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MR. LOBO:-Thank you Mr. Chairman. Nice, short and sweet. I have reasons to believe Mr. Chairman that not all drivers wear their uniforms. I have seen many without uniforms, that's why I asked you this question.
CHAIRMAN: I think it is true to say Mr. LOBO that in very hot weather some drivers find their cabs exceptionally hot and I believe that in some cases they do not wear their uniform. We haven't been particularly severe on this because we know the cabins are indeed hot in the summer.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Perhaps, Mr. Chairman, a new type of summer uniform is required?
CHAIRMAN:-I don't think so, this has been gone into at some length Mr. BERNACCHI. They wear a cotton shirt and shorts in summer and blue serge tunic and blue serge trousers in winter. In summer, as I say, it's a cotton shirt and shorts, drill shorts. I don't know what other sort of uniform would be most suitable for them?
MR. BERNACCHI:-Then why is it in your previous answer you say that you have not been very strict on drivers wearing their uniforms; what else do they wear? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN:-Well, we haven't anything cooler than cotton shirts and shorts-but if anyone can suggest anything cooler...
MR. SALES:-All that Mr. BERNACCHI wants is an assurance that they don't wear monokinis Mr. Chairman. (Laughter).
(3) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
In line with Government's efforts to promote bilingualism in Hong Kong, can the Chairman advise whether Government has considered issuing an abridged version in Chinese of the latest Urban Services and Resettlement Department reports? If not, can consideration be given to this and action taken accordingly?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
This question concerns the translation of an abridged version of the Urban Services and Resettlement Departments' Annual Reports into Chinese.
In reply to a similar question asked by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN at the meeting of this Council held on 9th January, 1968, my predecessor stated that he could see no insuperable difficulty to translating selected extracts from the Urban Services Department's Annual Report, which could be stencilled and distributed to schools and associations interested in the work of the Council. He also stated that copies could be made available in the public libraries and on request from members of the public.
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As far as the Urban Services Department is concerned, it is the intention to produce a translation of an abridged version of the Departmental Annual Report for the year 1967-68 which is at present under preparation. However, I would point out that with the departmental translators already over-burdened with day-to-day translations, it may take some time to complete the task.
The Commissioner for Resettlement has informed me that he too is prepared to issue a Chinese translation of an abridged report of the work of the Resettlement Department if staff can be spared for this work and to this end he is considering translating a digest of facts and figures on Resettlement, which is at present produced in stencilled form only, in English, and which is used mainly as guides for the Tourist Association and for visitors to the Department.
Once the Chinese versions of these two reports are made available a study will be made of the demand to see whether or not their production in either stencilled or printed form is justified.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, with your permission I would like to ask supplementaries in two parts; one concerning the Urban Services Department Report and the other concerning Resettlement. Firstly, on the Annual Report of the Urban Services Department, why isn't it possible for the abridged Chinese version to be printed instead of stencilled?
CHAIRMAN:-I think one can enquire about that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, but my reaction to that would be that the Government Printer is heavily engaged in producing other reports and that it is more difficult to produce this in print: it will have to take its place in the long line of requirements.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Has consideration been given to having the abridged version printed in Chinese for future years, not necessarily the year under review but the year after?
CHAIRMAN:-No I've already explained Mr. CHEONG-LEEN that we'll see what the demand is once we've done this year's.
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