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HEALTH
To promote health education among school children, health talks were given to schools. A Health Education Project Competi- tion for secondary schools was held during the year, and participating schools illustrated selected themes by using models, charts, diagrams or other means of their choice. Annual Speech and Song Contests continued.
The section also participated in various exhibitions held by non- Government organisations, such as Kaifong Associations.
The supervision of hawkers, markets and slaughterhouses has an important bearing on public health, and the Urban Services Department employs a staff numbering over two thousand on these duties. There are 66 public retail markets (43 in the urban areas and 23 in the New Territories) where housewives can buy meat, fish, poultry and vegetables from clean and hygienic sources. Many of these markets are, however, old and out-moded, making it difficult to maintain acceptable food-hygiene standards. The Urban Council's Markets Select Committee is committed to an ambitious programme for reconstruction of many of the older markets in parallel with the provision of new markets, particularly in developing areas. The new North Point Market, which constituted an example of practical and modern market design, was completed in November 1969.
An estimated 80,000 people earn their livelihood from hawking in the built-up areas of Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Terri- tories. Most of these hawkers sell vegetables and other foodstuffs in streets near public markets and shops where meat, fish and poultry are on sale. Others sell haberdashery and hardware. These hawkers meet a definite public demand, but some obstruct streets which are already congested, thereby creating health problems and even fire hazards in certain areas. The introduction in early 1969 of District Hawker Consultative Committees within the urban areas, chaired by City District Officers and with, hawker representa- tives, district Kaifong officials, ordinary citizens and Government officials connected with hawkers as members has already proved of value in providing opportunities for discussion and co-operation between hawkers and the authorities. The Urban Council's policy on hawkers is to work towards a reduction in street hawking by finding suitable off-street bazaars, into which the hawkers may be