WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1978
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IN THE FOUR
ON HOUSING, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY HOUSED 46 PER CENT OF THE PORÜLATION AT HEAVILY SUBSIDISED RENT. YEARS FROM 1978/79 TO 1981/82, THE GOVERNMENT WILL COMPLETE PUBLIC HOUSING AT SUBSIDISED RATES FOR ABOUT ONE MILLION MORE PEOPLE.
ON EDUCATION, SIR MURRAY SAID: THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THREE YEARS SECONDARY AS WELL AS PRIMARY EDUCATION WILL BE AVAILABLE AND FREE FOR ALL CHILDREN. THIS PROGRAMME ALONE INVOLVES THE CONSTRUCTION OF 85 SCHOOLS. THE NUMBER OF PLACES IN HIGHER EDUCATION (THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNIC) IS INCREASING FROM 8,000 IN 1973 TO NEARLY 22,000 IN 1981.+
ON MEDICAL SERVICES, HE SAID THE INCREASE IN HOSPITAL BEDS IN THE SIX YEARS FROM 1978 TO 1984 WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 7,000 AND IN THE SAME TIME EIGHT NEW CLINICS AND POLYCLINICS WILL OPEN.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT THERE IS A MASSIVE PROGRAMME OF ENGINEERING WORKS TO GIVE ACCESS BY ROAD OR RAIL TO AREAS WHERE BUILDING LAND EXISTS OR CAN BE FORMED BY RECLAMATION OF THE SEA, SO THAT THREE NEW SELF-CONTAINED TOWNS AVERAGING 600,000 CAN BE BUILT BEFORE 1984 IN BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
HE SAID: +AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE EXPENDITURE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE INCREASED FROM NEARLY HK$3 BILLION IN 1971/72 TO OVER $10 BILLION IN 1978/79.
+IT IS MUCH MORE SURPRISING THAT THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED WITH- OUT LARGE INCREASE IN TAXATION, AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW SELF- LIQUIDATING PROJECTS, HAS BEEN FINANCED FROM REVENUE NOT DEBT.+
+THIS HAS ONLY BEEN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE ECONOMY, DOMESTIC EXPORTS GREW FROM HK$2.9 BILLION IN 1961 TO $35 BILLION IN 1977 AND THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT IN PER CAPITA REAL TERMS INCREASED BY AN AVERAGE OF 6.4 PER CENT A YEAR BETWEEN 1961 AND 1971 AND BY 7.1 PER CENT SINCE 1971, + SIR MURRAY SAID.
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