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(4) MR. PETER C. K. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):-
(a) When will the Council start issuing licences to barber shops?
(b) In view of the fact that some of the barber shops (or establishments that call themselves barber shops) operate until 3 or 4 a.m. in the morning, has the relevant select committee considered limiting the opening hours of the licensed barber shops?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-
Mr. Chairman, barbers shops are not at present licensed. The possibility of controlling barbers shops and hair-dressing establishments was first raised in 1946 and has been re-considered at intervals since then. The argument in favour of licensing has rested on hygiene grounds, to guard against the spread of pulmonary tuberculosis and skin and eye diseases. But the health risk was thought to be not so high as to warrant diverting staff and resources from other more pressing health fields. As a compromise, a hygiene code was drawn up and issued in 1967 to hair-dressing establishments.
In 1973, the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee decided that the law should be changed so as to permit licensing of barbers shops. I'm sorry to say that not much progress has been made since then. A survey was conducted to show the number of barbers shops, but action seems to have stuck on a proposed licensing fee that took account of the administrative cost of licensing.
I will arrange now for the Urban Services Department to examine the matter afresh and to produce information for the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee to show what staff will be needed to license barbers shops, whether the staff are available, a possible licensing fee, and trade reaction bearing in mind that on-street barbers stalls may not be able to comply with licensing requirements. One point I would like to emphasize is that the proposal to license barbers shops is intended purely as a hygiene measure. It is not the business of the Council to license barbers shops as a means to control alleged immorality in some of these premises.
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barbers shops as a means to control alleged immorality in some of these premises.
The question by Mr. CHAN mentioned that some barber shops work till three o'clock in the morning, I have had no opportunity to be in such premises and I would like to ask Mr. CHAN to tell us his own experience and inform our Committee and we will consider it in detail. (Laughter).
MR. CHAN (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, I informed Dr. HUANG that I would ask this supplementary question. As to being there between three and four o'clock in the morning, I have had no such opportunity yet and maybe Dr. HUANG would lead us as the Chairman of the Select Committee and at Urban Council expense?
CHAIRMAN (in English):- You must not use a supplementary question to make improper allegations against the Chairman of the Select Committee. (Laughter). What he did while inspecting these barber shops between three and four o'clock in the morning is surely not your business (Laughter). And, as for the entertainment account to provide the means for such alleged inspections, again this is not your business (Laughter). May I once more remind Councillors to stick to the original question. (Laughter).
MR. CHAN (in Cantonese):- The main question I would like to ask is that in 1967, when we issued the code to the barber shops, was there any limit on their working hours?
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):- As far as I know, there is no time limits laid down just like other licences issued by the Urban Council.
MR. CHAN (in Cantonese):- And in the last answer, as I read between the lines, Dr. HUANG said that some of those barber shops were doing something immoral, how does he base this kind of inference?
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):- Mr. Chairman, I am sure Mr. CHAN and myself do read newspapers and some tabloids as well. Questions raised by Mr. CHAN refer to three or four o'clock in the morning. I do not think they will do genuine barber business at that time.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):- The Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee has said, I quote "It is not the business of the Council to license barber shops as a means to control alleged immorality in some of these premises". Why not? Surely
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(4) MR. PETER C. K. CHAN asked the following question (in Can- tonese): -
(a) When will the Council start issuing licences to barber
shops?
(b) In view of the fact that some of the barber shops (or establishments that call themselves barber shops) operate until 3 or 4 a.m. in the morning, has the relevant select committee consider limiting the opening hours of the licensed barber shops?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-
Mr. Chairman, barbers shops are not at present licensed. The possibility of controlling barbers shops and hair- dressing establishments was first raised in 1946 and has been re-considered at intervals since then. The argument in favour of licensing has rested on hygiene grounds, to guard against the spread of pulmonary tuberculosis and skin and eye diseases. But the health risk was thought to be not so high as to warrant diverting staff and resources from other more pressing health fields. As a compromise, a hygiene code was drawn up and issued in 1967 to hair- dressing establishments.
In 1973, the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee decided that the law should be changed so as to permit licensing of barbers shops. I'm sorry to say that not much pro- gress has been made since then. A survey was conducted to show the number of barbers shops, but action seems to have stuck on a proposed licensing fee that took account of the administrative cost of licensing.
I will arrange now for the Urban Services Department to examine the matter afresh and to produce information for the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee to show what staff will be needed to license barbers shops, whether the staff are available, a possible licensing fee, and trade reaction bearing in mind that on-street barbers stalls may not be able to comply with licensing requirements. One point I would like to emphasize is that the proposal to license barbers shops is intended purely as a hygiene measure. It is not the business of the Council to licence
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
79
barbers shops as a means to control alleged immorality in some of these premises.
The question by Mr. CHAN mentioned that some barber shops work till three o'clock in the morning, I have had no opportunity to be in such premises and I would like to ask Mr. CHAN to tell us his own experience and inform our Committee and we will consider it in detail. (Laughter).
MR. CHAN (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, I informed Dr. HUANG that I would ask this supplementary question. As to being there between three and four o'clock in the morning, I have had no such opportunity yet and maybe Dr. HUANG would lead us as the Chairman of the Select Committee and at Urban Council expense?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-You must not use a supplementary ques- tion to make improper allegations against the Chairman of the Select Committee. (Laughter). What he did while inspecting these barber shops between three and four o'clock in the morning is surely not your business (Laughter). And, as for the entertainment account to provide the means for such alleged inspections, again this is not your business (Laughter). May I once more remind Councillors to stick to the original question. (Laughter).
MR. CHAN (in Cantonese): -The main question I would like to ask is that in 1967, when we issued the code to the barber shops, was there any limit on their working hours?
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):-As far as I know, there is no time limits laid down just like other licences issued by the Urban Council.
MR. CHAN (in Cantonese): -And in the last answer, as I read between the lines, Dr. HUANG said that some of those barber shops were doing something immoral, how does he base this kind of inference?
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, I am sure Mr. CHAN and myself do read newspapers and some tabloids as well. Questions raised by Mr. CHAN refer to three or four o'clock in the morning. I do not think they will do genuine barber business at that time.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-The Chairman of the Environ- mental Hygiene Select Committee has said, I quote "It is not the busi- ness of the Council to license barber shops as a means to control alleged immorality in some of these premises". Why not? Surely
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