3.
Housing.
- 2.
3
The Governor said that of Hong Kong's C.D. W. allocation of £1 million, about £300,000 was earmarkod for development in the New Territories and most of the rest (say about £600,000) would be devoted to housing for lower paid workers.
Mr. Dorman said that Mr. Nicolls had in discussion expressed the view that it would be impossible to go ahead with housing schemes until the Town Planning Unit (which was being developed) was functioning properly. He had also mentioned the need for moving the Services from the centre of the city of Victoria. Mr. Dorman added that the general impression gained of housing in Hong Kong was that little was being planned; he also referred to difficulties in choosing sites and avoiding getting tangled up with the Town Planning Unit if housing schemes were to go ahead before this was. functioning.
The Governor said that he certainly did not visualise waiting until the Town Planning Unit had produced a plan before going ahead with housing schomes as this would involve a delay of about two years. On the question of the Services moving from the centre of the city, he said that the Army authorities were prepar d to move.
The Governor agreed that as regards Government housing little was going ahead but he referred to a private housing scheme which had been started and which would cater mainly for white collar workers; the Government's task must be to provide housing for the lower paid
manual workers. He agreed that the matter should be pursued with urgency and felt that what was needed in the first instance was a small pilot scheme. On the cu stion of sites he said that there were certain sites readily available where housing schemes could go ahead.
After further discussion the Governor AGRAD that it would be useful if a despatch were sent to Hong Kong suggesting that provision of adequate housing should be started urgently using C. D. & W. funds and that in the first instance a pilot scheme should be worked out; the necessity of working in with the Town Planning Unit should also be pointed out.
4.
Education.
Mr. Dorman said that from discussions with Mr. Nicoll it appeared that Bishop Hall had suggested that it would be advisable for the Government to take over all schools in Hong Kong; this however was not practicable. Dishop Hall had also said that there were 50,000 children in Hong Kong not attending school.
Miss Gwilliam said that in her visit to Hong Kong sho had been more interested in what was being t.u ht and how, rather than who and how many. She felt strongly that Gducation in Hong Kong had made remarkable recovery from
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