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far too many, because we have in Hong Kong one policeman for every 500 people while the Report suggests one member of the Control Force for every 33 hawkers.
This Force is directly under the control of the Urban Council and it is our duty to prevent the situation from deteriorating any further.
I am very much concerned about the decision of the Staff Increases Sub-Committee of Finance Committee to reduce the staff of the Urban Services Department and the Resettlement Department. The responsibility of the Urban Services Department is increasing year by year, and the work can only be met by an increase in staff. Since the cholera outbreak last year, the Urban Services Department has had the additional responsibility of seeing to the chlorination of the wells, but unfortunately, we are told that the staff will not be able to carry out house inspections every three months, but will do so only once every six months. How the reduction of staff would affect the ordinary routine work of the Cleansing Division I would not like to guess. I just hope that you, Mr. Chairman, as Director of the Urban Services Department, will keep a watchful eye on the situation.
I am even more alarmed at the reduction of the Sanitary Staff in the Resettlement Department. The present sanitary condition of the Estates is so horrible that it demands an increase in staff rather than a decrease. In giving the decision for the reduction, the Colonial Secretary comments that it is desirable to intensify the Health Education Campaign so that residents of the Estates can learn to form good sanitary habits and take active participation in the various schemes carried out to keep the resettlement areas free of litter. As Chairman of the Health Education Select Committee, I show more than hearty approval of the remark, but unfortunately, the Colonial Secretary does not seem to realize that before the campaign can be intensified, all the estates have to be cleaned up first; besides, to intensify the campaign requires extra staff. I earnestly hope that the Commissioner for Resettlement could assure us that every measure would be taken to maintain the sanitary condition in the Estates.
It has come to my notice from the recent Resettlement Shop Rent Appeals that a large number of shop-owners have no experience in business management. Many of them were originally farmers or cultivators who used all their capital or savings first to open the shop and then changed from one trade to another, and eventually, they had to appeal to the Panel as a case of hardship. In the Wong Tai Sin Community Centre, various classes of useful instructions are given for the benefit of the settlers. These classes are really helpful, and for the sake of the inexperienced shop-keepers, I wonder whether it is possible for the organizers to hold classes in business management solely for them, because they deserve every kind of available assistance. I must compliment the Social Welfare Department for their original idea in providing these classes in the Community Centre: the settlers are undoubtedly much benefited by them.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation of the efficiency of our permanent Secretary, Mr. WHITLEY, and the Deputy Secretary, Mr. Ross. Mr. Ross, in particular, has been put in charge of many Select Committees, including that of the City Hall. It requires a man of high integrity to arrange for the meetings and prepare minutes. Mr. Ross worked very hard for two years before the City Hall was finally opened, after which a lot of heavy work is still put on his shoulders. I hope we can retain such an able and experienced Secretary as Mr. Ross in the Council as long as possible.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in supporting your motion before Council. (Applause).
MR. FUNG HON-CHU:--Mr. Chairman, the Statement of Progress and Policy tabled today covers a wide and expanding field of the Council's work during the year under review and also the main aims for the coming year. I do not intend to propound in detail or to comment on the various functional topics which are constantly being discussed at the meetings of our various select committees. I would, at this moment, submit for your attention a few suggestions on the broader aspects of the Council's fundamental policies.
It is my observation that the different select committees, engaged in formulating policies concerning their particular fields, are sometimes handicapped by the inadequacy of highly specialized technical knowledge. This is not to be construed as implying that the official and unofficial members of the select committees are not highly knowledgeable, but it is my considered opinion that it would be an immense help if we were to invite and co-opt certain specialists or technicians from the public of Hong Kong to serve as an additional member or members of the select committees. The advantage to be gained from implementing this procedure could hardly be over-stressed.
Another suggestion that I have to make calls for a closer and better co-ordination between the Council and the various Governmental Departments. It has been my experience, on occasions, to witness situations where, due to the lack of close co-ordination, the progress of a particular project is unnecessarily hindered. Let me refer to the reconstruction of markets. The deplorable delay in the completion of our programme was due to the fact that there was a shortage of staff in the Architectural Office of the Public Works Department. While this situation can be appreciated as having existed, the reason is definitely inadequate to outweigh the urgency and importance of the Council's
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