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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon. Since Council last met a former friend and colleague, Dr. Woo Pak-foo, passed away. I condoled with his family on your behalf. Dr. Woo served this Council with great distinction and integrity from 1956 to 1969. His death was a very great loss, not only to his family and his many friends, but to Hong Kong as well.

I will now proceed with the despatch of today's business. The first item, confirmation of the minutes of our last meeting.

## MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting held on 11th May, 1976 were confirmed.

## STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN

CHAIRMAN (in English):-When the housewife thinks of buying food for her family, she usually turns to markets and fresh provision shops.

It is this Council's responsibility to run existing markets and build new ones. To keep all of them up to a good standard is the duty of the Urban Services Department.

There are now forty-one markets under our direct control. Half were built before the war and some have even been in existence here since early in the century; they contain mostly facilities now no more adequate or satisfactory. So, the older ones are gradually being re-placed by temporary markets or demolished to make way for permanent structures. And, where warranted, markets are built in postwar districts. In fact, there are in all twenty such market development projects under planning.

In our present markets, there are 2,657 stalls, selling a wide range of food under varying conditions. These markets cost $6.1m to operate in 1975-76 financial year, excluding capital costs, while rental income from stalls amounted to only $4.8m. Direct market staff number 342 without counting those who provide support services.

The Council has long agreed on a plan for the progressive demolition of old markets and replacement by modern structures. It has met with setbacks over the years; nevertheless, it is being followed intermittently. As old eating habits give way only slowly to new styles of living, under pressure of changing conditions, so our development projects have to be kept under review and modified when advantageous to do so. Evidently, well-located land for the construction of new markets in the way the food trades favour is hard to come by in overcrowded urban Hong Kong. At present, it is thought that low-rise structures of a temporary nature will serve the best purpose. Of course, there is close consultation with the food trades, but their requirements are often competitive among themselves. And, in recent times, the increased sale of food-for-man by unlicensed hawkers has brought into play an insidious factor not easy to eliminate; even so, persistent action has to be taken to safeguard public health. For, we cannot ignore the danger to health ever present in the illegal sale of food under unhygienic conditions. But, in our setting, some housewives persist in patronizing unlicensed hawkers, selling food in the streets, or in sub-standard premises, instead of buying their fresh provisions from approved sources. There may be a convenient reason or a price advantage for them to do so. Yet, they are actually running a grave health risk for their families. Furthermore, there is growing recourse to fresh provision shops now numbering just over a thousand in our urban areas; also, prepared foodstuff is used more, so in time such outlets are bound to proliferate too. However, Hong Kong people generally still favour buying fresh meats from markets; indeed, as often as the housewife is capable of going out to her neighbourhood market, she will still do so. This practice will die hard so there will long be a preference for what stall-holders offer. Hence, contrary to what was thought would be the trend some years ago, it is now believed that markets are not likely to be phased out altogether in the next decade or so. Nevertheless, other easier ways of feeding the family will gain increasing acceptance in time with rapidly evolving patterns of living to suit new circumstances. It is also likely that more people will resort regularly to restaurants, eating-houses, food stalls and fast-food service counters, according to their means, rather than cook at home.

Whatever future eating habits may be, the Council has still the duty to ensure that food is sold in an orderly manner under acceptable hygienic conditions. Without doubt, it entails the strict supervision of all sources of supply of every kind of foodstuff intended for human consumption. And so, as long as the demand is there, new markets must be built fully up to the best health standards and existing ones improved in every way until replaced. This is the only policy open to the Council in the proper discharge of our responsibility.

(Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI and Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG arrived at this point.)

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