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sure that the formulations of insecticides most appropriate to local conditions are used. The Department is also in close touch with the experts of the World Health Organization so that our knowledge of insecticide resistance is kept up to date.
For many years there has been one aspect of the problem against which progress is bound to be slow under present conditions—I refer, of course, to the wild squatter areas and the pigsties in close proximity to residential districts. At the suggestion of this Department an inter-departmental committee has been formed to study the problem and to make recommendations. First proposals have already been formulated and are being examined in more detail before submission to Government.
The other difficulty which faces us is the concentration of masses of our population in multi-storey buildings and the resulting growth of anti-social habits such as the dumping of refuse from every window onto inaccessible ledges and shades. Members have already seen the report of the working party which was formed to study this problem. There is no doubt that the proposed Factor System, if it is adopted, will make the control of hygiene in such buildings an easier matter.
With regard to mosquitoes I am glad to say that the position is a little brighter. The number of complaints of nuisance from these insects in the past year is the lowest since 1956, and will I hope remain at a low level. Of course we may not take all the credit for this relief and must give due thanks to the Clerk of the Weather who with his drought has caused many hardships but has certainly spread despondency among the mosquito population.
My friend the Honourable F. S. LI mentioned the growing danger of nuisances from building sites and I would assure him that staff have been instructed to pay particular attention to these and other trouble spots and to visit them weekly in order, if possible, to prevent health nuisances before they arise. The department's film entitled "Build without breeding" was shown last year as in previous years to groups of building contractors and explained to them in a short talk which I think roused their interest. The film will be shown again this year in fact in about two weeks from now.
Mr. MARDEN referred to another long-standing source of worry in the bone-sheds at Kennedy Town. They have been in that area for many years and with the increasing development of the area for residential and commercial purposes the nuisance from flies is being sorely felt. I mentioned last year that experiments were being tried to reduce the number of flies. These have now been supplemented by extensive structural alterations which will, it is hoped, give rise to significant improvements this summer. But no permanent relief can be expected until the sheds are rebuilt on more modern lines. The bone shed proprietors have shown a welcome interest in this approach and they, together with the staff of the department, have been in touch with makers of modern equipment. But this approach is entirely dependent upon finding acceptable sites to which the sheds can be moved and on this aspect of the problem my friend the Honourable Director of Public Works has spoken. I would add that the whole question of classifying Offensive Trades is under examination and proposals will be put to Members of the relevant Select Committee as soon as they have reached an appropriate stage.
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The question of one-bay restaurants in resettlement estates which was raised by Mr. FUNG Hon-chu has already been mentioned by my friend, the Commissioner for Resettlement. It is indeed true that they have proved something of a headache for the health staff, but I hope that the hygienic improvements referred to by Mr. MORRISON will enable the staff to raise the standard of hygiene in these premises.
I do feel, however, that although these restaurants are a problem it is possible that they are the lesser of two evils and that if they had never been allowed a larger number of cooked food stalls, far more difficult to control, would have had to be permitted. The cooked food stall is undoubtedly an economic necessity at present but it needs constant supervision to keep it up to any standard of hygiene. As soon as one's back is turned licensees appear to forget all they have ever been taught and at the first opportunity relapse into unhygienic practices.
I turn now to the more general topic of health education on which several speakers have made constructive suggestions and which is a matter of great interest to myself and to the staff. There are two aspects of this branch of our work: firstly, a general approach to the public at large, and secondly, the specific teaching of groups who have particular responsibility in matters of public health, particularly in relation to food hygiene. The general education of the public is intended not only to discourage insanitary habits such as spitting and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse, but also to build up health consciousness among the general public. In this way, it is hoped to develop a body of public opinion which will insist on a higher standard of hygiene, for example, among those who handle food.
This is perhaps the easier aspect of health education, but even so it requires careful planning to maintain the public interest and to ensure that our campaigns do not clash with those run by other Government departments. In both the planning of our campaigns and in the preparation of material, we have received a great deal of help from the Director of Information Services and his staff to whom I should like to express my thanks for their patient co-operation and advice.
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