THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1974
6.
HONG KONG MAY OPEN NEW BRANCH OFFICE IN SCOTLAND
TO SERVE CHINESE COMMUNITY THERE
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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN LONDON IS CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF OPEN ANOTHER BRANCH OFFICE, POSSIBLY IN SCOTLAND, TO SERVE THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY IN BRITAIN.
THIS WAS INDICATED BY THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER IN LONDON, MR. S.T. KIDD, SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE 7TH TERM OF OFFICE OF THE CHAMBER OF CHINESE TRADERS IN LONDON YESTERDAY.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS REVIEWING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LIVERPOOL BRANCH OFFICE, WHICH WAS OPENED LAST YEAR, BEFORE EMBARKING ON FURTHER EXPANSION IN BRITAIN.
MR. KIDD COMMENDED THE CHAMBER FOR ITS EFFORTS IN PROMOTING. THE WELFARE OF ITS MEMBERS BY FOSTERING THEIR MUTUAL FRIENDSHIP, ORGANISING VISITS AND TRADE MISSIONS, AND TAKING AN ACTIVE PART IN PROVIDING A SUITABLE CHINESE EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
WHILE THE CHINESE CLASSES ORGANISED BY THE CHAMBER WERE PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL, THEY WERE NOW FACED WITH THE PROBLEM OF FINDING MORE SUITABLE PREMISES IN WHICH TO RUN THE STEADILY EXPANDING CLASSES, HE SAID.
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HE ASSURED THEM THAT THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO WHAT IT COULD TO HELP FIND A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.
THE COMMISSIONER SPOKE OF THE GREAT RESPECT IN WHICH THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY HAS HELD IN BRITAIN FOR ITS INDUSTRY AND RESPECT FOR THE LAW.
BUT HE SAID THERE WERE ALWAYS BOUND TO BE NEW SITUATIONS WITH WHICH THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY WOULD BE FACED IN LIVING IN BRITAIN, AND HE PLEDGED THAT THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE WOULD MAINTAIN CLOSE LIAISON WITH THE CHAMBER AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE TO TACKLE THE PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE.
THE COMMISSIONER NOTED THAT PARENTS WERE PROVIDING THEIR CHILDREN WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN TO APPRECIATE CHINESE CULTURE, THROUGH THE TUITION PROVIDED BY VARIOUS CHINESE CLASSES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME GIVING THEM ENCOURAGEMENT TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE LOCAL EDUCATION SYSTEM.
THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE HAD BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST PARENTS IN THIS WORK BY PROVIDING TEXTBOOKS FROM HONG KONG WHICH CONVEYED A KNOWLEDGE OF CHINESE AGAINST THE HONG KONG BACKGROUND.
THE REGULAR SUBSIDIES WHICH THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE ALSO PROVIDED TOWARDS THE RUNNING OF THESE CLASSES WAS ANOTHER FORM OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THIS WORK, SAID MR. KIDD.
REFERRING TO THE CHINESE CLASSES, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CHAMBER, FR. CHAN SAU-ON, SAID THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS HAD STEADILY INCREASED IN THE PAST SIX YEARS, AND THE CHAMBER HAD STARTED SOME CLASSES AT SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL.
MR. CHAN APPEALED TO MEMBERS TO PUT MORE EFFORT INTO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE WELFARE OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN BRITAIN.
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