1980 — Page 95

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

The Museum of History increased its attendance to 462 500. It too had a most active year. For the FAA, it organized an exhibition on "The Australian Aboriginal Heritage'. Great interests was shown by the public on an exhibi- tion of local Transport: Past, Present and Future' as well as an exhibition on Hong Kong's pre-historic and historic heritage titled 'Rescuing the Past: Salvage Archaeology in Hong Kong'. The most important acquisition of the year was a collection comprising all the furniture and fittings of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine shop. This shop dates back to 1885. Prior to the shop being dismantled, the museum staff together with the Department of Architecture of HKU made a very detailed record and measurement of the interior of this herbal medicine chop for future reference.

Progress, at a snail pace is being made on the Museum of Science and Technology. During the year, Council has agreed to finance the building of a temporary museum and an item has been agreed to in the Public Works Programme. As soon as the chosen site is allocated, work will begin.

Two recent experts from the United Kingdom directly or indirectly are of the opinion that the Museum of Science and Technology has a definite role to play in disseminating scientific and technological information to the public. I can only once again appeal to those who have the welfare of Hong Kong at heart to come forward and pledge their support for this very worthwhile project.

Mr. Chairman, the opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium and the Space Museum are the first of a series of new U.C. sports and cultural facilities to be commissioned in the next few year, Hunghom Indoor Stadium in 1982 and the Tsimshatsui Cultural Complex a few years after that. In order to serve the public better, the Council intends to computerize the ticketing function at these venues. A Sub-Committee has been meeting on a regular basis to pursue this matter.

And now, Mr. Chairman, although distasteful, I must set the public straight on two points brought up by an elected member on Tuesday.

The first point concerns libraries. It is not correct to say that libraries have all but disappeared from the agenda of the Cultural Services Select Committee. Every month, the Cultural Activities sub-committee, which is a sub-committee of the Cultural Services Select Committee, has on its agenda as the second item, progress report on libraries. In fact, on more than one occasion, members of this sub-committee praised the Chief Librarian and his staff for their good work in the libraries and also extension activities.

Furthermore, the member who made the half-truth remark is a member of the Cultural Services Select Committee who receives and ratifies the minutes of the Cultural Activities sub-committee.

The second point concerns the raising of Urban Council rates. Recent suggestion to raise the rate percentage came from an elected member. If my

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memory serves me right, you Sir, Mr. Chairman, are the one who is on being against such increase by proposing to the government in Record as

on 9 September 1980, alternatives to a rate increase. Consequently, the

public

previous speaker was wrong and was 'imputing motive' which is an infringe- ment of Standing Order 21, para. 7(c).

Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in supporting the motion before

Council.

(Mr. Edmund CHOW left during Mr. Lawrene FUNG's address.)

DR. KIM Y. S. CHAM (in English):-Mr. Chairman, over the past year, I would like to thank members of Administration Select Committee for their excellent contributions in the year. And not less, my deep appreciation also

goes to the Urban Services Department for their never ceasing efforts in performing their duties. I would also like to register a vote of thanks for members and the Chairman, Mr. Lawrence FUNG, of the Computerization Sub-Committee, in particular our Honorary Advisers in that Committee whose zeal at work seems to expand unabatedly with every technical problem

they encounter.

Computerization

The expansion of Council activities and the growing complexity of its organization have created a pressing need to introduce data processing services in support of some of its major functions. In recognition of such requirement, a Computerization Sub-Committee was set up, followed by the appointment of Honorary Advisers and of an EDP Project Manager in the year. As a result of preliminary analysis, three key areas have been identified for the development of computer application plans. These are, in order of priority, ticket sale, library and administration.

The design of these three computerization projects and their application call for the creation of a EDP Section which will soon be established inside the department for developing such activities. Although the bulk of the preparation will be largely executed by professional specialists, total involve- ment from all members of staff in the organization is imperative to make this endeavour a success. Clearly, the course of this exercise may be thorny, since managerial and technical problems, both anticipated as well as un- foreseeable, are prone to emerge as we move ahead. Nonetheless, with the arduous backing of its staff, the Council is confident that it shall be able to achieve steady progress, in harnessing the benefits of modern technology to serve the public at large.

Training

The Council is anxious to further develop training in the Urban Services Department, which has a strength of over 15 500 staff. At present, we operate three training centres, which include the Environmental Health Training School, the General Duties Team Training School and the Horticultural

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