CONFIDENTIAL
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19.
Increasing emphasis is being placed on recreation and related activities for young people. While recognizing the purely recreational value of such programmes, Government is concerned essentially with their value as a purposeful means of developing the individual, his identity with, and involvement in, the life of the community. At present, the most spectacular element in this field is the summer programme; carried out when students, teachers and related professions are on holiday and therefore more readily available to take part. It is estimated that the 1969 summer activities touched perhaps as many as 750,000 young persons.
20.
In the period since my last despatch in this series, the programme of labour legislation has generated a substantial momentum. Measures enacted include improvements to the benefits payable in workmen's compensation cases; an extension of the scope of the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance in respect of non-manual workers earning less than $1,500 a month; provision for maternity protection in employment and provision for a right to four rest days a month. Other measures, which have reached an advanced stage, cover such fields as increased protection for workers' wages, the extension of holidays with pay to non-industrial sectors and the establishment of labour courts.
21.
Outline proposals for a new public assistance scheme have now been finalised and agreed by the Executive Council in principle. When the necessary funds have been voted by the Legislature, the present rudimentary scheme of rations-issue and cash grants costing some $5 millions a year will be replaced by a purely cash grant scheme which will both provide higher grants and raise the minimum qualifying income level. cost of the new scheme is roughly estimated at $20 millions (£1.33 million) a year in the early stages, but could rise appreciably thereafter.
22.
The
During the year there has been comparatively little detected illegal immigration from China. The controls imposed. by the Chinese authorities have been effective, and only small
A sharp numbers of escapers have managed to reach Hong Kong. increase in the number of unskilled persons from Commonwealth countries seeking to enter Hong Kong to obtain employment made it necessary to introduce controls for these categories. United Kingdom "belongers" are however still free to enter Hong Kong without visas.
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CONFIDENTIAL