XN000022-1974-10-17 — Page 3

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

1974

2

BUT WHILE ORGANISED TRAINING SCHEMES WOULD ATTRACT MORE BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE MEDIA, THEY WOULD ONLY DO SO + IF THIS TRAINING IS COUPLED WITH A DECENT SALARY, REASONABLE CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND GOOD PROMOTION PROSPECTS,+ HE STRESSED.

GREAT STRIDES HAD BEEN MADE IN RECENT YEARS IN IMPROVING PAY AND CONDITIONS, HE ADDED, +BUT TOO MANY JOURNALISTS ! FEAR ARE STILL ON SALARIES WHICH ARE A SAD REFLECTION OF THE VALUE PUT ON THEIR SERVICES BY THEIR EMPLOYERS.+

MR. FORD FELT THAT SOME HEART-SEARCHING BY MEDIA PROPRIETORS WAS NEEDED ON WHETHER THE MEDIA WAS BEST SERVED BY HAVING A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF LOW-SALARIED REPORTERS OR BY EMPLOYING A SMALLER NUMBER OF BETTER-QUALIFIED, BETTER PAID JOURNALISTS.

BECAUSE MANY JOURNALISTS WERE BADLY PAID, HE NOTED, THEY WERE SUBJECT TO GREAT PERSONAL PRESSURES AND AS A RESULT WERE SOMETIMES TEMPTED TO AUGMENT THEIR INCOME BY ACCEPTING MONEY FROM UNSCRUPULOUS PEOPLE WHO WERE ONLY TOO READY TO HAVE SOMETHING PUT INTO THE MEDIA OR KEPT OUT.

+THIS SITUATION IS UNLIKELY TO BE RESOLVED UNTIL JOURNALISTS ARE IN A BETTER FINANCIAL POSITION TO RESIST SUCH BLANDISHMENTS.+

NEW OFFICE FOR KWUN TONG BIRTHS AND MARRIAGE REGISTRY

**********

THE KUUN TONG BIRTHS AND MARRIAGE REGISTRY WILL MOVE FROM THE 3RD FLOOR TO THE 4TH FLOOR OF THE KUUN TONG DISTRICT BRANCH OFFICE BUILDING ON MONDAY COCTOBER 21).

THE NEW LOCATION WILL PROVIDE BETTER FACILITIES FOR THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING A SUITABLY DECORATED MARRIAGE ROOM AND A SEPARATE BRIDE'S ROOM. THE REGISTRY WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FULL FACILITIES FOR THE REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS IN ITS NEW PREMISES.

THE NORMAL OFFICE HOURS OF THE REGISTRY ARE FROM 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M. ON WEEK-DAYS, AND FROM 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. ON SATURDAYS.

13