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referring people to employment exchanges it gets one absolutely nowhere I am disappointed to say. The people are coming back after a few weeks saying that they have been unable to find any employment through the exchanges. I think it's important that in my Ward, which is only one, to note that in the past two weeks there have been 12 such cases and I would draw the attention of Government to this position and ask that we might perhaps be given some advice as to what we can do with this. Perhaps Government departments could let us know what the position is in the departments, whether there are any vacancies available that we might refer these people directly to the departments. Perhaps employers might be persuaded to let us know in the Ward Offices if they have any vacancies for people for employment. I would be grateful Mr. Chairman if some steps could be taken in this direction.
MR. BERNACCHI:-On a point of explanation, there are no employment exchanges in Hong Kong if there were perhaps the requests for jobs that are coming not only to Dr. BELL's Ward Office but certainly also to my Ward Office might be met more effectively.
DR. BELL:-I agree with Mr. BERNACCHI. I am sorry I used the wrong name for them, I think they call them local employment offices, I think that's the correct name. I think there's one in Tsuen Wan, two in Kowloon, one in Kwun Tong, one in Sham Shui Po and one in Ice House Street; there are 4 altogether.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I would like to confirm what Dr. BELL says. The position is so bad that I've even stopped sending people for jobs to these offices. The last one I sent came back and said that they told him "why doesn't Mrs. ELLIOTT get a job for you?" Now, I'd like to have some check on what is going on in these offices.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, with your permission I rise to make a few brief comments on the statement of progress for 1967-1968.
As members are aware, this Council is generally responsible for the health, welfare, education and other social services for the one million residents living in the resettlement areas and estates. About half of this population are under the age of 21. The responsibility of the Urban Council for the future of these young people is a very heavy one indeed.
Once again I express my deep concern at the inadequate education facilities for the young people living in these estates. It was recently reported that there are 24,000 vacancies existing in government primary and government subsidized schools, most of which are in the resettlement estates. I continue to urge the Government to introduce a compulsory but not always free primary education scheme for the children living in our resettlement estates who are not going to school. This should be coupled with a family subsidy scheme to assist the family in making a livelihood when the children are compulsorily sent to school.
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The Government so far has refused to consider such a scheme, I can only assume that the Government does not wish to accept the responsibility to ensure that every Hongkong child is given its natural right to receive at least six years primary education. I can only but deplore this unprogressive attitude on the part of the Government.
Then there is the problem of employment for our young people. This year in particular there seems to be more reports in the press of robberies, snatchings and other unlawful activities by young people. Why is this so? According to some of the families living in resettlement estates, many young people cannot find jobs, and even if they have jobs they do not have suitable recreational activities to help them to keep out of mischief.
The Labour Department has an Employment Registration Service. Perhaps this Service could be given additional staff so that a close liaison could be made with the Resettlement Kaifong Associations to provide lists of young people seeking employment. These lists could then be circulated among the large and medium sized factories in districts adjacent to each resettlement estates.
There is also the need to expand and improve the recreation facilities for young people in resettlement estates. For the new estates which are being planned, I would urge closer co-ordination in the adequate provision of primary and secondary schools, vocational schools, playgrounds, youth centres, clinics and other welfare services. These should be completed at about the same time that the estate blocks are ready for occupation. We have heard many serious and justifiable complaints from people who are being resettled that when they move into the estates there are not sufficient school places, recreation facilities or medical services available.
DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, on paper No. 2 which you laid on the table, the Statement of Progress for 1967-68, with your permission, as Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, I would like to express a little disappointment in this Statement in that it does give facts about what has happened but it gives no indication of the amount of work that has been done on planning of future schemes. For instance, on incineration and also on bath houses and latrines. There's a very big programme which has been put out to reprovision and redecorate the existing appalling latrines and bath houses which exist in the urban area. At present many of these are very, very old-fashioned. I think some mention of that might have been made in this Statement because the Committee has considered these factors. Also there's no mention of the question of what is happening in the future with other incinerators. I think the Statement is disappointing and I would like to ask you if in future years these Statements which you intend to make can be brought to the particular committees to be looked
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