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MR. LAU (in Cantonese): -I would still like to ask the two questions which I've asked, I don't think neither Mr. CHOI nor Mr. SHUM has answered my question.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): -If you have no objection, maybe I can ask Mr. CHOI or Mr. SHUM to give you a written reply after this meeting.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, I have heard Mr. SHUM mentioning something about the number of newspaper hawker licences and also Mr. CHOI mentioned that so many copies of newspapers are sold out per day. I want to know from the Chairman whether pitches against the wall could be used for the purpose of selling newspapers and in those cases, would they have to obtain a licence?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, for pitches leaning against the wall to get a licence to sell newspapers, we have a different policy governing that, and if members are of the opinion that we should encourage newspaper hawkers to get a licence for pitches leaning against the wall, I think I have to seek Urban Council's advice.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese): -I don't think Mr. SHUM has answered my question. I would like to know for pitches leaning against the wall, if they are selling newspapers, would they have to get a licence.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): -I believe they belong to a different category of pitches, it's not a matter whether they could sell newspapers or not. If the purpose of the pitch is to sell newspapers, of course, they could use it to sell newspapers, but if they are to sell other items, they belong to a different category.
MR. CHUNG (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, if the figures given by Mr. CHOI are correct, that is we have only 1000 odd hawkers and 2 million odd newspapers are sold. In that case, it would be most difficult for members of the public to buy newspapers because we don't have enough newspaper hawkers and people have to walk a long distance before they can get newspapers. So, for those reasons, I think it's worthwhile for us to carry out a survey to see whether we have enough hawkers in each district.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, I think this is the case, and if it is necessary, I think we can discuss it any time in the Urban Council meeting.
MR. FRANCIS CHAINE (in Cantonese): Could I ask Mr. SHUM according to his information, the 1051 licensed newspaper hawkers, is that number adequate to promote the selling of newspapers? Do we have any problem of papers not being available because of the inadequacy of hawkers?
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MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): -I think it is not within the scope of the question which concerns the issuing licences. There are certain doubts here, and if the population of Hong Kong is growing and the number of newspaper hawkers is not, then we will have to consider it again.
DR. CHAM (in Cantonese): -Mr. SHUM mentioned the number of fixed pitch newspaper hawkers as 1051. Is it correct to say that this number doesn't include the number of hawkers trading in the N.T. and also shops which are selling newspapers in the urban area? I believe this is the question which MR. LAU was trying to ask.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): -Yes, Dr. CHAM, the number I gave, 1051, only applies to hawkers within the urban area.
DR. CHAM (in Cantonese): -So, including those hawking in the N.T. and the islands, who are not within the control of the Urban Council, the total number could be well over 1000.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): -Right.
5. DR. KIM Y. S. CHAM asked the following question (in English): -How often will the programme in the sky theatre of the Space Museum be changed and why does the Sky Theatre have to be closed during the change?
THE HON. F. K. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English): -This question concerns the Space Museum.
The answer to the first part of this question is that it is the normal practice of major planetaria elsewhere to put on a new sky show twice a year in order to stimulate public interest and to cover topical developments. The Hong Kong Space Museum is adopting the same policy.
