ENG-1957 — Page 413

358

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

Ordinance, electrical and mechancial works (including government motor transport), architecture (government buildings), port works, drainage and roads. The Director of Public Works is also responsible for town planning. (See also Chapters 10, 14 and 15.)

The Urban Council, constituted under the Urban Council Ordinance, consists of five ex-officio members, namely the Chairman (who is at the same time the Director of the Urban Services Department), the Assistant Director of Health Services (Vice-Chairman), the Director of Public Works, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, and the Social Welfare Officer; and sixteen ordinary members, of whom eight are elected and eight appointed by the Governor. The Commissioner for Resettlement sits as a temporary additional ex-officio member. The term of office of ordinary members will ultimately be four years, but certain transitional provi- sions are now in force as to the length of the terms of office of various groups of members. The Council meets monthly to transact formal business, but most of its business is dealt with by 39 select committees, which meet at frequent intervals.

The Council carries out its responsibilities through the Urban Services and Resettlement Departments. The Urban Services Department, whose work is separately described in Chapters 9 and 21, operates the basic sanitary services in the urban area and has a variety of duties in the field of public health, such as the supervision of food premises and hawkers, the operation of the city's slaughter-houses, and pest control measures. In addition, the department controls and staffs the parks, playgrounds and bathing beaches. Towards the end of 1957 the management of the new multi- storey car park was entrusted to the Council and added to the department's responsibilities. The Resettlement Depart- ment is responsible for the clearance and resettlement of squatters, the administration of the resettlement estates and