SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1975
+IN ALL THIS IT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THAT THE SCOUT MOVEMENT CAN ADJUST QUICKLY TO NEW CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT ITS SERVICES ARE OF CREAT VALUE, AND THAT THIS IS APPRECIATED BY THE COMMUNITY IN THE MOST PRACTICAL WAY POSSIBLE.
+A GOOD DEAL OF THIS HAS BEEN DUE TO THE HARD WORK, TERSERVERANCE AND IMAGINATIVE LEADERSHIP OF YOUR OFFICIALS. A NUMBER OF THEM, BOTH LAY MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONERS, WILL TODAY BE RECEIVING AWARDS IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR LONG AND OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE MOVEMENT. I AM SURE YOU WILL WISH TO JOIN ME IN COMIRATULATING THEM HEARTILY ON THEIR AWARDS, WHICH ARE SO WELL DESERVED. I AM SURE THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY A LEADING PART IN ENSURING BETTER SCOUTING FOR MORE BOYS IN HONG KONG.
+AND NOW I WISH YOU GOOD SCOUTING IN THE COMING YEAR.+
HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S ASSURANCE TO CLEANSING WORKERS
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THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TODAY (SATURDAY) ASSURED MEMBERS OF THE CLEANSING STAFF WORKING IN ITS GROUP B ESTATES THAT NONE OF THEM WILL HAVE HIS SERVICE TERMINATED AS A RESULT OF THE REORGANISATION OF THE CLEANSING OF THE ESTATE.
THE CATEGORICAL ASSURANCE WAS CONTAINED IN A LETTER TO THE GOVERNMENT, ARMED FORCES, AND HOSPITALS CHINESE WORKERS UNION CLARIFYING CERTAIN POINTS WHICH WERE DISCUSSED AT A MEETING WITH THE UNION'S REPRESENTATIVES ON APRIL 22, 1975.
SPEAKING ON THE CONDITIONS OF SERVICE FOR THOSE TO BE TRANSFERRED, MR. RICHARD NORMAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, SAID THAT THEIR SERVICE WOULD NATURALLY BE CONSIDERED AS CONTINUOUS AND THEY WOULD RETAIN THEIR BASIC PAY AS WELL AS COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE.
+THEIR CLAIM FOR THE OBNOXIOUS DUTY ALLOWANCE WILL OF COURSE DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF WORK THEY WILL BE ASKED TO DO, MR. NORMAN ADDED.
HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT SINCE THE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE
A SURPLUS OF CLEANSING STAFF AFTER THE REORGANISATION IT WAS IMPRACTICABLE TO CONSIDER EXTENSION OF SERVICE.
THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GRADUALLY REORGANISING THE CLEANSING OF THE GROUP B ESTATE TO CUT DOWN COSTS.
THE REORGANISATION, WHICH TAKES THE FORM OF SWITCHING THE CLEANSING WORK FROM ITS OWN STAFF TO CONTRACTORS, WILL BE A GRADUAL PROCESS AND WILL PROBABLY EXTEND OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
13.