WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1936
7
BOUGHT PLACES SCHEME: THREE SCHOOLS CLOSE
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THREE PRIVATE SCHOOLS HAVE CLOSED SINCE THE GOVERNMENT INFORMED 17 SUCH SCHOOLS IN MARCH LAST YEAR THAT IT WOULD CEASE TO BUY FORM 1 PLACES FROM THEM, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),
REPLYING TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON SELINA CHOW, MR HENDERSON SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY WHETHER CLOSURE WAS THE RESULT OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES ARISING FROM THE PHASING OUT OF THREE SCHOOLS FROM THE BOUGHT-PLACE SCHEME OR FROM OTHER CAUSES.
OF THE 1 332 STUDENTS AFFECTED, HE SAID 266 WERE FORM 5 GRADUATES. THE MAJORITY OF WHOM WOULD BE COMPLETING THE IR SECONDARY EDUCATION AT THAT POINT.
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MR HENDERSON SAID THE 17 PRIVATE SCHOOLS WERE INFORMED IN MARCH LAST YEAR THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WOULD CEASE TO BUY FORM 1 PLACES FROM THEM WITH EFFECT FROM SEPTEMBER 1986. THE REMA IN ING BOUGHT PLACES, IN FORM 2 AND FORM 3, WOULD BE PHASED OUT OVER THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS.
+wHENEVER A SCHOOL INDICATES ITS INTENTION TO CLOSE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROVIDES THE SCHOOL *ITH INFORMATION ABOUT VACANCIES IN NEARBY SCHOOLS FOR THE ASSISTANCE OF STUDENTS, HE SAID.
+ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE IS ALSO PROVIDED BY DISTRICT EDUCATION OFFICERS DIRECTLY TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS APPROACHING THEM.+
PLACES WERE FOUND IN THIS WAY FOR THE STUDENTS DISPLACED FROM THE SCHOOLS WHICH HAD CLOSED IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, HE ADDED.
BANNING OF IMITATION FIREARMS UNDER STUDY
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LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS AIMED AT BANNING THE POSSESSION OF IMITATION FIREARMS THAT VERY CLOSELY RESEMBLE GENUINE FIREARMS OR REPLICA FIREARMS, THEREBY REDUCING THE POTENTIAL FOR THEIR USE IN CRIME, ARE BEING EXAMINED BY A WORKING GROUP OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE, THE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JAMES FINDLAY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE WAS REPLYING TO DR THE HON CHIU HIN-KWONG, WHO HAD ASKED WHAT PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION ORDINANCE RELATING TO IMITATION WEAPONS.
MR FINDLAY