XN000022-1973-03-14 — Page 19

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Wednesday, March 14, 1973

These services, he stressed, would enhance Hong Kong's prosperity

and ensure a healthy growth of the public purse which, in turn, would

enable the implementation of further development.

"In view of the vulnerable position of the money we hold in

reserve and the loss we have suffered in all these years, can we not

be convinced that no investment is safer and more profitable than

investment on our own soil?" he asked.

On the civil service, Mr. Wang believed that a close examination

of its productivity was in order.

In this context, he questioned whether sufficient provisions

were being made for refresher courses and in-service training, and other

opportunities to improve the standards and qualifications of present

serving civil servants.

Training

He also wondered whether enough was being done to provide

apprenticeship training and career guidance for undergraduates and

senior school students so that new recruits could have a better knowledge

of what their new jobs demanded of them.

Commenting on the surpluses, Mr. Wang felt that improvements

could be made in the provision of more up-to-date information on Hong

Kong's financial position.

This would assist all those in a position to decide or to

suggest, or even to criticise on matters involving finance in the

administration, he said.

It appeared, he added that "there are advantages in decentralising

control in certain special fields of services for more efficient

administration and progressive development."

"To say ****