Page 117 of 135
194
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Yet, as a member of a public body, regardless of whether being elected or appointed, and as a person who has lived in mixed residential/commercial buildings myself, I feel we would be failing in our public duty if we were to ignore the genuine fears and sentiments of ordinary residents and hide ourselves in a straight jacket by taking the view that billiard saloons ought to be licensed regardless so long as they conform to basic environmental health requirements. For those who subscribe to Maslow's management theory of the 'Hierarchy of human needs', is it not fairly well accepted that once a person's 'basic needs', that is, food, thirst, clothing and shelter are fulfilled, then the next strata of 'need' most sought after is 'security'? It is because the majority of our population today have fewer worries than one or two decades ago in the 'basic needs' that the Chinese group together as 衣食住行 (clothing, food, shelter and transport) that people are very security-conscious—the proliferation of iron gates in front of doors and brass bolts behind doors is valid testimony to this phenomenon. I myself, and I hope most, if not all of my colleagues here, do fully support the wise policy of the Council in taking steps to ensure that the peace and security of residents living in mixed buildings is not unduly disturbed by having to share common access with establishments which have unfortunately in the past built up unpopular and sometimes notorious reputations in our society.
Liquor Licensing Policy
Also related to the issue of public morals is the seemingly 'hard line' taken recently by the Liquor Licensing Board against certain bars, clubs and establishments which permit or condone immoral, indecent or illegal activities on their premises. Again, apart from taking disciplinary action against those who violate the Liquor Licensing rules, the Council is examining the issue of whether it is reasonable that residents of mixed buildings should be expected to put up with sharing common access with bars and night clubs against which they have legitimate objections on the grounds of security, safety and peace.
It is opportune here to express my grave reservations on Government's announced intention earlier last year to work towards abolishing Liquor Licensing. Needless to say, law enforcement and guarding public morals is mainly the duty of the police, but the licensing system does serve a purpose in that there is onus on the police to inspect such premises regularly, and on the City District Offices together with the Council to satisfy themselves of the desirability of licensed premises when time comes for an annual renewal. Furthermore, the licensing system does act as an extra deterrent to those bars and night clubs who have little regard for the law or moral expectations of our society. Once it is decided that premises holding valid restaurant licences do not also need a liquor licence to sell liquor, it will pave the way for bars and night clubs camouflaged as restaurants to open up in mixed residential buildings but without the slightest intention of serving food. If we accept that it is frequently in the public interest to disallow the integration of such places with residents in common access buildings, then the power to do this will be lost if liquor licensing is abolished. The words 'to protect the public interest' have been added into the new Statement of Aims for the Liquor Licensing Board, therefore I hope Government will take this into due consideration when considering changes in Liquor Licensing Policy.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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Rubbish Chutes and Refuse Collection Chambers
The Urban Council started off as the Sanitary Board, and to this date sanitation and cleaning the environment remains one of its major functions. It is no surprise that the cost of keeping Hong Kong clean, or at least trying to, accounts for 33% of our budget and is the biggest single expenditure we have. Although our cleansing methods and equipment have been fairly successful in keeping up with the times, one aspect of the law in relation to facilitating cleansing is behind the times—that is the lack of legislation for compulsory provision of rubbish chutes and refuse collection chambers in high-rise buildings. I am told that certain 'enlightened property developers' (whether it is because he became enlightened by serving on this Council I don't know) always do make a point of designing these facilities in new buildings. But it is not enough to rely on the social conscience of developers, who after all in the end are mainly interested in the bottom line of the profit and loss account. Built-in rubbish chutes and refuse collection chambers cost money and reduce the living space of a flat and therefore perhaps the sale price. But if these are not provided for, it is going to cost the rate payers more money in the long run, because it is from rates that the extra cost of providing more staff and equipment to clean the environment is going to be met. For the sake of efficiency in keeping our modern city clean, and to keep the social cost down in the long run, I hope the Council will press ahead towards early implementation of legislation for providing rubbish chutes and refuse collection chambers in new high-rise buildings.
Housing Speculation
As this forum is an occasion for speaking out on matters outside the Urban Council's jurisdiction, I would like to make two points which, on reflection, are not all that remote.
There is one other subject, that is, the control of mini-bus fares which I would have liked to speak on because it is the only means of public transport whose fares are allowed to rampage, but instead have suggested that some one else more appropriately raise this in Legco.
