1982 — Page 99

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

continue their trade. Before all the hawkers are cleared from the streets, action is being taken to put them under control so that they will not cause health hazards or block pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the areas where they operate.

Whether or not we can move all the hawkers to the markets in a short period depends on whether there is an increase in their numbers. In the wake of world recession in recent years, it is believed that the number of hawkers has been greatly increased.

Following are some of the statistics released by the Urban Services Department: 28,886 hawker licences were issued in 1980; 30,174 in 1981, and 29,829 in 1982.

This shows that in the past 2 years, more hawker licences, to the tune of approximately 1,000, were issued as a result of the Hawker Re-ordering Exercise whereby both licensed and unlicensed hawkers are grouped in specified places to ply their trade. Licences will be issued to those unlicensed hawkers who have been hawking for many years in the areas covered in the re-ordering exercise to enable them to operate a stall legally at a specified place. As at December 1982, a total of 6,053 new licences were issued to the unlicensed hawkers.

If the hawkers do not operate their business personally at the specified fixed pitch stalls, their licences may be cancelled.

It is an urgent task of the Council to find more suitable places to resite the licensed and unlicensed itinerant hawkers in order that they may ply their trade without blocking the streets. I hope that with the co-operation of the police, the City and New Territories Administration, and the District Boards, hawker re-ordering exercises will be implemented in more areas to enable the hawkers to conduct their business in a more orderly fashion and the unlicensed hawkers given a chance to operate within the law.

From investigations conducted in urban areas by the Urban Services Department, there were, as estimated, 15,812 unlicensed hawkers at the end of 1981, and 16,293 at the month of June 1982. In other words, it is estimated that there was an increase of 481 unlicensed hawkers last year over the previous year. This estimate does not take into account those unlicensed hawkers who regularly ply their trade in the urban public housing estates. It is estimated that there are seven or eight thousand of these hawkers whose control does not fall within the purview of the Council. The Council should therefore formulate a common policy for the control of hawkers with the public housing authorities without any delay.

Control of the hawkers depends to a large extent on the Urban Services Department's General Duties Team which must be strengthened, and the Council too depends on the police to help deal with those unlicensed hawkers who openly operate on the thoroughfares.

General Duties Team

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

The Urban Council's General Duties Team at present comprises 12 squads, each with 139 men. One squad is attached to each of the 11 urban districts and the remaining squad, attached to Headquarters, acts as reserve.

Recently 298 men have been added to the Team, but it still falls far short of the requirement. I hope that under government's policy of restricting increase of staff, sufficient boost will be allowed for the expansion of the General Duties Team so that good order may be maintained among the large number of hawkers.

One squad for each district is manifestly insufficient, for members of the squad have to be divided into 2 shifts a day and posted in the district 7 days a week. There are, on the average, often under 53 men working on each shift. The small number of men are certainly not enough to cope well with the complicated hawker problems in a district.

From January to September, last year, the General Duties Team made a total of 16,457 arrests of licensed and 16,224 of unlicensed hawkers. It shows that they are paying close attention to both licensed and unlicensed hawkers alike.

If the rapid increase of population continues unabated, increase in the number of hawkers too will follow. When new immigrants cannot find employment here, it is very likely they will join the rank of hawkers.

Although we have 51 market buildings in Hong Kong, there are still not enough places for each and every hawker to have a fixed pitch to ply their trade.

Should we or should we not take the severest action to deal with the hawkers? In our free and democratic society today and in the midst of world recession, particularly as there is no unemployment insurance in Hong Kong, it appears that for the time being, the people of Hong Kong are psychologically not yet prepared to take drastic action to ban all unlicensed hawkers.

Under the circumstances, the Council should adopt a step-by-step approach in prohibiting unlicensed hawking. The control of hawkers, particularly the unlicensed ones, is therefore of paramount importance.

To strengthen the control of hawkers, the General Duties Team must be expanded and before further expansion of the Team, we must look into the problems of finance and training.

Before we could boost the strength of the General Duties Team, we may consider acquiring more vehicles in order to increase the mobility of the G.D.T. members. At the same time, we may also consider equipping the members with radio sets so that if anything happens, they may immediately contact other colleagues or ask for instructions from their superior officers.

Markets

The Council's policy in this regard is, hopefully, to move all hawkers into the markets.

