XN000022-1975-10-15 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1575

WELFARE OF HK RESIDENTS IN BRITAIN

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HONG KONG'S COMMISSIONER IN LONDON, MR. S.T. KIDD, YESTERDAY CED HONG KONG RESIDENTS IN BRITAIN TO CO-OPERATE WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES RELATIONS OFFICERS IN PROMOTING THE WELFARE OF THE CHINESE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

HE WAS ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE AT THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY OF OFFICERS IN LONDON.

MR. KIDD SAID THE COMMISSION HAD LOCAL OFFICERS IN ALL THE MAIN CITIES AND TOWNS, AND WAS ALREADY WORKING ALONG-SIDE MEMBERS OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN A SMALL NUMBER OF AREAS IN SETTING UP CHILDREN'S CENTRES AND YOUTH CENTRES WHERE RECREATIONAL. ACTIVITIES, ENGLISH LESSONS FOR YOUNG AND OLD, AND CHINESE CLASULS WERE BEING ORGANISED.

R. KIDD TOLD THE GATHERING THAT WHILE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN LONDON RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING AND DEVELOPING CHINESE CULTURE AMONG THE

CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS FROM HONG KONG, IT WAS EQUALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO LEARN ENGLISH.

+FORMERLY, WHEN MEN MADE UP THE BULK OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN THIS COUNTRY, THEY PREFERRED TO KEEP VERY MUCH TO THEMSELVES AND CONSIDERED THAT THEIR PRESENCE HERE WAS ONLY TEMPORARY. THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS,+ HE SAID.

+MANY DEPENDENTS, BOTH WIVES AND CHILDREN, HAVE COME TO JOIN THE HEADS OF THEIR FAMILIES. CHILDREN ARE GOING TO SCHOOL WHEREVER THEY LIVE THROUGHOUT BRITAIN.

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+THEY ARE THUS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO THE WAY OF LIFE AND CUSTOMS OF THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION, INDIRECTLY THEIR PARENTS ARE SIMILARLY EXPOSED, THE EDUCATION AUTHORITIES ARE THEREFORE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE INADEQUATE COMMAND OF ENGLISH OF THESE CHINESE CHILDREN AND THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS AND MEANS OF REMEDYING THIS DEFICIENCY,+ MR. KIDD SAID.

IN HIS ADDRESS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHINESE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE, MR. CHÁN SAU-ON SAID: +WE MUST TRY HARD TO PRESERVE AND TO FURTHER DEVELOP OUR CULTURE WHICH IS A VERY VALUABLE INHERITANCE WE HAVE FROM OUR FOREFATHERS AND WHICH IS RECOGNISED

· THE WORLD OVER AS THE MOST VALUABLE ASSET OF MANKIND.

+OUR CHINESE CLASSES HAVE EXISTED FOR SEVEN YEARS IN WHICH WE HAVE SEEN THEIR ENROLMENT RISE FROM JUST OVER TEN CHILDREN TO THE PRESENT 200 PLUS. OUR WISH IS THAT THERE MAY ONE DAY BE A PROPER SCHOOL WITH BOARDING FACILITIES TO PREPARE BOTH CHINESE AND FOREIGN PUPILS TO SIT FOR GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATIONS. WE WILL WORK HARD TOWARDS THE GOAL.+

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