's mind about the procedure to follow.
(4) MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):
Has the Urban Services Department taken measure in arrang- ing USD staff in the Hawker Permitted Area to control the sanitary condition of these particular Areas?
And how do they function?
MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COM- MITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Mr. Chairman, in rising to answer question No. 4 I would, with your permission, like to also reply to question No. 7
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.