WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1934
14
PLANS FOR MORE SPENDING ON EDUCATION BACKED
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REV THE HON PATRICK MCGOVERN EXPRESSED APPROBATION THAT THE EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR WAS ESTIMATED TO INCREASE BY ALMOST 18 PER CENT OVER 1983-84.
SPEAKING IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET DEBATE, HE SAID, I ALSO NOTE WITH APPROBATION THAT THE ADVICE OF SOME UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET DEBATE THAT IF TAX INCREASES WERE NECESSARY THIS YEAR THE INCREASE SHOULD BE BY DIRECT TAXATION RATHER THAN INDIRECT WAS HEEDED.+
COMMENTING ON THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION, HE NOTED THAT THE INCREASE WAS IN KEEPING WITH A POINT PUT FORWARD BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS IN THE DEBATE ON THE LLEWELLYN REPORT ON JULY 13, 1983 THAT +MONEY SPENT ON EDUCATION IS MONEY WELL INVESTED IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG+.
+UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ARE NO DOUBT PLEASED THAT SOMEONE WAS LISTENING AND THAT THE TREND OF THE EARLIER EIGHTIES OF A DECLINING PROPORTION OF CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT FOR EDUCATION HAS BEEN REVERSED,+ HE SAID.
HE ALSO SAID THAT IN INDIRECT BUDGETARY MATTERS, A LITTLE PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE SINCE AUGUST IN THAT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION HAD BEEN PARTLY SET UP.
+A PLEASING FEATURE IS THAT THE ADVICE OF UNOFFICIALS HAS AGAIN BEEN HEEDED IN THAT THE NUMBER OF OFFICIALS ON THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN REDUCED AND THE NUMBER OF UNOFFICIALS IS TO BE INCREASED, HE SAID.
+UNTIL I HEAR MORE COMMENT I RESERVE MY POSITION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD NOT BE A STATUTORY BODY AS RECOMMENDED IN THE REPORT, HE ADDED,
HOWEVER HE HOPED THAT IN ITS CO-ORDINATING ROLE, WHILE NOT USURPING THE POWERS OR ROLES OF OTHER BODIES, THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT CLOUT TO KNOCK HEADS TOGETHER WHERE THEY NEED KNOCK ING.
FATHER MCGOVERN ALSO NOTED THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD TAKE SIX MONTHS TO DIGEST THE REPORT AND THE COMMENTS ON IT BEFORE SELECTING PRIORITIES FOR ACTION.
HE SAID, THE QUESTION ON MANY PEOPLE'S MINDS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF IN SIX MONTHS' TIME THE COMMISSION SELECTS PRIORITIES FOR ACTION WHICH ARE MORE COSTLY THAN THE PRESENT CONTINUING IMPROVEMENTS, WILL THE ESTIMATED 16 PER CENT OF THE CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT EXPENDITURE ASSIGNED TO EDUCATION BE ENOUGH TO PAY FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?+
+ IT MAY BE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT DRAGGING ITS FEET, BUT THE FEAR IS THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES THE COMMISSION MAY FIND ITS HANDS TIED FOR LACK OF FUNDS. I HOPE SUCH FEAR TURNS OUT TO BE UNFOUNDED, HE ADDED.
TURNING PO .....................