ENG-1985 — Page 168

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HEALTH

related policies. The recommendations of the Working Party will be widely circulated in a consultative document, and may result in some significant changes in hawker policies.

Control of street traders is a responsibility shared between the Royal Hong Kong Police Force and the Urban Council. The Urban Council carried out its responsibilities through the General Duties Teams of the Urban Services Department, whose members are civilian staff trained in law enforcement duties related to hawker management and control. The General Duties Teams were provided with radio communication equipment during 1985 to facilitate effective operations.

The management and control of hawkers in the non-urban areas are the responsibility of the Regional Services Department. In 1985, there were 4 676 licensed hawkers in the non-urban areas, a drop of 262 compared with 1984. The number of unlicensed hawkers was estimated to be 2 300.

Generally, the hawker situation in the non-urban areas is under control and the number of on-street hawkers is gradually declining as more and more hawkers are resited in the new markets and as a result of enforcement action taken against unlicensed hawkers.

Abattoirs

The two government abattoirs – in Kennedy Town on Hong Kong Island and in Cheung Sha Wan in Kowloon - continued to supply the bulk of the population with fresh meat. During the year, 2 561 900 pigs, 131 100 head of cattle and 17 600 goats were slaughtered in these abattoirs.

Slaughtering services in the non-urban areas are provided by three licensed private slaughterhouses in Kwai Chung, Yuen Long and Tai Po. They handled a total of 1 015 288 pigs, 55 197 head of cattle and 2 340 goats during the year. The slaughterhouse at Kwai Chung, which can slaughter up to 3 000 pigs a day, also helps to meet the demand from Kowloon. A small slaughterhouse is being planned for Cheung Chau to cater for the needs of the island.

All animals slaughtered in these abattoirs were inspected by specially trained and qualified health inspectors of the Urban Services Department and the Regional Services Department.

Cemeteries and Crematoria

It is the government's policy to encourage cremation rather than burial for disposal of the dead. In 1985, 64 per cent of the dead were cremated. To cater for the rising demand for cremation facilities, two additional cremators were installed at the Diamond Hill Crematorium. Human remains in public cemeteries are subject to exhumation after six years. The exhumed remains are then either cremated or removed to an urn cemetery.

The Urban Council operates two funeral depots, one on Hong Kong Island and one in Kowloon, which provide free services for the disposal of the dead. In the urban areas there are five public cemeteries, two public crematoria and 18 private cemeteries. There are two war cemeteries under the management of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

In the non-urban areas, there are three public crematoria, at Kwai Chung, Sha Tin and Wo Hop Shek, under the management of the Regional Services Department. The first two are used for the cremation of the dead while the third is used solely for cremation of exhumed remains. Niches are provided at the columbaria in these areas. The department also manages five public cemeteries, including the Wo Hop Shek Cemetery, the biggest public cemetery in use in Hong Kong, and supervises eight private cemeteries in the non-urban areas.