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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

devise a way of life to enable the hawker to earn his living peacefully in a well-ordered arrangement. Meanwhile, all must have the will to work out together in harmony a lasting practical solution that is fair

and reasonable to all sides.

(Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG and Mr. Edmund W. H. CHOW arrived at this point.)

PAPER

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 December 1977.

QUESTIONS

(1) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (in English):---

Stonecutters Island

Government has recently announced the intention of setting up an explosives factory on Stonecutters Island, thereby estranging it from future recreational use for the com- munity.

May I refer to my question regarding Stonecutter Island at

the Council Meeting of April 1975 and ask:—

(a) What efforts have been made by the Department since that time to secure the release of Stonecutters Island for recreational purposes?

(b) If the Urban Council's advice has been sought by the Government Secretariat prior to their latest decision?

(c) If the Urban Council will submit the strongest pos- sible plea to Government to reconsider this decision and request them to obtain the release of Stonecutters Island as soon as possible for recreational and public use?

MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-

This question concerns the use of Stonecutters Island for

recreational purposes.

In reply to Mr. MACKENZIE's question, I must stress that Stone- cutters Island is not, and has never been one of the areas

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which the Services are able to return to the Hong Kong Government since it is required for military installations which cannot be reprovisioned elsewhere. In fact, it is in recognition of this continuing requirement that it has been decided that a part of the Island should be used for a commercial explosive factory. By using Stone- cutters Island for this purpose, it will be possible to avoid the use of land elsewhere which might itself be suitable for recreational purposes. I understand further that, following the recent joint announcement by the United Kingdom and Hong Kong Governments that the Services will be handing back additional land to the Hong Kong Government, it will be necessary for Stonecutters Island to be more intensively developed for military purposes than it has been in the recent past.

In the circumstances, the answer to Mr. MACKENNZIE's ques- tion is that at no time would it have served any useful purpose for the Urban Council or the Urban Services Department to press Government to release Stonecutters Island for recreational purposes. Whilst I regret that this is the case, I must point out that the land which the Services are able to release includes substantial areas in which sites will be available for recreational purpose, in particular, Victoria Barracks, Sham Shui Po and the Lyemun Barracks,

MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, may I ask what position the Council has taken in previous years on this question of Stonecutters Island being released for recreational purposes and what representations were previously made to Government in this regard?

MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I think the Council would certainly wish to have Stonecutters Island as a suitable area for recreational purposes, but I think it has been indicated to us that there is no chance of getting it. As far as I know, no formal application has been made for the release of this particular area.

MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, may I suggest to the Chairman of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee that he redefine the Council's position and present the Council's view on this question to Government?

MR. Lo (in English): --Perhaps the best thing would be to put it before the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee. It is not really within may province to decide to make such an application.