1977 — Page 31

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. HU (in English): --My question is that if they provide the teachers do they pay for the teachers or do they provide the teachers but we pay for them.

CHAIRMAN (in English): ---Perhaps Mr. Lo might answer the ques- tion as Chairman of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee.

MR. LO (in English): --I have to find out from the department.

CHAIRMAN (in English):-There is a contribution-a very heavy financial contribution-on the part of Council to support these pro- grammes. Mr. Hu might make a statement if he wishes.

MR. HU (in English):-Actually, I do know that this Council does make a very heavy financial contribution towards these classes and only because of financial contributions, can these classes be maintained in the past and possible in the future.

(3) MR. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):

Are there any illegal cooked food stalls, fixed or mobile, in Hawker Permitted Areas, and if so what is being done about the situation?

DR. HENRY H. L. Hu, CHAIRMAN OF TIIE HAWKERS SELECT COM- MITTEE, replied as follows (in English):

· —

Illegal cooked food hawkers, mostly of the itinerant type, attempt to infiltrate into Hawker Permitted Areas every now and then. Joint Police and USD raids are periodic- ally launched to take action against them. As a result, the Hawker Permitted Areas in Tung Choi Street, Shunn- ing Road and Canton Road are now practically clear of illegal cooked food hawkers (and of food-for-man haw- kers too).

Very recently, however, a small number of illegal cooked food hawkers were found operating in the Wong Tai Sin and Yau Ma Tei HPA's. Action is in hand to get rid of them.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-In regard to Wong Tai Sin and Yau Ma Tei Hawker Permitted Areas, how soon is it anticipated that the proposed action will be concluded?

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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DR. HU (in English): -I think the department is already launching the action against those illegal cooked-food hawkers.

DR. DENNY HUANG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, HPA is a quite a controversial measure by the Council. Can I be informed

whether HPA can be carried on?

DR. HU (in English): -We did discuss the Hawker Permitted Area question about 6 months ago and the decision was that the status quo was to be maintained for the time being.

MR. AMBROSE K. C. CHOI (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, I would like to report to Dr. Hu. He mentioned that there are no cooked-food stalls in Tung Choi Street, but from my personal experience, from early afternoon till midnight there are always cooked-food stalls.

DR. HU (in English):-I personally have not inspected recently. This is the report which was given to me by the department.

--

(4) DR. P. C. WONG asked the following question (in Cantonese): -

What is the scope of the anti-noise-pollution unit of the

U.S.D.?

(a) Is there sufficient personnel to deal with the pro-

blem?

(b) Does the public know the direct line phone number

for reporting an incidence of noise-pollution?

MRS. GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-

There is no anti-noise-pollution unit of the Urban Services Department. Since February 25th this year, the Urban Council has been responsible under Section 12(1)(h) of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance for dealing with nuisances arising from the emission of noise from any ventilating system. The Council is not responsible for controlling noise from any other source.

Complaints about noise from ventilating systems are received and handled by the Health Inspectorate in each health district of the Urban Services Department, in the same manner as complaints about other health matters. This means that complainants should telephone or get in touch