Page 99 of 142

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Page 99 of 142 155 154 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL continue their trade. Before all the hawkers are cleared from the streets, action is being taken to put them under control so that they will not cause health hazards or block pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the areas where they operate. Whether or not we can move all the hawkers to the markets in a short period depends on whether there is an increase in their numbers. In the wake of world recession in recent years, it is believed that the number of hawkers has been greatly increased. Following are some of the statistics released by the Urban Services Department: 28,886 hawker licences were issued in 1980; 30,174 in 1981, and 29,829 in 1982. This shows that in the past 2 years, more hawker licences, to the tune of approximately 1,000, were issued as a result of the Hawker Re-ordering Exercise whereby both licensed and unlicensed hawkers are grouped in specified places to ply their trade. Licences will be issued to those unlicensed hawkers who have been hawking for many years in the areas covered in the re-ordering exercise to enable them to operate a stall legally at a specified place. As at December 1982, a total of 6,053 new licences were issued to the unlicensed hawkers. If the hawkers do not operate their business personally at the specified fixed pitch stalls, their licences may be cancelled. It is an urgent task of the Council to find more suitable places to resite the licensed and unlicensed itinerant hawkers in order that they may ply their trade without blocking the streets. I hope that with the co-operation of the police, the City and New Territories Administration, and the District Boards, hawker re-ordering exercises will be implemented in more areas to enable the hawkers to conduct their business in a more orderly fashion and the unlicensed hawkers given a chance to operate within the law. From investigations conducted in urban areas by the Urban Services Department, there were, as estimated, 15,812 unlicensed hawkers at the end of 1981, and 16,293 at the month of June 1982. In other words, it is estimated that there was an increase of 481 unlicensed hawkers last year over the previous year. This estimate does not take into account those unlicensed hawkers who regularly ply their trade in the urban public housing estates. It is estimated that there are seven or eight thousand of these hawkers whose control does not fall within the purview of the Council. The Council should therefore formulate a common policy for the control of hawkers with the public housing authorities without any delay. Control of the hawkers depends to a large extent on the Urban Services Department's General Duties Team which must be strengthened, and the Council too depends on the police to help deal with those unlicensed hawkers who openly operate on the thoroughfares. General Duties Team HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL The Urban Council's General Duties Team at present comprises 12 squads, each with 139 men. One squad is attached to each of the 11 urban districts and the remaining squad, attached to Headquarters, acts as reserve. Recently 298 men have been added to the Team, but it still falls far short of the requirement. I hope that under government's policy of restricting increase of staff, sufficient boost will be allowed for the expansion of the General Duties Team so that good order may be maintained among the large number of hawkers. One squad for each district is manifestly insufficient, for members of the squad have to be divided into 2 shifts a day and posted in the district 7 days a week. There are, on the average, often under 53 men working on each shift. The small number of men are certainly not enough to cope well with the complicated hawker problems in a district. From January to September, last year, the General Duties Team made a total of 16,457 arrests of licensed and 16,224 of unlicensed hawkers. It shows that they are paying close attention to both licensed and unlicensed hawkers alike. If the rapid increase of population continues unabated, increase in the number of hawkers too will follow. When new immigrants cannot find employment here, it is very likely they will join the rank of hawkers. Although we have 51 market buildings in Hong Kong, there are still not enough places for each and every hawker to have a fixed pitch to ply their trade. Should we or should we not take the severest action to deal with the hawkers? In our free and democratic society today and in the midst of world recession, particularly as there is no unemployment insurance in Hong Kong, it appears that for the time being, the people of Hong Kong are psychologically not yet prepared to take drastic action to ban all unlicensed hawkers. Under the circumstances, the Council should adopt a step-by-step approach in prohibiting unlicensed hawking. The control of hawkers, particularly the unlicensed ones, is therefore of paramount importance. To strengthen the control of hawkers, the General Duties Team must be expanded and before further expansion of the Team, we must look into the problems of finance and training. Before we could boost the strength of the General Duties Team, we may consider acquiring more vehicles in order to increase the mobility of the G.D.T. members. At the same time, we may also consider equipping the members with radio sets so that if anything happens, they may immediately contact other colleagues or ask for instructions from their superior officers. Markets The Council's policy in this regard is, hopefully, to move all hawkers into the markets. Page 99 of 142
Baseline (Original)
