1979 — Page 132

Page 132 of 136

1

T

L

230

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

CHAIRMAN (in English):-I believe that it is Appendix B of the M.A.A., Mr. BERNACCHI, that you might want to see. Any further supplementary questions?

MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-Do I gather really that the problem is that the Government has not at present made the land available to the U.C. so that the 25 new projects are being slowed up, if not completely inactive?

CHAIRMAN (in English): ---The position is not as simple as that: (a) availability of land, (b) in certain areas where it involves the redevelopment of existing markets, the transfer of the existing facilities to nearby locations, (c) the capacity of the P.W.D., (d) the engagement of private architects which the Council is doing. Even so, the progression of these projects through the Public Works Programme must take place and approval has to be sought from the competent authorities and, finally, the most important aspect of all, in the long term, is money. 25 projects even at $60 m. each is $1.5 billion. So it has to be spaced out. Computer runs by the Council have shown these projects would be completed in the year 2004 or 2008. Mr. Peter P. F. CHAN, would you like to endorse that? (Laughter)

MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-Then your answer really answers the original question by Mr. Stephen LAU that we cannot hope to see the problem settled in the next 4 to 5 years.

MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the things I want to ask we have not touched on, but the restraint of funds have been mentioned by the Chairman of the Street Traders Select Committee and land has also just been mentioned by Mr. BERNACCHI. Am I correct in saying that this restraint on land, either being not available or not even allocated yet, is in fact a serious restraint for these 25 projects already earmarked and basically in our hands?

MR. PETER P. F. CHAN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, we just mentioned 25 projects. Of course, these projects are not in the same category all at once. Some are being planned and some are being developed to determine what kind of facilities we must include in this kind of project and different stages of development. In certain cases, land is available and of course, you know, we have to resite some of the existing stalls to other places before we can develop the site. This causes a lot of problems and of course we will need plenty of time and effort to solve each of these problems.

MOTIONS

1. MRS. GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:-

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 132 of 136

231

'RESOLVED that the Commercial Bathhouses (Amendment) By-laws 1980, the Swimming Pools (Amendment) By-laws 1980, the Offensive Trades (Amendment) By-laws 1980, the Places of Amusement (Amendment) By-laws 1980, the Undertakers of Burials (Amendment) By-laws 1980, the Funeral Parlour (Amendment) By-laws 1980 and the Places of Public Entertainment (Licences) (Specification of Fees) Notice 1980 be made under sections 35, 42, 49, 92B and 123 of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132 and section 7A(1) of the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance, Cap. 172.'

She said (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I rise to move the motion standing in my name.

The various amending By-laws made under the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance and the Places of Public Entertainment (Licences) (Specification of Fees) Notice 1980 made under the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance now before Council will, when adopted, increase the licence fees for-

(i) swimming pools,

(ii) commercial bathhouses, (iii) offensive trades, (iv) undertakers,

(v) funeral parlours,

(vi) places of amusement, namely,

(a) public billiard saloons, (b) public bowling alleys, (c) public table tennis saloons, (d) public skating rinks; and

(vii) places of public entertainment licences, including theatres and cinemas.

The purpose of these amending By-laws and the Notice is to correct the present inequitable situation whereby rate-payers are, in effect, subsidizing these concerns and to cover more realistically the administrative costs of licensing and the maintenance of satisfactory standards of hygiene. Nevertheless, the revenue from these proposed increases will still fall short of administrative costs by over $2.6 m. in 1980-81.

Each of the increases now proposed has been carefully considered by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee and endorsed by the Standing Committee of the Whole Council.

Mr. Chairman, I beg to move.

MR. AMBROSE K. C. CHOI (in English):-As the Vice-Chairman of this Select Committee, I rise to second the motion.

The question was put.

Page 132 of 136