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it is essential that their management and residents should be actively involved to achieve a measure of success. Also with the hitherto inaccessible area of New Territories rapidly opening up for recreation by the creation of Country Parks it is essential that park goers should be encouraged to preserve a clean environment for other users. The popular pastime of barbecuing creates litter unless the participants clean up as they go along, and bits of paper napkins and food remains are bagged up as they are discarded.
concerns three different Government Departments and those members of Finally, there is one subject which I particularly wish to raise as it the public who have suffered a bereavement and wish to apply for cremation of a deceased. At present, in Kowloon, in order to report a death and collect a death certificate, it is necessary to proceed to the San Po Kong offices, of the Immigration Department's Death Registry. From San Po Kong, one has to travel to Star House in Tsim Sha Tsui to the Medical and Health Department offices to select a crematorium and pay cremation fees. Afterwards, one has to proceed to Hung Hom to the Urban Services Department offices to book a date and time for cremation. I must record that staff in these sections are sympathetic and helpful. However, to require an applicant, already distressed, to go through such an obstacle course to complete cremation procedures is cruel. Since it is the policy to encourage cremation in land scarce Hong Kong, the present procedures are counter-productive. I have asked these procedures be simplified and be carried out at least under one roof if not by one department. Ideally, there should be one office centrally located in Hong Kong and one in Kowloon to handle the applications for cremation or burial. I understand that the Director of Urban Services had initiated action and trust that an improved arrangement would be put into effect as soon as possible.
With these words, Mr. Chairman, I support the motion.
(Mr. H. M. G. FORSGATE left during Mrs. Grace HO's address.)
MR. LAWRENCE H. L. FUNG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion before Council. In doing so may I give a brief account of the main activities of the Cultural Services Select Committee.
Outdoor Entertainment
For the eleven (11) months from January to November 1980, the Council organized Eight hundred and sixty (860) outdoor entertainment events in all the districts of Hong Kong and Kowloon with an attendance figure of One million one hundred and fifteen thousand (1,115,000). The majority of these events were admission free with the exception of youth dances, grand balls at hotels, and the Final of the Amateur Singing Contest.
Regular programmes organized were: variety shows, popular concerts, band concerts, Cantonese opera, film shows, orchestral and folk song and dance performances, musical comedies, youth dances, children's programmes, and puppet shows.
Additional entertainment for the aged and handicapped were held every three months at homes for the aged and centers for rehabilitation.
Special programmes are organized during the festive seasons, programmes such as Chinese New Year Special, Chinese New Year Musical Variety Show, April Fiesta to celebrate the Queen's Birthday, and Grand Balls for Christmas, New Year, Easter, and Mid-Autumn Festival.
Whenever possible, the Council also try to present performances by visiting artists in an outdoor setting. During the year, the Young Ambassadors, the Long Island Youth Orchestra gave open-air concerts, and Michael Jullich gave a percussion solo performance.
From mid-July to the end of August, a Summer Fun Festival was once again held with 127 events. In addition to launch picnics, swimming parties, new activities such as telegames, environmental camps, astronomy camps, children's games day, children's parties were held.
In 1980, Council became the major organizer of the Lantern Carnival during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Three (3) large-scale carnivals were held - one at Victoria Park, one at Morse Park, and one at Victoria Peak Garden. The latter in conjunction with the Society for Advancement of Chinese Folklore. The three (3) carnivals drew an attendance of one hundred forty-three thousand (143,000).
The Outdoor Entertainment section also contributed to the success of the 5th Festival of Asian Arts in October 1980 by providing 26 free outdoor performances by visiting overseas artists and 49 performances by local groups. One hundred thirty-seven thousand (137,000) spectators saw these performances at venues such as Kowloon Park, Morse Park Open Air Theatre, Maple Street Playground, Victoria Park, Southorn Playground, Chai Wan Park, and Shek Pai Wan Playground. New lighting facilities, up-graded viewing stands will be added to enhance this very important aspect of the Festival of Asian Arts.
For the coming financial year, every effort will be made to increase the diversity of programmes and to improve their quality and public appeal. Artists of a higher standard will be engaged, and more sophisticated staging facilities will be employed. Publicity will also be intensified to better inform the public of the extensive entertainment programmes the Council provides for them.