The second part of the question concerns the need to close the Sky Theatre. The preparation of a new programme in the Space Museum involves both the Zeiss Projector and the Omnimax Film Projector in the Sky Theatre as well as hundreds of special effect devices and at least 100 directional speakers. The slides and graphics have to be changed and re-positioned in accordance with the nature and requirements of the new show, and the computer controlling this equipment has to be re-programmed. In view of its complexity, re-programming work will take about a week. In addition, the opportunity will be taken to carry out normal maintenance work on the optical and acoustical equipment in the Sky Theatre which has been in intensive use for six months. Maintenance work on the Zeiss Projector alone takes more than a week and is undertaken by a technician from West Germany. For these reasons, it is necessary to close the Sky Theatre for a
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MR. LAU (in Cantonese): -I would still like to ask the two questions which I've asked, I don't think neither Mr. CHOI nor Mr. SHUM has answered my question.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): -If you have no objection may be I can ask Mr. CHOI or Mr. SHUM to give you a written reply after this meeting.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I have heard Mr. SHUM mentioning something about the number of newspaper hawker licences and also Mr. CHOI mentioned that so many copies of newspapers are sold out per day. I want to know from the Chairman whether pitches against the wall could be used for the purpose of selling newspapers and in those cases, would they have to obtain a licence?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, for pitches leaning against the wall to get a licence to sell newspapers we have a different policy governing that and if members are of the opinion that we should encourage newspaper hawkers to get a licence for pitches leaning against the wall, I think I have to seek Urban Council's advice.
MISS YEUNG (in Cantonese):-I don't think Mr. SHUM has answered my question. I would like to know for pitches leaning against the wall, if they are selling newspaper, would they have to get a licence.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):-I believe they belong to a different category of pitches, it's not a matter whether they could sell newspaper or not. If the purpose of the pitch is to sell newspaper, of course they could use it to sell newspapers but if they are to sell other items, they belong to a different category.
MR. CHUNG (in Cantonese); -Mr. Chairman, if the figures given by Mr. CHOI are correct, that is we have only 1000 odd hawkers and 2 million odd newspapers are sold. In that case, it would be most difficult for members of the public to buy newspapers because we don't have enough newspaper hawkers and people have to walk a long distance before they can get news- papers. So, for those reasons I think it's worthwhile for us to carry out a survey to see whether we have enough hawkers in each district.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I think this is the case and if it is necessary, I think we can discuss it any time in the Urban Council meeting.
MR. FRANCIS CHAINE (in Cantonese): Could I ask Mr. SHUM according to his information, the 1051 licensed newspaper hawkers, is that number adequate to promote the selling of newspapers? Do we have any problem of papers not being available because of the inadequacy of hawkers?
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MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):—I think it is not within the scope of the question which concerns the issuing licences. There are certain doubts here and if the population of Hong Kong is growing and the number of newspaper hawkers is not, then we will have to consider it again.
DR. CHAM (in Cantonese):—Mr. SHUM mentioned the number of fixed pitch newspaper hawkers as 1051. Is it correct to say that this number doesn't include the number of hawkers trading in the N.T. and also shops which are selling newspapers in the urban area? I believe this is the question which MR. LAU was trying to ask.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): -Yes, Dr. CHAM, the number I gave 1051, only applies to hawkers within the urban area.
DR. CHAM (in Cantonese):-So, including those hawking in the N.T. and the islands, who are not within the control of the Urban Council, the total number could be well over 1000.
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):-Right.
5. DR. KIM Y. S. CHAM asked the following question (in English):-How often will the programme in the sky theatre of the Space Museum be changed and why does the Sky Theatre have to be closed during the change?
THE HON. F. K. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns the Space Museum.
The answer to the first part of this question is that it is the normal practice of major planetaria elsewhere to put on a new sky show twice a year in order to stimulate public interest and to cover topical developments. The Hong Kong Space Museum is adopting the same policy.
The second part of the question concerns the need to close the Sky Theatre. The preparation of a new programme in the Space Museum involves both the Zeiss Projector and the Omnimax Film Projector in the Sky Theatre as well as hundreds of special effect devices and at least 100 direc- tional speakers. The slides and graphics have to be changed and re-positioned in accordance with the nature and requirements of the new show, and the computer controlling this equipment has to be re-programmed. In view of its complexity, re-programming work will take about a week. In addition, the opportunity will be taken to carry out normal maintenance work on the optical and acoustical equipment in the Sky Theatre which has been in intensive use for six months. Maintenance work on the Zeiss Projector alone takes more than a week and is undertaken by a technician from West Germany. For these reasons, it is necessary to close the Sky Theatre for a
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