XN000022-1973-03-15 — Page 10

Thursday, March 15, 1973

Mr. Lobo expressed "disappointment" with the Financial Secretary's

proposal to abolish tax on admission charges to cinemas.

He said he would have been much happier if there was to be no tax

that is,

"only on those films which are acceptable for universal viewing

for the whole family thus serving more than one purpose."

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P

He hoped that consideration would be given to this in view of the

current and future campaigns to stamp out excessive sex and violence on the

screens.

Turning to social welfare, Mr. Lobo said that while Government spending

in this field had gone up remarkably in recent years, "we have still got a

long way to go in expanding and improving our social welfare services."

Social Welfare

Quoting statistics in the Budget Estimates, Mr. Lobo noted that

social welfare expenditure in 1962-63 amounted to only $15 million, as compared

with a projected total of $102 million for the new financial year.

He pointed out, however, that Hong Kong was only now taking over the

financial burden, whereas ten years ago it relied substantially on overseas

aid provided to social welfare agencies operating here.

"In other words, while we have undoubtedly progressed in these 10 years,

we have not progressed quite as far as the figures given in the graphic guide

" he said. appear to show,

He said he expected social welfare expenditure to rise sharply in the

next few years and he wondered whether the projected estimate for 1973-74 was

not "somewhat underestimated."

In particular,

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