WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1982
PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE TO OPEN FOUR MORE URBAN OFFICES
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PLANS ARE BEING MADE TO SET UP FOUR MORE PUBLIC ENQUIRY OFFICES IN THE URBAN AREAS DURING THE NEXT (1982/83) FINANCIAL YEAR IN ADDITION TO THE 31 ENQUIRY COUNTERS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (WEDNESDAY), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SAID THIS WAS BEING MADE IN VIEW OF THE GROWING DEMAND FOR PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICES,
HE REVEALED THAT DURING THE YEAR, 6 791 966 CALLERS VISITED THE VARIOUS PUBLIC ENQUIRY COUNTERS AS COMPARED WITH 5 223 666 IN 1980, AN INCREASE OF WELL OVER 30 PER CENT,
THE EXISTING 31 PUBLIC ENQUIRY COUNTERS LAST YEAR PROVIDED VARIOUS SERVICES, SUCH AS DISTRIBUTING GOVERNMENT FORMS AND INFORMATION LEAFLETS, ADMINISTERING STATUTORY DECLARATIONS, PROVIDING INFORMATION ON GOVERNMENT SERVICES, RENDERING ASSISTANCE IN SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS, DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS AND ARRANGING REFERRALS WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX AND REQUIRED EXPERT ADVICE.
IN 1981, SOME 2 224 000 ENQUIRIES WERE HANDLED. MOST FREQUENTLY SOUGHT CONCERNED JOB VACANCIES, THE LOCATION,
INFORMATION TELEPHONE NUMBER AND OPENING HOURS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES, RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICES, APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC AND APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC HOUSING.
IN THIS SAME PERIOD, 4 293 355 FORMS AND INFORMATION LEAFLETS WERE DISTRIBUTED. THOSE IN GREATEST DEMAND WERE APPLICATION FOR INCLUSION IN A REGISTER OF ELECTORS (DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION), APPLICATION FORMS FOR GOVERNMENT JOBS, HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME APPLICATION FORMS, +WALK FOR MILLION+ ŠPONSOR FORMS AND GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION PRIVATE CANDIDATES ENTRY FORMS.
DURING THE YEAR, 274 548 PERSONAL CASES WERE HANDLED, OF THESE, 93 PER CENT WERE REQUESTS FOR STATUTORY DECLARATION SERVICE, APPLICATIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS, APPLICATIONS FOR HOUSING AND CLAIMING THE LOSS OF DOCUMENTS.
SOME 2 600 CASES UNDER THE FREE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME WERE TACKLED BY LAW SOCIETY'S SOLICITORS IN THE FOUR CITY DISTRICT OFFICES IN WAN CHAI, EASTERN, WONG TAI SIN AND MONG KOK, THE SCHEME WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY THE HONG KONG LAW SOCIETY AND FINANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN OPERATING IN CDOS SINCE NOVEMBER 1978.
ANOTHER SERVICE BEING PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC AT PUBLIC ENQUIRY COUNTERS IS THE +RENT OFFICER SCHEME+ WHICH IS AIMED AT ASSISTING THE LANDLORDS, TENANTS AND SUB-TENANTS WISHING TO DISCUSS THEIR TENANCY PROBLEMS WITH THE RENT OFFICERS.
DURING THE YEAR, 14 919 CALLERS MADE USE OF THE SERVICE AND DISCUSSED THEIR PROBLEMS WITH THE RENT OFFICERS WITHIN 10 CDOS IN THE URBAN AREA.
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