1975 — Page 90

|

148

I

Page 90 of 154

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

I might add, Mr. Chairman, on the point of date of implementation which is now become a point of issue, that at the Standing Committee meeting the situation was made quite clear by the Principal Crown Counsel. This Council is authorized to issue licences two months ahead of appropriate dates which are 1st of April and 1st of October 1976. To delay the imposition of new charges will be to give an unfair advantage to a section of the hawking community to the detriment of those whose licences happen, by chance, to be expired at a somewhat later date.

Mr. Chairman, with these few words, I am pleased to support the motion.

MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a clarification. There seems to be some misunderstanding that hawker licences have not been raised since 1960. They were raised from $20 to $40 two or three years ago.

MR. ALEX S. C. Wu (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the increase of hawker licence fees has been fully deliberated by the Hawkers Select Committee, resulting in the motion before Council. This motion has been endorsed not only by the Hawkers Select Committee, but also by the Finance Select Committee and the Standing Committee of the Whole Council.

I believe the debate today should not be centred on the ecology of hawkers in Hong Kong or on the economic and social problems that go hand in hand with hawking. As a manufacturer, I am prepared to wait for further in-depth examinations among other things by the Hawkers Select Committee on subjects such as what adverse effects hawking has on Hong Kong industries when hundreds of able-bodied persons are not gainfully engaged therein to work for the economic survival of Hong Kong as well as the well being of its people. What we are called upon to do today is to make a decision that would put an immediate stop to the drain on Council's funds, so as to enable the Council to introduce better measures to regulate trading conditions.

In my opinion, the revised fees now proposed are justified, because they will reduce in part the undue subsidies borne by the rate payers. I think we would have failed in our duty as Urban Councillors if we allowed this anomallous situation to be prolonged. I therefore urge my colleagues to vote for the motion without any amendment.

Before I resume my seat, I would like to place on record my admiration for the way in which Dr. Henry Hu, the Chairman of the

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

149

Hawkers Select Committee, has stood up to this with courage and fortitude, whilst imposing his sympathetic consideration for which he

is noted.

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Does any other Member wish to take the floor?

If not, I will state the question for your consideration. First, there is an amendment moved by Dr. Denny HUANG and seconded by Mrs. ELLIOTT. The amendment I suggested in the terms approved by Dr. Denny HUANG is to Part I, Paragraph 2(d) by deleting $75 and substituting $40. In other words, there is no change in the fee for all "other classes" meaning those itinerant or pedlar hawkers. So that is the amendment. Is it clear to you? According to proper procedure, I will have to put the amendment to you first, before I put the main motion. But, before I do so, I must ask the Member who proposed the original motion whether he wishes to exercise his right of reply. After the amendment is put and if it is carried, the right of reply moves to the person who proposed the amendment.

DR. HENRY HU (in English):--Mr. Chairman, you have already covered the hawker problem in your statement at the beginning of today's proceedings, and some of my colleagues have already replied to the various queries raised by my elected colleagues. I do not think I need reply in great detail, but in particular, I am grateful to Mr. Alex Wu's remark about me which came upon me as a happy surprise. I would say, as Mrs. ELLIOTT said, that seven months' ago, she agreed to increase the fees. Of course, on certain conditions as she said now. At that moment, the conditions were not so clearly stated. I was the only person, on that occasion, opposed to the increase of the fees of all hawkers because my heart always goes with hawkers, so why would I like to increase the fees for hawkers now? It is not because I do not love hawkers, but I love Hong Kong more. I find that the average income of Hong Kong's population now is greatly increased in the recent years. For a working member of a family, $75 means 10% of one month's income and about the hawkers, I think, Members would agree that although there are no statistics, the average hawkers could earn about a thousand dollars per month. $75 per year, in my view, is not an unduly heavy burden for any hawker. As Mr. Alex Wu said there are persons who could do more productive work as, indeed, Dr. HUANG said. But they would not like to do so because they get a great deal of profit out of hawking. In my view, we should consider the hardship of hawkers, but at the same time, we should also consider the general interest of our community.

Page 90Page 91