Page 99 of 142 Page 99 of 142 155 154 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL continue their trade. Before all the hawkers are cleared from the streets, action is being taken to put them under control so that they will not cause health hazards or block pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the areas where they operate. Whether or not we can move all the hawkers to the markets in a short period depends on whether there is an increase in their numbers. In the wake of world recession in recent years, it is believed that the number of hawkers has been greatly increased. Following are some of the statistics released by the Urban Services Department: 28 886 hawker licences were issued in 1980; 30 174 in 1981, and 29 829 in 1982. This shows that in the past 2 years, more hawker licences, to the tune of approximate 1000, were issued as a result of the Hawker Re-ordering Exercise whereby both licensed and unlicensed hawkers are grouped in specified places to ply their trade. Licences will be issued to those unlicensed hawkers who have been hawking for many years in the areas covered in the re-ordering exercise to enable them to operate a stall legally at a specified place. As at December 1982, a total of 6 053 new licences were issued to the unlicensed hawkers. If the hawkers do not operate their business personally at the specified fixed pitch stalls, their licences may be cancelled. It is an urgent task of the Council to find moe suitable places to resite the licensed and unlicensed itinerant hawkers in order that they may ply their trade without blocking the streets. I hope that with the co-operation of the police, the City and New Territories Administration, and the District Boards, hawker re- ordering exercises will be implemented in more areas to enable the hawkers to conduct their business in a more orderly fashion and the unlicensed hawkers given a chance to operate within the law. From investigations conducted in urban areas by the Urban Services Department, there were, as estimated, 15 812 unlicensed hawkers at the end of 1981, and 16 293 at the month of June 1982. In other words, it is estimated that there was an increase of 481 unlicensed hawkers last year over the previous year. This estimate does not take into account those unlicensed hawkers who regularly ply their trade in the urban public housing estates. It is estimated that there are seven or eight thousand of these hawkers whose control does not fall within the purview of the Council. The Council should therefore formulate a common policy for the control of hawkers with the public housing authorities without any delay. Control of the hawkers depends to a large extent on the Urban Services Department's General Duties Team which must be strengthened, and the Council too depends on the police to help deal with those unlicensed hawkers who openly operate on the thoroughfares. General Duties Team HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL The Urban Council's General Duties Team at present comprises 12 squads, each with 139 men. One squad is attached to each of the 11 urban districts and the remaining squad, attached to Headquarters, acts as reserve. Recently 298 men have been added to the Team, but it still falls far short of the requirement. I hope that under government's policy of restricting increase of staff, sufficient boost will be allowed for the expansion of the General Duties Team so that good order may be maintained among the large number of hawkers. One squad for each district is manifestly insufficient, for members of the squad have to be divided into 2 shifts a day and posted in the district 7 days a week. There are, on the average, often under 53 men working on each shift. The small number of men are certainly not enough to cope well with the complicated hawker problems in a district. From January to September, last year, the General Duties Team made a total of 16 457 arrests of licensed and 16 224 of unlicensed hawkers. It shows that they are paying close attention to both licensed and unlicensed hawkers alike. If the rapid increase of population continues unabated, increase in the number of hawkers too will follow. When new immigrants cannot find employment here, it is very likely they will join the rank of hawkers. Although we have 51 market buildings in Hong Kong, there are still not enough places for each and every hawker to have a fixed pitch to ply their trade. Should we or should we not take the severest action to deal with the hawkers? In our free and democratic society today and in the midst of world recession, particularly as there is no unemployment insurance in Hong Kong, it appears that for the time being, the people of Hong Kong are psychologically not yet prepared to take drastic action to ban all unlicensed hawkers. Under the circumstances, the Council should adopt a step-by-step approach in prohibiting unlicensed hawking. The control of hawkers, particularly the unlicensed ones, is therefore of paramount importance. To strengthen the control of hawkers, the General Duties Team must be expanded and before further expansion of the Team, we must look into the problems of finance and training. Before we could boost the strength of the General Duties Team, we may consider acquiring more vehicles in order to increase the mobility of the G.D.T. members. At the same time, we may also consider equipping the members with radio sets so that if anything happens, they may immediately contact other colleagues or ask for instructions from their superior officers. Markets The Council's policy in this regard is, hopefully, to move all hawkers into the markets.
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Page 99 of 142

Page 99 of 142

155

154

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

continue their trade. Before all the hawkers are cleared from the streets, action is being taken to put them under control so that they will not cause health hazards or block pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the areas where they

operate.

