HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

through the Estate Liaison Officers and the Officer-in-charge of Lo Fu Ngam Estate amongst the local residents and the existing Lo Fu Ngam Estate Kaifong Welfare Association to judge the local feeling on the feasibility of the proposed change and its new name to be created. As soon as the results are known, this department will process it in the same way as we did for LAM TIN ESTATE.

MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, may I ask if the name Lam Tin was decided by the Management Select Committee, or was it decided by somebody in the Department?

COMMISSIONER for RESETTLEMENT:- I was not in the chair at the time, Sir. I believe it was decided by the Committee.

MR. C. K. CHAN:- Mr. Chairman, I think I can remember that the proposal of Lam Tin was suggested by the S.C.A. and was approved by the Management Committee.

MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, may I ask that before the name Lo Fu Ngam is changed, wide publicity be given to it and that the Committee concerned is consulted, because Lo Fu Ngam was called Lo Fu Ngam long before the resettlement estate, and I understand the local people like it.

MR. HU:- You mean local people wanted it? Or they do not want?

MRS. ELLIOTT:- They like it.

MR. HU:- Yes, it was a result of the 1965 survey, Mr. Chairman. Both educated and uneducated people still like this name. They said "Lo Fu"- "Fu" means wealth, so they think it's a good name. (Laughter).

MR. SALES: I'd like to offer Mr. Hu my services as a Cantonese interpreter. (Laughter).

MR. HU:- No, it is not necessary, Mr. Chairman. My Cantonese is good enough to be understood. I think that "Fu" means wealth and rich, but in Mr. Solomon RAFEEK's original question, he said that those people with names which mean sheep, kid, horse and cow thought Lo Fu Ngam was bad luck because of their name. They are superstitious. So we will still try to conduct a survey. If the survey is in favour of changing the name, we will change it. If the survey is still in line with 1965, then we should not change the name.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, can we have an assurance from the Chairman of the Committee that if another survey is carried out, not only the educated and uneducated persons will be consulted, but also the half-educated persons? (Laughter).

MR. HU: Certainly we will, Mr. Chairman. We will include them as well.

(12) MRS. C. J. SYMONS asked the following question:

In view of our declared intention to keep under continuous review the recreational needs of all sections of the population, including the possible provision of new types of facilities, what plans are being made for an increase of personnel (especially at the executive level) to serve the community on a full-time basis in the implementation of such a policy?

MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-

Sir, a paper giving details of the staff increases in the Recreation and Amenities Division proposed for next financial year was issued to Members of the Recreation and Amenities and Estimates Select Committees on 7th September. No comments were received on this paper from Members of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee; it has therefore gone forward to the Estimates Select Committee. As was explicitly stated, the paper did not deal with the Swimming Section (except at headquarters level), since any increases contemplated at district level would have to be based on a survey of beach use which had not then been completed. This section's district requirements will be dealt with separately.

In preparing the estimates, the principle borne in mind for the district, that is, non-executive level, was that sufficient staff must be requested to take account of the expansion in the number of areas to be looked after, and at the same time to rectify any deficiencies which had become apparent during the year.

At the headquarters (executive) level, it was apparent that a considerable strengthening was required if the department was not to fall down on its main responsibilities of ensuring that new parks and playgrounds are developed as quickly as possible, that existing ones are managed effectively, and that the rapidly-increasing demands for more and better swimming facilities are met. Two extra

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