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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
and share with them some of the responsibilities in the administration of this Colony. I assure you, Sir, of my sincere and fullest co-operation at all times.
Occasions might arise when swords will have to be crossed. But you have my fullest assurance that in such eventualities—which I hope will be far and few between—it certainly will not be prompted on my part by malice, prejudice, short-sightedness or just sheer stubbornness, but by a keen and sincere desire to serve the general interests of the people of this Colony to the best of my ability and to fulfil the trust that has been placed in me.
This, as you all know, is my first attendance here as a Council member. In fact, this is what is traditionally called a maiden speech. I am now here also inexperienced in the way of life in this Council. Therefore, at the outset, I appeal for indulgence should I stray beyond the realms of this Council.
Mr. Chairman, I have chosen, among other subjects, to speak on housing, education and public transport—the fields in which Government has been meandering at the pace of a snail. I am not making this statement to belittle Government's achievements in these fields. But I believe that much more should and can be done, and with much greater speed.
There is urgent need for the elimination of more of the existing red tape and a more positive attitude towards the exploration and exploitation of every possible source at home and abroad—for funds to support more housing projects, not only for the poorer classes of people but for the white collar class whose interests have been grossly neglected for the past 17 to 18 years.
If the provision of housing accommodation is not speedily expedited we shall soon be lagging behind. In fact, we are very much behind already. Take the resettlement programme for instance. At the end of 1956, it was estimated that only 300,000 squatters remained to be resettled. Today the figure is 600,000. Of these 600,000 more than 250,000 do not have any accommodation to speak of. It was planned to resettle 100,000 people a year since a number of years ago. But the annual target was only reached this year. As I have stated earlier, it is imperative that the pace of providing housing should be expedited and at the same time some definite plans must be mapped out for the dispersal of population. The need for dispersal is vividly demonstrated by the fact that 80 percent of our 3.5 million people are confined within 131 square miles of the urban basin on both sides of the harbour.
Now, regarding resettlement, it is also imperative that resettlement of squatters should go hand in hand with the resettlement of roof-top dwellers who in fact are also squatters. The presence of roof-top dwellers is a definite health hazard as well as a general nuisance to both the bona fide tenants of buildings and to Government. The prevailing conditions in the roof-top squatter colonies must indeed be seen to be believed. There is no water supply, and with no recourse to the normal methods of refuse disposal and sanitation, they help themselves to flush water in the tanks and get rid of their rubbish and even night-soil by simply forcing it down the drain pipes or discarding it into the streets below. Roof-top squatter camps are an eyesore that must be eliminated as quickly as possible.
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dwellers is a definite health hazard as well as a general nuisance to both the bona fide tenants of buildings and to Government. The prevailing conditions in the roof-top squatter colonies must indeed be seen to be believed. There is no water supply, and with no recourse to the normal methods of refuse disposal and sanitation, they help themselves to flush water in the tanks and get rid of their rubbish and even night-soil by simply forcing it down the drain pipes or discarding it into the streets below. Roof-top squatter camps are an eyesore that must be eliminated as quickly as possible.
While commendable efforts have been made to house squatters and people in the low income group, the white collar class especially those within the $900 and $2,000 income bracket have been sadly neglected. Immediate steps should be made to form a housing consortium financed with Government and bank loans. And with the guidance and advice of the experienced Housing Authority, co-operatives should be formed to build flats for their members—the flats to be purchased on an instalment system. Such co-operatives, financed through the housing consortium, should then also be accorded the privilege of acquiring the necessary land from Government on similar terms as those enjoyed by Government employees.
Now let me turn to education. According to the 1961 Census, 40 percent of our population is below the age of 15 years and about 500,000 below the age of 5. The school population today is 750,000 of whom about 630,000 are in primary schools and 120,000 in secondary schools. The ratio is therefore six to one.
If Government is to implement the announced policy of raising the primary school admission age of children from 6 to 7 more children will be left in the streets. They together with the half million children below the age of 5 will create a tremendous problem, particularly in resettlement estates.
The endeavour of Government to bridge the gap between the primary school graduate age of 12 and the legal employment age of 14 is only commendable by virtue of the fact that idle children of the age of 12 to 14 are more likely to become delinquents. But in implementing this scheme Government will be neglecting the impressionable and crucial year in a child's life between the age of 6 and 7. What it amounts to is a ridiculous situation. To prevent primary school graduates from idling whilst waiting for employment Government now proposes to expose the young children of Hong Kong to adverse influences at the receptive age of 6.
I would also like to say a word on the proposed Chinese university. At present there are about 10 post-secondary Chinese colleges in Hong Kong. Government as well as business firms, however, tend to dis-
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