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a free hand so that hawker operations can be planned and executed as speedily as possible "without intervention" (which, as Members may recall, is one of the key-factors which they have approved, to ensure the success of operations). We do sympathize with hawkers who lose out as a result of departmental action, but any move which frustrates that action which is based on your agreed policy and procedure, does untold harm to all concerned, particularly the Council itself and its public reputation for competent management. My department has already embarked on a vigorous programme of hawker operations with a view to speedy implementation of the policy. The only assurance I can give Mr. CHEONG-LEEN is that I shall do my best to obtain from Government the additional resources necessary for us to do the job.
With regard to markets, I would like to think that we are on the threshold of an important breakthrough. A programme for the re-provisioning of old markets and the building of new ones is once more in train, as the Director of Public Works has already stated, and the years to come should witness a significant, though necessarily gradual, improvement of the marketing facilities provided for our community. Our efforts lie not only in expansion but also in the adoption of new ideas, so that we can keep pace with modern marketing trends and the rapidly changing needs of our community. The modular market is an important example of the Council's efforts to meet the needs of a new age, and my staff will watch closely the effects of this new project in the Resettlement Estates selected for this experiment, and do all we can to make it succeed.
The multiple use of sites for markets is an important (though not a new) concept for our future market building and design and this subject is currently receiving a lot of attention from planning experts. I entirely agree that Council and Government must be prepared to accept new ideas and also use their imagination in developing sites. I know for a fact that this is already happening.
No one could disagree with Mr. FORSGATE that our new abattoirs at Kennedy Town and Cheung Sha Wan are a vast improvement over the primitive slaughterhouses they replaced and I am glad to mention that, as a result of the full commissioning of Cheung Sha Wan on 17th March, 1970, total revenue is now in the region of $15 million per year as compared with $9.6 million in 1969-70, and goes a long way to reducing the large deficit there. In February 1969, a Working Party was set up to review our abattoir operations and to recommend possible measures of economy and methods for improving operating efficiency. Because of difficulties surrounding the operation of the abattoirs, not the least of which was the problem of introducing a modern line system to a meat trade which was accustomed to habits and practices established generations ago, the Working Party deliberately deferred drawing up conclusions or making recommendations until Members had had the opportunity of observing and reviewing the operations at Cheung Sha Wan Abattoir once its teething troubles had been overcome. This abattoir was not fully commissioned until 17th March, 1970, since when the Abattoir Management has had to struggle through various difficulties, such as a labour force consisting largely of butchers who had previously been in private employment and accustomed to the chaos in the old slaughterhouses; a line system which required the complete revision of the meat delivery schedule; and, not least, the atavistic prejudice against cooled meat (the abattoirs being provided with cooling rooms that are now largely unused). Perhaps Councillors can take opportunities from time to time to speak out in favour of the quality, flavour and hygiene of chilled meat, which really is better than the hot and pulsating variety that conservative custom still demands.
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However, I am very glad to say that the Working Party has now completed its investigations and should produce its report shortly. This will cover all the difficulties already mentioned, and will be submitted to Members for consideration in due course.
Several Members spoke on various aspects of education. Many of the points made have already been covered by the Director of Education in the Legislative Council and I cannot attempt today to cover all the points raised. Mr. Henry Hu referred to the educational needs of children between 12 and 14 years of age. On this, the Director of Education has informed me that the provision of secondary school places in a 3-year secondary course for the 12 to 14 age group has already been accepted in principle, and planning is proceeding on the basis of providing places for 50% of this age group by 1976. Dr. HUANG recommended the abolition of the secondary school entrance examination. The Director of Education is on record at the Legislative Council Debate on 9th October as expressing concern at the necessity of imposing a selection examination at the end of the primary course. The form of the examination is being constantly reviewed, and it is to be hoped that the increasing number of secondary places in secondary schools, together with the proposals for 3 years of post-primary education for the 12 to 14 age group, will take some of the heat out of the examination. However, even if the examination were to be abolished, the pupil would certainly have to take a secondary school entrance examination at the various schools to which he applied, and it is not thought that this would be any more satisfactory from the pupil's point of view.
Mrs. SYMONS referred to the proposals put forward by the Association of Heads of Secondary Schools. The Director of Education has stated that these proposals were indeed of great value in the formulation
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