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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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(a) the question on Mr. Peter CHAN's motion was put; (b) the question on Dr. Philip Kwok's motion was put. The motions were carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT 4.20 p.m.
committee to penalize the newspaper vendors immediately or that we should Select Committee should act accordingly. Of course we are not asking the select MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I second that. suspend or cancel the licence of these newspaper vendors immediately, no, we are not asking that. Some newspaper vendors are selling these objectionable publications out of ignorance and some newspaper vendors may be selling these objectionable publications deliberately, we do not know but we hope that the select committee will decide on these different cases. We are not shedding responsibilities on to the shoulders of newspaper vendors. Some colleagues may think that since the magistrates have already penalized the newspaper vendors, it may not be very fair for us to cancel the licences. You may think that we are being too cruel or too stringent but I think all the members who have participated in the Food Hygiene Select Committee know that we still cancel the licence of food premises operators if we discover that they are violating against the law, so this is not unfair. Today we have this motion to show that the Urban Council is paying due attention to this issue and that the Urban Council would like to take up the responsibility. We have no other motive and this is not to penalize the newspaper vendors. Our aim is not to get at the newspaper vendors who are selling the objectionable publications, so I second Mr. Joseph CHAN'S motion.
DR. KWOK (in English): Mr. Chairman, I sympathize with the sentiment of the motion, however, there are various implications and I would like to move that the whole matter be referred back to the Market & Street Traders Select Committee for detailed consideration.
MR. C. Y. LEE (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I want to second Dr. Kwok'S motion that this matter be referred to the Markets & Street Traders Select Committee for further discussion. Members have pointed out just now that we are not paying attention to the flooding of these objectionable publications, this point I do not agree. In fact we are doing some work, for example, on 2 May, in the committee headed by Mrs. Elsie ELLIOTT we have investigated this problem i.e. any matter which is referred to the Urban Council will be discussed on 19 June during our Market & Street Traders Select Committee meeting. In fact, all of us in this Council are concerned about the flooding of the objectionable publications but there are legal complications involved and it is very necessary to arrive at a fair solution, i.e. fair to the newspaper vendors because we should look after their interest, too. So in order to handle the legal complications together with treating vendors fairly, I think the best thing to do is to transfer it to the Markets & Street Traders Select Committee, so I second Dr. Kwok's proposal.
MR. PETER CHAN (in English):-I rise under Standing Order 21(16)(g) and I move that the question be now put, since this amended motion to refer under Standing Order 15 has been proposed and seconded, I move that that question be now put, may we take a vote on this?
CHAIRMAN (in English): That concludes the business of today's meeting. The Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 9 July 1985 at 2.30 p.m.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER, HONG KONG
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
49
48
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Our
(a) the question on Mr. Peter CHAN's motion was put; (b) the question on Dr. Philip Kwok's motion was put. The motions were carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT 4.20 p.m.
committee to penalize the newspaper vendors immediately or that we should Select Committee should act accordingly. Of course we are not asking the select MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I second that. suspend or cancel the licence of these newspaper vendors immediately, no, we are not asking that. Some newspaper vendors are selling these objectionable publications out of ignorance and some newspaper vendors may be selling these objectionable publications deliberately, we do not know but we hope that the select committee will decide on these different cases. We are not shedding responsibilities on to the shoulders of newspaper vendors. Some colleagues may think that since the magistrates have already penalized the newspaper vendors, it may not be very fair for us to cancel the licences. You may think that we are being too cruel or too stringent but I think all the members who have participated in the Food Hygiene Select Committee know that we still cancel the licence of food premises operators if we discover that they are violating against the law, so this is not unfair. Today we have this motion to show that the Urban Council is paying due attention to this issue and that the Urban Council would like to take up the responsibility. We have no other motive and this is not to penalize the newspaper vendors. Our aim is not to get at the newspaper vendors who are selling the objectionable publications, so I second Mr. Joseph CHAN'S motion.
DR. KWOK (in English); Mr. Chairman, I sympathize with the sentiment of the motion, however, there are various implications and I would like to move that the whole matter be referred back to the Market & Street Traders Select Committee for detailed consideration.
MR. C. Y. LEE (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I want to second Dr. KwoK'S motion that this matter be referred to the Markets & Street Traders Select Committee for further discussion. Members have pointed out just now that we are not paying attention to the flooding of these objectionable publications, this point I do not agree. In fact we are doing some work, for example, on 2 May, in the committee headed by Mrs. Elsie ELLIOTT we have investigated this problem i.e. any matter which is referred to the Urban Council will be discussed on 19 June during our Market & Street Traders Select Committee meeting. In fact, all of us in this Council are concerned about the flooding of the objectionable publications but there are legal complications involved and it is very necessary to arrive at a fair solution, i.e. fair to the newspaper vendors because we should look after their interest, too. So in order to handle the legal complications together with treating vendors fairly, I think the best thing to do is to transfer it to the Markets & Street Traders Select Committee, so I second Dr. Kwok's proposal.
MR. PETER CHAN (in English):-—I rise under Standing Order 21(16)(g) and I move that the question be now put, since this amended motion to refer under Standing Order 15 has been proposed and seconded, I move that that question be now put, may we take a vote on this?
CHAIRMAN (in English): That concludes the business of today's meeting. The Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 9 July 1985 at 2.30 p.m.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER. HONG KONG
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