1975 — Page 68

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104

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

PAPER

Page 68 of 154

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

105

MOTIONS

The following paper was laid on the table:-

Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of September 1975.

QUESTION

MRS. GRACE HO asked the following question (in English):

What steps have been taken to increase the number of crema- tions at Cape Collinson Crematorium during the recent closure of Diamond Hill Crematorium for maintenance?

MR. WONG SHIU-CHEUK, CHAIRMAN OF THE CEMETERIES, CREMA- TORIA AND FUNERAL PARLOURS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):

Mr. Chairman, the Diamond Hill Crematorium was closed for maintenance from 8th September to 8th October. During that period, all the cremations normally carried out at Diamond Hill (about four a day) had to be carried out at the Cape Collinson Crematorium on the Island.

The Cape Collinson Crematorium has 5 cremators (apart from the additional cremator in the Hindu Temple reserved exclusively for Hindus and Sikhs). Under normal work- ing conditions, the total capacity of these 5 cremators is 15 cremations per day. With the temporary closure of the Diamond Hill Crematorium on 8th September, the booking period at Cape Collinson has been slightly lengthened from the normal 3 or 4 days to 4 or 5 days. As from 26th September, 1975, arrangements were made for the staff to work 3 hours overtime per day, so as to increase cremation capacity to 19 per day and to clear the backlog of coffins awaiting cremation. This is the best that could be done without risk of damage to the

cremators.

(1) THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, moved the following motion (in English):-

"RESOLVED that the audited Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Statement of Revenue and Expenditure of the Uban Council for the year ended 31st March, 1975, be adopted."

He said:-Ladies and gentlemen, the audited accounts for the year ended 31st March, 1975 show a surplus of $251m. Together with the previous year's surplus, the Council has now $874m in accumulated funds after working two years with financial autonomy.

In the first year, the Council set up a General Reserve Fund, with the $20m initial grant from the Government. The Council has since decided to create a Capital Projects Reserve Fund to which $50m will be transferred from our surplus account. It is prudent for the Council to put aside for the time being these two sums amounting to $70m, thus leaving a balance of $174m on current account.

While in the current financial year the Council is also anticipating a surplus, there are heavy commitments amounting to $102m for 37 building projects in various stages of planning or construction and another $20m on account of the "switch-finance" arrangement with the Government whereby other agreed schemes have been or are being implemented. In addition, there are plans to expand all our existing services to the public. All these schemes to better living conditions will mean increasing recurrent costs as well. Moreover, as the Urban Services Department is labour-intensive and salaries, now approximately 80% of our expenditure, are likely to rise in the years ahead, we must expect that, from the 1976-77 financial year onwards, we will run into heavy deficits, unless revenue from all sources grows in measure.

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The Council is obliged to the Director of Audit for his observations on certain matters under our responsibility. No time was lost in instituting inquiries and, where possible, appropriate measures already being taken to correct the situation as far as it is in our power to do so since one or two points are in the hands of the Government. Indeed, right from the start of our separate existence, the Council enjoined the Department to observe strictly all Government practices and regulations. This present experience emphasizes the need for the Council through the select committees to follow through on matters within their respective terms of reference in order that the accountability