22
-
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1974.
+NEVERTHELESS WE HAVE MADE A SUBSTANTIAL BEGINNING AND I AM CONVINCED WE ARE WORKING ALONG THE RIGHT LINES. WHAT IS MORE, OUR ACHIEVEMENT AND OUR STANDARDS OF WORK COMPARE FAVOURABLY WITH THE WORK DONE IN MANY NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES.+
ENGLISH SCHOOL PLACES
REGARDING THE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY MR. WILLIAMS IN RESPECT OF THE PROVISION OF ENGLISH SCHOOL PLACES, MR. TOPLEY ASSURED HIM THAT THE PRESENT POSITION WAS NOT DUE TO A LACK OF FORESIGHT OR PLANNING BUT TO A NEED TO USE AVAILABLE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO THE UTMOST AGAINST AN ERRATIC DEMAND.
TO MEET THE PRESENT DEMAND, THE DIRECTOR SAID HE INTENDED TO USE SPARE ACCOMMODATION IN EXISTING BUILDINGS.
AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL, EASTERN HOSPITAL ROAD SCHOOL ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND TAI HANG TUNG SCHOOL IN YAU YAT CHUEN IN KOWLOON, THE FORMER ON A TEMPORARY BASIS UNTIL A NEW SCHOOL WAS BUILT AT STUBBS ROAD AND THE LATTER ON A PERMANENT BASIS.
+IN ADDITION, I INTEND TO CONTINUE TO USE THE EXISTING QUARRY BAY AND KENNEDY ROAD SCHOOLS UNTIL THEY CAN BE REPROVISIONED AS ONE SCHOOL ON A SITE ON THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE ISLAND,+ HE SAID.
AS REGARDS THE STUBBS ROAD SITE IT IS NOW INTENDED THAT A NEW SCHOOL TO BE RUN BY THE ENGLISH SCHOOLS FOUNDATION SHOULD BE BUILT ON THIS SITE. + REGRET TO STATE, HOWEVER, THAT THE STUBBS ROAD PROJECT HAS FAILED TO COMPETE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THIS COUNCIL WITH OTHER PRIORITY PROJECTS AND CANNOT THEREFORE BE PROCEEDED WITH AT PRESENT DUE TO THE LACK OF FUNDS.+
AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, THE DIRECTOR SAID IT WILL BE ENTIRELY POSSIBLE TO USE THE PREMISES OF THE FORMER MILITARY -HOSPITAL IN BOWEN ROAD AS AN ANNEX TO ISLAND SCHOOL ON HONG
KONG ISLAND AND NECESSARY ALTERATIONS CAN BE PUT ON HAND STRAIGHT AWAY, A DEGREE OF FLOTATION CAN ALSO BE INTRODUCED IN KING GEORGE V SCHOOL IN KOWLOON. BOTH OF THESE MEASURES WILL BE TEMPORARY UNTIL A NEW SECONDARY SCHOOL CAN BE BUILT ON A SITE AVAILABLE IN CORNWALL STREET, KOWLOON. HOWEVER, MR. TOPLEY EMPHASISED THAT +NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROJECT AT PRESENT, AND WILL TRY TO INTRODUCE AN ITEM IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.+
HE EXPLAINED THAT FOR THE TIME BEING. BY PRESENT CALCULATIONS UNTIL 1978, ADEQUATE PLACES COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH-SPEAKING SCHOOLS AT BOTH THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS.
+IN THE LONGER TERM WE FACE A NEW SITUATION IN WHICH THE CASE FOR NEW SCHOOLS IS GENERALLY AGREED BUT IN WHICH THE SHORTAGE OF FUNDS IN RELATION TO THE STRENGTH OF OTHER COMPETING ITEMS OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURE MAKE THE SITUATION MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
/+I HAVE
•