City Hall Cultural Presentations
During the period under review, there were one thousand forty (1040) functions held at the City Hall - four hundred forty-three (443) were non-Urban Council functions attended by two hundred sixty-six thousand (266,000)
153
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 94 of 120
Page 93 of 120
152
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Estates.
it is essential that their management and residents should be actively involved to achieve a measure of success. Also with the hitherto inaccessible area of New Territories rapidly opening up for recreation by the creation of Country Parks it is essential that park goers should be encouraged to preserve a clean environment for other users. The popular pastime of barbecuing creates litter unless the participants clean up as they go along, and bits of paper napkins
and food remains are bagged up as they are discarded.
concerns three different Government Departments and those members of Finally, there is one subject which I particularly wish to raise as it the public who have suffered a bereavement and wish to apply for cremation of a deceased. At present, in Kowloon, in order to report a death and collect a death certificate, it is necessary to proceed to the San Po Kong offices, of the Immigration Department's Death Registry. From San Po Kong, one has to travel to Star House in Tsim Sha Tsui to the Medical and Health Depart ment offices to select a crematorium and pay cremation fees. Afterwards. one has to proceed to Hung Hom to the Urban Services Department offices to book a date and time for cremation. I must record that staff in these sections are sympathetic and helpful. However, to require an applicant, already distressed, to go through such an obstacle course to complete crema- tion procedures is cruel. Since it is the policy to encourage cremation in land scarce Hong Kong, the present procedures are counter-productive. I have asked these procedures be simplified and be carried out at least under one roof if not by one department. Ideally, there should be one office centrally located in Hong Kong and one in Kowloon to handle the applica tions for cremation or burial. I understand that the Director of Urban Services had initiated action and trust that an improved arrangement would be put into effect as soon as possible.
With these words, Mr. Chairman, I support the motion.
(Mr. H. M. G. FORSGATE left during Mrs. Grace HO's address.) MR. LAWRENCE H. L. FUNG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion before Council. In doing so may I give a brief account of the main activities of the Cultural Services Select Committee.
Outdoor Entertainment
For the eleven (11) months from January to November 1980, the Council organized Eight hundred and sixty (860) outdoor entertainment events in all the districts of Hong Kong and Kowloon with an attendance figure of One million one hundred and fifteen thousand (1 115 000). The majority of these events were admission free with the exception of youth dances grand balls at hotels and the Final of the Amateur Singing Contest.
Regular programmes organized were: variety shows, popular concerts. band concerts, Cantonese opera, film shows, orchestral and folk song and
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
153
dance performances, musical comedies, youth dances, children programmes,
and puppet shows.
Additional entertainment for the aged and handicapped were held every three months at homes for the aged and centers for rehabilitation.
Special programmes are organized during the festive seasons, programmes such as Chinese New Year Special, Chinese New Year Musical Variety Show, April Fiesta to celebrate the Queen's Birthday and Grand Balls for Christmas, New Year, Easter and Mid-Autumn Festival.
Whenever possible, the Council also try to present performances by visiting artists in an outdoor setting. During the year, the Young Ambassadors, the Long Island Youth Orchestra gave open air concerts and Michael Jullich gave a percussion solo performance.
From mid-July to end of August, a Summer Fun Festival was once again held with 127 events. In addition to launch picnics, swimming parties, new activities such as telegames, environmental camps, astronomy camps, children's games day, children's parties were held.
In 1980, Council became the major organizer of the Lantern Carnival during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Three (3) large scale carnivals were held- one at Victoria Park, one at Morse Park and one at Victoria Peak Garden. The latter in conjunction with the Society for Advancement of Chinese Folklore. The three (3) carnivals drew an attendance of one hundred forty three thousand (143 000).
The Outdoor Entertainment section also contributed to the success of the 5th Festival of Asian Arts in October 1980 by providing 26 free outdoor performances by visiting overseas artists and 49 performances by local groups. One hundred thirty seven thousand (137 000) spectators saw these perform- ances at venues such as Kowloon Park, Morse Park Open Air Theatre, Maple Street Playground, Victoria Park, Southorn Playground, Chai Wan Park and Shek Pai Wan Playground. New lighting facilities, up-graded view- ing stands will be added to enhance this very important aspect of the Festival of Asian Arts.
For the coming financial year, every efforts will be made to increase the diversity of programmes and to improve their quality and public appeal. Artists of higher standard will be engaged and more sophisticated staging facilities will be employed. Publicity will also be intensified to better inform the public of the extensive entertainment programmes the Council provides for them.
City Hall Cultural Presentations
During the period under review, there were one thousand forty (1040) func- tions held at the City Hall-four hundred forty three (443) were non Urban Council functions attended by two hundred sixty six thousand (266 000)
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