20Th January 1971

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL―20th January 1971. 337 OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 20th January 1971 The Council met at half past Two o'clock [MR PRESIDENT in the Chair] PRESENT HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (PRESIDENT) SIR DAVID CLIVE CROSBIE TRENCH, GCMG, MC THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY SIR HUGH SELBY NORMAN-WALKER, KCMG, OBE, JP THE HONOURABLE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MR DENYS TUDOR EMIL ROBERTS, CBE, QC, JP THE HONOURABLE THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS MR DAVID RONALD HOLMES, CMG, CBE, MC, ED, JP THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SIR JOHN JAMES COWPERTHWAITE, KBE, CMG, JP THE HONOURABLE ROBERT MARSHALL HETHERINGTON, DFC, JP COMMISSIONER OF LABOUR THE HONOURABLE DAVID RICHARD WATSON ALEXANDER, MBE, JP DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES THE HONOURABLE JAMES JEAVONS ROBSON, JP DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS THE HONOURABLE DONALD COLLIN CUMYN LUDDINGTON, JP DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, NEW TERRITORIES THE HONOURABLE JOHN CANNING, JP DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION DR THE HONOURABLE GERALD HUGH CHOA, JP DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSUI KA-CHEUNG, OBE, JP COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT THE HONOURABLE JACK CATER, MBE, JP DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY THE HONOURABLE KAN YUET-KEUNG, CBE, JP THE HONOURABLE WOO PAK-CHUEN, OBE, JP THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAI, OBE, JP THE HONOURABLE WILFRED WONG SIEN-BING, OBE, JP THE HONOURABLE WILSON WANG TZE-SAM, OBE, JP THE HONOURABLE HERBERT JOHN CHARLES BROWNE, JP DR THE HONOURABLE CHUNG SZE-YUEN, OBE, JP THE HONOURABLE LEE QUO-WEI, OBE, JP THE HONOURABLE OSWALD VICTOR CHEUNG, QC, JP THE HONOURABLE GERALD MORDAUNT BROOME SALMON, JP THE HONOURABLE ANN TSE-KAI, OBE, JP THE HONOURABLE LO KWEE-SEONG, JP ABSENT THE HONOURABLE ELLEN LI SHU-PUI, OBE, JP IN ATTENDANCE THE CLERK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MR RODERICK JOHN FRAMPTON 338 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL―20th January 1971. Papers The following papers were laid pursuant to Standing Order No 14(2):― Subject LN No Subsidiary Legislation:― Hong Kong Airport (Control of Obstructions) Ordinance. Hong Kong Airport (Control of Obstructions) (Amendment) Order 1971 .. 1 Sessional Papers 1970-71:― No 37―Annual Report by the Postmaster General for the year 1969-70 (published on 20.1.71). No 38―Annual Report by the Secretary for Home Affairs for the year 1969-70 (published on 20.1.71). Oral answers to questions Profits tax on public light buses 1. MR P. C. W OO asked:― How does Government assess the profits tax of operators of public light buses, as no tickets are issued for fares by these operators? THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY (SIR JOHN COWPERTHWAITE):―Sir, the Commissioner of Inland Revenue obtains information on public light bus operators from the Transport Department's record of licence holders and cross-checks this with the Business Registration Office. Notices requiring returns for purposes of profits tax assessment are then issued in the normal way. In practice, it has been found that records kept by these operators are generally poor and a high percentage of the returns received are unsatisfactory. Consequently the Commissioner has found it necessary, in many instances, to resort to estimated assessments. The quantum of estimated profits is based largely on information received from the Transport Department. Difficulties of this kind are associated, of course, with all businesses receiving payment in cash. HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL―20th January 1971. 339 Divorce Reform Act 1969 2. MR WOO asked:― The Divorce Reform Act 1969 came into operation in England on the 1st of this month. Is it the intention of Government to adopt the provisions of this Act in Hong Kong? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (MR D. T. E. ROBERTS): ―Yes, Sir. However, the Government considers it advisable to delay the introduction of the necessary legislation for some months. Any practical difficulties disclosed by experience of the working of the English Act can then be dealt with in our bill. Cigarette advertising and smoking in public places 3. DR S. Y. CHUNG asked:― In view of increasing control over cigarette advertising and smoking in other countries, particularly in the UK and the USA, has Government considered in the interests of public health (a) any control over or a total ban on cigarette advertising and (b) any restriction on smoking in public places? DR G. H. CHOA:―Sir, the present relationship between cigarette smoking and the incidence of lung cancer is statistically beyond doubt. There has been a marked increase in the incidence of lung cancer throughout the world and in Hong Kong deaths from lung cancer have risen from 449 in 1964 to 787 in 1969. Smoking is not only accociated with a high incidence of