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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Short term measures will also be required; specifically improvements to existing sewage facilities. Implementation of all of these measures is a matter for the Government, particularly the Environmental Protection Department, the Civil Engineering Services Department and the Health and Welfare Branch of the Government Secretariat. The Urban Council will be consulted at each stage of this process, but does not have any direct role to play in resolving this problem.

With regard to the provision of lifesaving facilities, the Principal Legal Officer has advised as follows:

'The Council is not legally required to provide lifeguard service at a closed beach but the Council must inform the public of the closure by posting a notice in any conspicuous manner on the beach, in accordance with By-law 4(2) of Bathing Beach (Urban Council) By-laws. Though not a statutory requirement, it is advisable to include in the notice a statement that no lifeguard service is provided at the beach and any person who swims there shall do so at their own risk.'

Appropriate notices are erected on beaches when they are closed. For example, when a beach is declared unsuitable for swimming due to water pollution, or during the annual winter closure.

As regards closure of Repulse Bay Beach, I do not think it would be appropriate for me to respond to what is a hypothetical question. The practical implementation of the Environmental Protection Department's recommenda- tion to close a beach has to be determined on a case by case basis and is dependent on the circumstances prevailing at the time.

MR. RONNIE M. C. WONG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, as far as I know lifesaving facilities are still provided to those beaches which are declared unsuitable for swimming in the Regional Council area. Even if you declare these beaches to be unsuitable for swimming, many swimmers will nonetheless go to the beach to swim. I think if you don't provide such facilities, do we really not help people who may get drowned? I think the Select Committee should consider this question.

(Mr. FAN Kam-ping arrived at 2.44 p.m.)

MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, it is a very difficult question to answer. If lifesaving facilities are provided, it means that the beaches are declared open again. The purpose of closing beaches is to let the public know that these beaches are not suitable for swimming and the swimmers should not go there; therefore we should not provide lifesaving facilities in these beaches. Of course we could always reconsider this question at our future Select Committee meetings.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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MR. L. H. KWAN (in Cantonese):---Mr. Chairman, we are carrying out the hygiene aspect of the laws of Hong Kong. Since Mr. WONG has drawn Members' attention to the fact that beaches on the southern side of Hong Kong Island are very polluted, has Mr. WONG considered that we should execute our own laws to prosecute people for polluting our beaches? If it is found that it is other Government Departments who polluted our beaches, I don't know whether we could carry out our By-laws and prosecute these Departments concerned?

(Mr. Frederick K. K. FUNG arrived at 2.46 p.m.)

MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I think prosecution is certainly a very serious step to take. If the neighbouring buildings have not provided their sewage system properly thus polluting the beaches then I think we should first warn the people concerned and then take out prosecutions. The pollution along the Southern side of Hong Kong Island is caused by two different sources. One is from domestic buildings and the other from breeders of pigs and chickens. For the latter, I am sure later in the year, when the Animal Waste Disposal (Amendment) Ordinance is implemented, the pollution will be reduced. As regards sewage generated by domestic premises, if Government Departments have not paid attention to this particular aspect of the problem, we could of course urge the Departments concerned but I am convinced that we should not take out prosecutions.

THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, can the Urban Council and Urban Services Department liaise with the Environmental Protection Department and all the other Government Departments to ensure that the Repulse Bay Beach will be kept open next year and the year after and as long as possible since there are so many members of the public who wish to patronize this particular beach?

MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the Repulse Bay Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Hong Kong Island and for the current swimming season, I think the state of pollution is still barely acceptable and there shouldn't be any grave concern. If the Civil Engineering Services Department and the Health and Welfare Branch of the Government Secretariat could carry out improvements to the sewage system and make necessary repairs, I am sure the pollution problem would not be very serious even in the coming year. If the necessary repair and maintenance work could be carried out before the current swimming season, there shouldn't be any major problem for the coming swimming season.

MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, since pollution of waters at beaches is caused by sewage from domestic premises mainly fecal discharge or discharge from animals, we cannot stop these waste being passed out onto the beaches and the waters. When members of the public go to swim in waters