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with new methods and equipment to ensure a high efficiency. A plant nursery has been opened in Lion Rock Park and an attempt is being made to find a suitable site in the New Territories where an elaborate nursery could be opened. An officer of the department who is about to begin his second year of horticultural training in Australia has been urged to concentrate his studies on nursery techniques. Because of the extraordinarily heavy demand for planting material generated by the rapid building development in urban Hong Kong, even the economics of importing trees from neighbouring countries have been explored. We are not yet convinced that this is necessary, but are meanwhile visiting all private nurseries in the Colony to earmark suitable trees for purchase in the planting season next spring.
I mentioned earlier the growing interest shown by Members in ensuring the fullest possible use of all existing areas set aside for recreation. Mr. SALES has long been an advocate of play leadership, and a good deal of research has been made into the experimental situation in the United Kingdom to determine whether or not we could profitably borrow their ideas. In this sphere there is, I think, a danger of an overlapping of interests among several Government departments, and I have recently been in lengthy correspondence and discussion with the Director of Education and the Director of Social Welfare in an attempt to determine spheres of responsibility and to avoid any duplication of effort. We have concluded (and I must add that Mr. SALES was informed of and agreed with our conclusion) that the Social Welfare Department should be responsible for introducing a pilot play-leadership scheme. I was recently encouraged to learn that four youth workers are already in Britain and are being shown the best which that country can offer in the field of adventure playgrounds and play leadership.
I have likewise agreed that our new swimming complexes could best be exploited if a coach were engaged to instruct officers of the Education Department, which is already involved in the teaching of swimming, in the most effective ways of so teaching children. I believe that the emphasis should lie in ensuring that the greatest possible number of children should be taught how to survive in water. Selected swimmers could also be helped in their techniques by a coach who could possibly best work through the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association.
I must also comment on Mr. Wilson WANG's proposal for the creation of a co-ordinating committee on sport and the appointment of a Community Sports Recreation Officer within the Urban Services Department which has formed the subject of many an elegant plea from him. It is only some eighteen months ago that a Sub-Committee of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee of this Council submitted its report on recommendations made by Mr. K. L. GILL in his "Survey on Recreation for Young People". I appreciate that Mr. WANG submitted a dissenting view, but the Sub-Committee recommended, and its report was endorsed in Select Committee, that any increased effort should concentrate on supporting existing sports organizations. It was felt that a co-ordinating committee could not be set up without either duplicating the work, or derogating from the authority, of several Government departments, the Urban Council, and the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong. I am not aware of the emergence of factors in recent months which would persuade me to change this view.
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MR. SALES: --Sir, on a point of order, it is just twenty minutes, and as you are Chairman of this Council it would not be proper for you to exercise discretion in your favour. So may I, on behalf of the Appointed Members and also perhaps of the other Unofficial Members, suggest that we waive Standing Orders in your favour and let you carry on with your reply. (Applause).
CHAIRMAN: -I believe that we have gone some way already towards meeting the request for a Sports Officer. In March of this year, the Urban Services Department sought the creation of the post of Recreation/Entertainments Officer to co-ordinate effort and to ensure the fullest use of our facilities for play. It was hoped to appoint someone experienced in this field but, because of the urgency of the request, I was asked to re-deploy my existing staff and the appointment of Mr. HUTCHINSON emerged from this exercise. His appointment, as Members will appreciate, was experimental, but his success has encouraged us again to seek the creation of a post to accommodate him (or his successor) among a new grade of Amenities Officer which it is hoped to form. If this is agreed, and I understand that it is now being actively considered in the Secretariat, there is no reason why we should not stipulate certain professional qualifications as a condition of appointment.
The remarks made by Mr. SALES on the utilization of the City Hall were most encouraging. He also spoke on the City Hall Select Committee's plans for still further increasing the number of Urban Council Popular Concerts next year and the intention of inviting more overseas artists to perform. These plans, as well as the creation of an Assistant Manager's post to deal mainly with these concerts, are now under active consideration by the Secretariat.
Mr. Peter CHAN's suggestion of establishing a soft drink bar in the City Hall to serve children at low prices will be referred to Mr. SALES and his City Hall Select Committee for consideration, as Members were informed earlier at this meeting.
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