lung cancer but has also been proved to be an important factor in the cause of chronic bronchitis and cardio vascular diseases. From a medical point of view any measure aimed at the reduction of smoking must therefore bring about improvement in the community's health. There are however many facets and approaches to this problem and the reduction of cigarette smoking cannot be brought about by any single measure. Our main aim is to educate the next generation on the hazards of smoking and to ensure that, thus enlightened, they do not fall prey to the habit which is causing so many deaths in the present generation of parents and grandparents. It is with this in mind that health education is carried out in schools aimed at warning the young against the danger of becoming addicted to smoking with its consequent health hazards. Pamphlets on the subject prepared by my Department have recently been distributed 340 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL―20th January 1971. [DR CHOA] Oral Answers through the schools to pupils and their parents. The personal examples of teachers and parents and the public in general is, of course, paramount in the teaching of the young. Referring directly to my honourable Friend's suggestion that smoking should be restricted in public places, there can be no doubt that this, if successfully implemented, would be a step in the right direction and the suggestion should be given further thought and consideration. As regards my honourable Friend's other suggestion regarding control over, or total ban on, cigarette advertising in Hong Kong, the approach so far has been to encourage voluntary restrictions on cigarette advertisers and two of the television companies have co-operated in voluntarily curtailing advertisement of cigarettes in close proximity to children's programmes. It is hoped that voluntary restriction will be enlarged and extended to other media including the press, and other mass communications media. Finally, Sir, in view of the importance of this issue from the stand-point of the public's health, I am now taking a fresh look at whether any further action is called for, particularly in regard to developments in other countries. DR CHUNG:―Sir, my honourable Friend, Dr CHOA, in answering my question said "the approach so far has been to encourage voluntary restrictions on cigarette advertisers and two of the television companies have co-operated in voluntarily curtailing advertisement of cigarettes in close proximity to children's programmes." Is Government aware that cigarette advertising is being carried out in one of the most popular TVB programmes called "Enjoy Yourself Tonight" which is watched by a large number of children? DR CHOA:―Sir, I will watch it tonight. (Laughter). MR Y. K . K AN:―Will my honourable Friend consider adopting the practice which has been, I believe, adopted for a long time elsewhere in the case of cinemas, where no smoking is allowed on the upper floors and simply on the ground floor? DR CHOA:―Sir, my honourable Friend's suggestion is certainly worthwhile considering. HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL―20th January 1971. 341 Pilot scheme for Urban Renewal 4. MR SZETO WAI asked:― As regards the pilot scheme for Urban Renewal in Western District, would Government say:― (a) what progress has been made in the scheme in general; (b) what is its final planning; (c) when can the final planning be made known to the public; and (d) when implementation of the scheme is expected to commence? MR J. J. ROBSON:―Sir, with your permission I will deal with the first and last parts of this question together, since a description of the progress made on the Urban Renewal Pilot Scheme will give the information on its implementation which my honourable Friend requires. As honourable Members will be aware, the Urban Renewal Pilot Scheme lies in the western district of Hong Kong. It covers an area of 13 acres between Queen's Road and Hollywood Road and involves some 360 leased lots and the rehousing of some 13,000 people. The scheme has been sub-divided into 4 stages and an interdepartmental committee has been established to co-ordinate the work. Our tentative programme is to complete the resumption of Stage I, comprising 97 leased lots and involving some 2,400 people, by the end of this year and the demolition of buildings and construction of the associated engineering works during 1972 and the first half of 1973. If this goes according to plan, redevelopment of that portion of the area can then start whilst further stages are being acquired and cleared. It is hoped to complete redevelopment of all 4 stages in some six or seven years, i.e. by the end of 1977 but, of course, difficulties could arise to prevent this timetable being met. However, I am glad to be able to report that considerable progress has been made in putting the scheme into effect. Negotiations started early in 1970 with the owners of various lots most of which were vacant and to date a total of 16 have been acquired and agreement has been reached in respect of a further 16―that is 32 in all.

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