Whether or not we can move all the hawkers to the markets in a short period depends on whether there is an increase in their numbers. In the wake of world recession in recent years, it is believed that the number of hawkers has been greatly increased.

Following are some of the statistics released by the Urban Services Department: 28 886 hawker licences were issued in 1980; 30 174 in 1981, and 29 829 in 1982.

This shows that in the past 2 years, more hawker licences, to the tune of approximate 1000, were issued as a result of the Hawker Re-ordering Exercise whereby both licensed and unlicensed hawkers are grouped in specified places to ply their trade. Licences will be issued to those unlicensed hawkers who have been hawking for many years in the areas covered in the re-ordering exercise to enable them to operate a stall legally at a specified place. As at December 1982, a total of 6 053 new licences were issued to the unlicensed hawkers.

If the hawkers do not operate their business personally at the specified fixed pitch stalls, their licences may be cancelled.

It is an urgent task of the Council to find moe suitable places to resite the licensed and unlicensed itinerant hawkers in order that they may ply their trade without blocking the streets. I hope that with the co-operation of the police, the City and New Territories Administration, and the District Boards, hawker re- ordering exercises will be implemented in more areas to enable the hawkers to conduct their business in a more orderly fashion and the unlicensed hawkers given a chance to operate within the law.

From investigations conducted in urban areas by the Urban Services Department, there were, as estimated, 15 812 unlicensed hawkers at the end of 1981, and 16 293 at the month of June 1982. In other words, it is estimated that there was an increase of 481 unlicensed hawkers last year over the previous year. This estimate does not take into account those unlicensed hawkers who regularly ply their trade in the urban public housing estates. It is estimated that there are seven or eight thousand of these hawkers whose control does not fall within the purview of the Council. The Council should therefore formulate a common policy for the control of hawkers with the public housing authorities without any delay.

Control of the hawkers depends to a large extent on the Urban Services Department's General Duties Team which must be strengthened, and the Council too depends on the police to help deal with those unlicensed hawkers who openly operate on the thoroughfares.

General Duties Team

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

The Urban Council's General Duties Team at present comprises 12 squads, each with 139 men. One squad is attached to each of the 11 urban districts and the remaining squad, attached to Headquarters, acts as reserve.

Recently 298 men have been added to the Team, but it still falls far short of the requirement. I hope that under government's policy of restricting increase of staff, sufficient boost will be allowed for the expansion of the General Duties Team so that good order may be maintained among the large number of

hawkers.

One squad for each district is manifestly insufficient, for members of the squad have to be divided into 2 shifts a day and posted in the district 7 days a week. There are, on the average, often under 53 men working on each shift. The small number of men are certainly not enough to cope well with the complicated hawker problems in a district.

From January to September, last year, the General Duties Team made a total of 16 457 arrests of licensed and 16 224 of unlicensed hawkers. It shows that they are paying close attention to both licensed and unlicensed hawkers alike.

If the rapid increase of population continues unabated, increase in the number of hawkers too will follow. When new immigrants cannot find employment here, it is very likely they will join the rank of hawkers.

Although we have 51 market buildings in Hong Kong, there are still not enough places for each and every hawker to have a fixed pitch to ply their trade.

Should we or should we not take the severest action to deal with the hawkers? In our free and democratic society today and in the midst of world recession, particularly as there is no unemployment insurance in Hong Kong, it appears that for the time being, the people of Hong Kong are psychologically not yet prepared to take drastic action to ban all unlicensed hawkers.

Under the circumstances, the Council should adopt a step-by-step approach in prohibiting unlicensed hawking. The control of hawkers, particularly the unlicensed ones, is therefore of paramount importance.

To strengthen the control of hawkers, the General Duties Team must be expanded and before further expansion of the Team, we must look into the problems of finance and training.

Before we could boost the strength of the General Duties Team, we may consider acquiring more vehicles in order to increase the mobility of the G.D.T. members. At the same time, we may also consider equipping the members with radio sets so that if anything happens, they may immediately contact other colleagues or ask for instructions from their superior officers.

Markets

The Council's policy in this regard is, hopefully, to move all hawkers into the

markets.

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