Firstly, private housing. With growing affluence and an improvement in the economic situation in recent years, the demand from young middle-class families for private flats has increased. Not surprisingly, this has created an imbalance between supply and demand which in turn, coupled with increases in raw materials and land prices, has led to a dramatic increase in the price of flats for sale in 1978. However, these prices have also been unnecessarily
Page 117 of 135
Page 117 of 135
194
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Yet, as a member of a public body, regardless of whether being elected or appointed, and as a person who has lived in mixed residential/commercial buildings myself, I feel we would be failing in our public duty if we were to ignore the genuine fears and sentiments of ordinary residents and hide ourselves in a straight jacket by taking the view that billiard saloons ought to be licensed regardless so long as they conform to basic environmental health requirements. For those who subscribe to Maslow's management theory of the 'Hierarchy of human needs', is it not fairly well accepted that once a person's 'basic needs', that is, food, thirst, clothing and shelter are fulfilled, then the next strata of 'need' most sought after is 'security'? It is because the majority of our population today have fewer worries than one or two decades ago in the 'basic needs' that the Chinese group together as *• £ • •F' (clothing, food, shelter and transport) that people are very security-conscious-the proliferation of iron gates in front of doors and brass bolts behind doors is valid testimony to this phenomenon. I myself, and I hope most, if not all of my colleagues here, do fully support the wise policy of the Council in taking steps to ensure that the peace and security of residents living in mixed buildings is not unduly disturbed by having to share common access with establishments which have unfortunately in the past built up unpopular and sometimes notorious reputations in our society.
Liquor Licensing Policy
Also related to the issue of public morals is the seemingly 'hard line' taken recently by the Liquor Licensing Board against certain bars, clubs and establishments which permit or condone immoral, indecent or illegal activities on their premises. Again, apart from taking disciplinary action against those who violate the Liquor Licensing rules, the Council is examining the issue of whether it is reasonable that residents of mixed buildings should be expected to put up with sharing common access with bars and night clubs against which they have legitimate objections on the grounds of security, safety and peace.
It is opportune here to express my grave reservations on Government's announced intention earlier last year to work towards abolishing Liquor Licensing. Needless to say, law enforcement and guarding public morals is mainly the duty of the police, but the licensing system does serve a purpose in that there is onus on the police to inspect such premises regularly, and on the City District Offices together with the Council to satisfy themselves of the desirability of licensed premises when time comes for an annual renewal. Furthermore, the licensing system does act as an extra deterrent to those bars and night clubs who have little regard for the law or moral expectations of our society. Once it is decided that premises holding valid restaurant licences do not also need a liquor licence to sell liquor, it will pave the way for bars and night clubs camouflaged as restaurants to open up in mixed residential buildings but without the slightest intention of serving food. If we accept that it is frequently in the public interest to disallow the
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 117, f 135
integration of such places with residents in common access buildings, then the power to do this will be lost if liquor licensing is abolished. The words 'to protect the public interest' have been added in to the new Statement of Aims for the Liquor Licensing Board, therefore I hope Government will take this into due consideration when considering changes in Liquor Licensing Policy.
Rubbish Chutes and Refuse Collection Chambers
The Urban Council started off as the Sanitary Board, and to this date sanitation and cleaning the environment remains one of its major functions. It is no surprise that the cost of keeping Hong Kong clean, or at least trying to, accounts for 33% of our budget and is the biggest single expenditure we have. Although our cleansing methods and equipment have been fairly successful in keeping up with the times, one aspect of the law in relation to facilitating cleansing is behind the times-that is the lack of legislation for compulsory provision of rubbish chutes and refuse collection chambers in high-rise buildings. I am told that certain 'enlightened property developers' (whether it is because he became enlightened by serving on this Council I don't know) always do make a point of designing these facilities in new buildings. But it is not enough to rely on the social conscience of developers, who after all in the end are mainly interested in the bottom line of the profit and loss account. Built-in rubbish chutes and refuse collection chambers cost money and reduce the living space of a flat and therefore perhaps the sale price. But if these are not provided for, it is going to cost the rate payers more money in the long run, because it is from rates that the extra cost of providing more staff and equipment to clean the environment is going to be met. For the sake of efficiency in keeping our modern city clean, and to keep the social cost down in the long run, I hope the Council will press ahead towards early implementation of legislation for providing rubbish chutes and refuse collection chambers in new high-rise buildings.
Housing Speculation
As this forum is an occasion for speaking out on matters outside the Urban Council's jurisdiction, I would like to make two points which, on reflection, are not all that remote.
There is one other subject, that is, the control of mini-bus fares which I would have liked to speak on because it is the only means of public transport whose fares are allowed to rampage, but instead have suggested that some one else more appropriately raise this in Legco.
Firstly, private housing. With growing affluence and an improvement in the economic situation in recent years, the demand from young middle-class families for private flats has increased. Not surprisingly, this has created an imbalance between supply and demand which in turn, coupled with increases in raw materials and land prices, has led to a dramatic increase in the price of flats for sale in 1978. However, these prices have also been unnecessarily
Page 117 of 135
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