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nuisance notices and 1 551 advisory letters have been issued. The total should be 2 204. It seems the ways of handling around 100 complaints are not that clear. How are they handled? Secondly, Mr. WONG mainly mentions complaints. In busy areas, such as Nathan Road, the dripping nuisance is very serious. Has the Council considered taking initiative to identify and eradicate these nuisances?

MR. WONG SHUI-LAI (in Cantonese):—Thank you Mr. Ip for his two questions.

Unfortunately about the other 99 cases, I do not have the details with me. If Mr. Ip is interested, I will provide the information to him afterwards.

a

As for the other question about taking initiative to identify nuisances, during evenings we do have inspections. The 2 000 odd cases which I mentioned were identified as result of departmental action. When they saw that air-conditioners were too old, advisory letters would be issued. If there are nuisances which are subject to complaints, then nuisance notices will be issued. On the whole, from May to September, the Department takes the initiative to deal with the dripping of air-conditioners.

MOTIONS

1.

MR. A. B. BERNACCHI, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in English):-

'RESOLVED that the Urban Council Financial (Amendment) By-law 1993 be made under section 37 of the Urban Council Ordinance, Cap. 101.'

He said (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I rise to move the motion standing in my

name:-

'RESOLVED that the Urban Council Financial (Amendment) By-laws 1993 be made under section 37 of the Urban Council Ordinance, Cap. 101.'

These amendments arise principally from the need to amend a number of the existing financial by-laws in the light of present day circumstances. The main thrust of these amendments is as follows:—

(a) To remove all monetary values stipulated in the current by-laws as, with the present inflation rate, these quickly become redundant with the passing of time. In its place, in particular for tenders, appropriate amounts will be determined by either the SCWC or the Finance Select Committee and so can be revised from time to time;

(b) to repeal a number of by-laws where the levels of expenditure or the

contents of the by-laws are outdated;

(c) to permit the SCWC to authorize expenditure, where tender procedures are impractical or inappropriate, by select committees without recourse to tender;

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(d) to permit the Director to accept tenders and/or to obtain goods and services other than museum acquisitions without recourse to tender where tender procedures are impractical or inappropriate;

(e) to permit variation of estimates in respect of a provision in a subhead by the Director, Finance Select Committee and the SCWC by reference to percentages rather than monetary amounts; and

(f) to reduce the quorum for the Tender Board Panel from 3 to 2 persons. The present position is rather ridiculous. Under Standing Orders, the whole of the present Finance Select Committee can function with 2 persons as a quorum. Yet the Tender Board Panel, which is a Sub-Committee of the Finance Select Committee to consider tenders not of sufficient value for them to require the decision of the Finance Select Committee itself, had to be a quorum of 3.

Sir, I now so move.

DR. STAN CHEUNG TSANG-KAY, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE SELECT COMMITTEE, (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I beg to second.

The question was put.

The motion was carried unanimously.

2. MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in English):-

'RESOLVED that the Designation of Libraries (Urban Council Area) Order 1993 be made under section 105K of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.'

He said (in English):—I rise to move the motion standing in my name that:---

'RESOLVED that the Designation of Libraries (Urban Council Area) Order 1993 be made under section 105K of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132'.

The purposes of the Order are to designate the premises on the second floor of No. 229, Electric Road, Hong Kong as a library and to amend the Schedule to the Designation of Libraries (Urban Council Area) Order 1986.

Sir, I beg to move.

Ms. CARLYE TSUI WAI-LING, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I beg to second.

The question was put.

The motion was carried unanimously.

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