Page 142 of 382
262
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, you seek from me an expression of personal opinion which I am afraid that under Standing Orders I am entitled to refuse to give (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Well, Mr. Chairman, can I direct a supplementary question to the Director of Social Welfare? The reply in the last paragraph says that the Director of Education cannot compel parents to send their children to school. Now we all know that in every enlightened community there is such a thing as compulsory primary education and I think most of the people in this Colony will agree that it is a shame and disgrace if there is no such thing as compulsory primary education. Could some systems be worked out whereby children in the resettlement estates, who cannot go to school because their parents require them to stay at home to do home industry work, could be put in school and some assistance be granted by the Director of Social Welfare's office to these families?
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE: -Well, Sir, I do not know whether I can answer a question on such a broad basis as that. I am willing to see whether anything can be done one way or another to assist children in getting into school. Indeed, a number of voluntary agencies are already doing quite a lot in this direction. As for a general system, I am not in a position to comment on that at the moment.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Now is there any particular reason why the Director of Social Welfare doesn't wish to comment about it at this particular stage, Mr. Chairman?
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:--I should obviously require notice of this Mr. Chairman. I do not think it is a matter which one could be expected to discuss without notice at least. It is a very broad question and I'm not at all sure it is one falling within my responsibilities at all. The whole matter would have to be discussed and would very likely not be for my department, or for me personally.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, if the Director of Social Welfare thinks it fit, the Council might assist him in bringing it within the terms of reference of his department.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Is it true that the Social Welfare Department, far from encouraging the children in this way, actually encourage the mothers of young children to work to help support the family and therefore the other children have to stay at home to look after the babies?
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:-No, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, was there not some report recently saying that there was a need for more nurseries in resettlement estates, and the main reason for the need of these nurseries is because, in a lot of families, both the husband and wife have to go out to work leaving children at home to look after the younger children and to do home industry?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
263
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, in view of the fact that the Director denies my statement, may I ask why, when we ask for compassionate resettlement, we are always told the mother is able bodied?
MR. BERNACCHI-If nobody is going to answer Mrs. ELLIOTT'S last question, I have a question. What indeed does the Director of Education mean by responsible authorities. The sentence reads "This is provided that such cases are brought to his notice by responsible authorities". Are the Reform Club or indeed the Civic Association responsible authorities, or indeed individual members of this Council?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-On that point this was worded particularly to avoid parents themselves making such applications because the Director of Education would not be able to investigate each and every case and he would expect that any case referred to him for free places would have been investigated by the authorities. Hence the use of the word "responsible". If the Reform Club or the Civic Association were to make such recommendations, I have no doubt that the Director of Education would see that they were properly investigated.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you.
MR. SALES:-Would the appointed members be included? (Laughter).
(12) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) Will the Chairman please tell this Council whether work on the new children's playground at Chatham Road has started?
(b) Is the Chairman able to assure this Council that, even though road works have begun in the existing playground, it will not be closed until new facilities are available?
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:-
The new children's playground and rest garden at Chatham Road was upgraded to Category 'A' of the Public Works Programme at the Public Works Sub-Committee meeting held on 27th August, 1965. If this upgrading is approved by the Finance Committee of Legislative Council, the
Page 142 of 382
262
...
Page 143 of 382