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needs of the urban population. It is also hoped to arrange for copies of the Talbot Report to be issued to the Council shortly.
Mr. SALES paid a handsome tribute to the staff of the Amenities Division, and I wish him to know that it was much appreciated.
1965 will, I think, be seen in retrospect as an important milestone in the field of recreational development in Hong Kong. It has been a year in which the horizons of everyone concerned with recreation have been broadened considerably. It has seen studies by Mr. GILL on recreation for young people, by Doctor and Mrs. TALBOT on National Parks and Nature Reserves, by Mr. ROLLESTON on an oceanarium, and by Messrs. CURTIS and TOPHAM on indoor stadium, exhibition, conference, and holiday resort facilities.
It has been a year of real progress on land planning for recreation, and acceptance of the fact that housing conditions in Hong Kong will always impose special responsibilities on us to provide for the recreation of the family. But I believe that above all 1965 has been important for the growing realization that all those who have a contribution to make to recreational development must work together within the framework of one overall plan covering the total needs of our four million people. We should therefore, in the coming year, continue to work in co-operation with all the other many people, both private individuals and Government officials who share the view that the provision of adequate facilities for the recreation of the people is of the utmost importance.
Mr. SALES referred to dissatisfaction among locally-born persons concerning their opportunities in Government service.
As is stated in the 1965 Report on the Public Service, Government has for many years now always given preference for appointment to suitable and qualified persons with their roots in Hong Kong. The progress made in recruiting such persons may be indicated by the fact that, notwithstanding the 150% increase in the size of the Public Service between 1952 and 1965, the percentage of local officers has continued to increase during that period from 95.56% to the present figure of over 97%.
In order to maintain an efficient service, it is still necessary to employ overseas officers in certain cases where no local suitable and qualified candidates are available.
This lack of suitable candidates in certain cases leads me to Mr. SALES' comments on training which, whilst also being a little outside the strict scope of this Council, have been noted with interest. Mr. SALES will be aware that much training is currently practised within the Public Service. The bulk of this is departmental in-service training. Such programmes of training are constantly being developed as fresh training needs are brought to light in the departments.
Until 1961, difficulties did exist in attracting locally educated people to certain Government posts since the qualifications prescribed were either difficult or impossible to obtain in Hong Kong. For the last four years, however, a scheme of Government Training Scholarships has been in operation to assist young local serving officers to qualify for such professional grades. To date, 35 awards have been made under this scheme.
In the sphere of overseas training, Government's record is already an impressive one. Some 70 local officers are sent overseas each year to obtain post-graduate experience or to undergo short highly specialized training courses. Government now spends $2.7 million a year on this overseas training alone, and in the past 10 years has spent nearly $14 million for this purpose.
Much thought is continually being given to the anticipation of future staff requirements and the introduction of appropriate arrangements for training more serving officers. It is intended that this aspect should be given increasing attention as Government's training resources expand.
I think that it is clear from the foregoing that Government fully recognizes the great and growing importance of training for the continuing efficiency of the Public Service and for the staffing of the Service with local people in both the short and long term. To co-ordinate, control, and develop all that is being done in this sphere, a central Training and Examinations Unit was established in 1961. This is now a flourishing concern, and I am informed that Mr. SALES would be a most welcome visitor to it at his convenience, as indeed would any other Councillor. I hope that many of you will avail yourselves of this invitation.
Mr. Wilson WANG proposed the creation of yet another division in the department to be headed by an Assistant Director whose work would cover the management of the City Hall, the development of public libraries, museum, and art galleries, and, as he put it, a host of other cultural and recreational facilities. The proposal is surprising because such a post already exists in the form of the Manager of the City Hall, and it would only seem to be, at this stage anyway, a question of the Manager's title which is involved. A proposal to change the Manager's title to that of an Assistant Director in charge of cultural amenities and the management of the City Hall is already under consideration and will be referred to the appropriate Select Committee in due course.
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