ENG-1960 — Page 184

HEALTH

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bazaars and fresh provision shops. Seven hawker bazaars, including one with a roof, were erected and put into use at various Resettle- ment Estates. One similar bazaar was opened in December in the compound behind Kwung Chung Market to take in hawkers trading near the market, and like provision was made for the markets in Kowloon City and Cheung Sha Wan.

At the beginning of the year, an experiment was made under the sponsorship of Police and Kaifong Associations to confine pedlar hawking to some side streets, but unfortunately it was unsuccessful. Further strict control over hawkers in general was therefore limited to checking conditions in some areas to prevent further deterioration.

Hawker Control. Draft legislation covering the discipline and powers of a Hawker Control Force was prepared during January after discussion with the Legal Department, and the final draft was submitted to Executive Council in May. The Hawker Control Force Ordinance, No. 31 of 1960, came into force in November. Recruitment to fill the 70 new posts of constables in the Hawker Control Force had already opened, and the first 46 recruits entered their Training School at Brick Hill, Aberdeen, in June. After an extensive course of lectures in law, evidence, drill, self-defence, etc, these recruits commenced their duties in public on 15th November when the Force took over control of all hawkers in Bay View, North Point and Shau Kei Wan.

The policy was to begin by asking for the co-operation of hawkers in tidying their sites and in reducing or removing obstruc- tions. Continual appeals were made to offenders and prosecutions were only undertaken in cases of persistent refusal to comply with the by-laws after several warnings were given. The powers of entry without warrant granted to the Force were not used and the fears expressed by press and public of their possible abuse were allayed. Public Latrines and Bathhouses. New public bathhouses and latrines are built by a long-term programme to meet the needs of residents of densely-populated areas where flush sanitation is scarce or does not exist. Five new combined public latrines and bathhouses were finished, making a total of 123 in the urban districts, and three new public latrines were erected. Twenty eight bathhouses offering free hot and cold showers were used by 2,958,586 people during the year, a daily average of 8,084 patrons.