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2
Wednesday March 15, 1972
"Indeed, the impression has been given of a Government holding back in
many fields of endeavour."
Sir Yuet-keung criticised the Government for its "inadequate efforts"
in the field of public assistance.
He said Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council had urged the
Government, for many years, to give recipients cash assistance instead of only
issuing dry rations, "but it was only last year that this began to be done."
Proposals for increasing the rates of assistance, referred to by the
Financial Secretary, had now been approved,
"Even if these are taken into
account, however, the effort in this field must be considered inadequate in
the light of our financial position and the public need."
Public Assistance
Sir Yuet-keung referred to the Financial Secretary's remarks that
the rates of public assistance should not be such as to have an adverse effect
on employment and wages.
"This, no doubt, is another way of saying that they are to be kept
low so as to discourage anyone from giving up his work and relying on publi.
assistance to support himself.
"While this may be a sound principle as far as able-bodied persons
are concerned, can it be considered sound as regards those whom public assistance
is in the first place designed to aid - the aged and the disabled?
"Should, say, a man of 80 be given inadequate assistance on the grounds
that more would have an adverse effect on employment and wages?"
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The Senior