1977 — Page 42

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(6) MR. KIM Y. S. CHAM asked the following question (in English):-

(a) How many sports and recreational activities did the Council organize directly or sponsor financially in the year 1976-77?

(b) To what extent are these activities designed to meet the needs of our younger people?

(c) How do the activities of this year 1977-78 compare with those of last year in terms of variety and expected participation?

MR. F. K. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SUB-COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-

Recreational Activities

(a) In co-operation with various national sports associations, interested organizations and Government departments, the Urban Council in 1976-77 organized and sponsored a total of 1,230 recreational events and projects under the Public Recreation Programme. Most of these events were sports competitions. About 320,000 people participated in them.

(b) The Urban Council organizes recreational and sports activities for the benefit of Hong Kong people of all walks of life, young and old and physically handicapped, but with emphasis on youngsters. These recreational and sports events not only help to promote the general standard of sports, but also enable Hong Kong people to make good use of their leisure time by taking part as participants or spectators in healthy and meaningful activities. The recreational activities in 1976-77 consisted of competitions in soccer, mini-soccer, volleyball, tennis, basketball, handball, canoeing, judo, cycling, bowling, table-tennis, roller-skating and swimming, all of which are ideal and popular activities for the young.

(c) It is the Council's intention to enlarge the variety and expected participation of the Public Recreation Programme this year, and to this end a provision of $2 million has been approved in the Council's estimates for 1977-78.

MR. CHAM (in English):- Mr. Chairman, for those activities Council sponsors financially, how would the public be aware of Council's role in such activities?

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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MR. HU (in English):- Mr. Chairman, I am confident that the public is fully aware of the Council's participation because most of the tournaments are under the name of Urban Council Tournaments, and on application forms and posters, the name of the Urban Council is prominently displayed. Actually, as a matter of fact, I just received this afternoon a poster for an activity in July which is co-sponsored by the Urban Council and the Hong Kong and Kowloon Volleyball Association, and the name of the Urban Council and the crest are clearly shown.

CHAIRMAN (in English):- Thank you.

MR. CHAM (in English):- Mr. Chairman, are there any specific ways to ensure that these activities of the Council will adequately meet the needs of our community?

MR. HU (in English):- Mr. Chairman, for every activity organized by the Council there is an evaluation report afterwards submitted to the Recreation Sub-Committee, to study the value of the activity. If it is well received by the public, then we will continue to support it even to the extent of encouraging the organization involved to enlarge the activity.

CHAIRMAN (in English):- Thank you.

(7) Dr. P. C. WONG asked the following question (in Cantonese):

How many ward cases concerning housing problems have been asked during the last year, and how many of these cases have not been solved?

MR. B. A. BERNACCHI, MEMBER OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-

During the year ended 31st March, 1977, there were 10,570 ward cases. These included 5,451 about housing matters, many of which resulted in the enquirer being directed to the appropriate office of the Housing Department. However, about 2,400 cases were referred directly to the Housing Department. The majority of all these cases are about rehousing generally, including enquiries as to an applicant's position on the waiting list or generally about the possibility of a larger tenancy, although such various matters as Hawking in Public Housing Estates,

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