XN000022-1976-10-04 — Page 4

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1976

THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, HE EXPLAINED, IS DESIGNED TO BRING THE INCOME OF A SINGLE ELIGIBLE PERSON OR A FAMILY UP TO THE LEVEL WHERE ESSENTIAL NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD AND CLOTHING CAN BE MET WITHOUT SUFFERING HARDSHIP.

+ THE COST OF ACCOMMODATION IS COVERED SEPARATELY BY A RENT ALLOWANCE, AND WHERE THERE ARE SPECIAL EXPENSES, FOR EXAMPLE, SCHOOL FEES FOR CHILDREN AND THE COST OF A MEDICALLY APPROVED DIET, DISCRETIONARY PAYMENTS MAY BE MADE, HE ADDED.

IN REGARD TO THE CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, HE SAID: THE SCHEME IS MEANS-TESTED. UNLESS IT IS DISCOVERED THAT THE FAMILY HAS SUFFICIENT SAVINGS TO KEEP GOING WITHOUT HELP, WE WORK OUT HOW MUCH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IS TO BE PAID TO THEM.

+EACH ELIGIBLE PERSON IN THE FAMILY HAS A BASIC ALLOWANCE. A RENT ALLOWANCE AND SPECIAL EXPENSES INCURRED ARE ADDED TO THE FAMILY'S TOTAL BASIC ALLOWANCE. THEN ANY INCOME DERIVED FROM THEIR SAVINGS ETC. IS SUBTRACTED FROM THIS GRAND TOTAL AND THE BALANCE IS PAID TO THEM IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.+

PLAYGROUND FOR KWAI CHUNG ******

RESIDENTS OF DENSELY-POPULATED KWAI CHUNG WILL SOON HAVE A PLAYGROUND FOR SPORTS AND RECREATION.

LE

THE PLAYGROUND, TO BE LOCATED AT THE EASTERN SIDE OF SHEK STREET OPPOSITE THE SHEK LEI ESTATE, WILL BE THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF NEW PLAYGROUNDS SOON TO BE BUILT BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IN THE TSUEN WAN AND KWAI CHUNG AREA,

OCCUPYING AN AREA OF SOME 13,000 SQUARE METRES, THE NEW PLAYGROUND WILL HAVE A HARD SURFACE MINI-SOCCER PITCH, A BASKETBALL COURT, A BASKETBALL-CUM-VOLLEY BALL COURT, A SERVICE BUILDING, AND A SITTING OUT AREA WITH CONCRETE BENCHES AND ARBOURS.

THE WHOLE PLAYGROUND WILL BE PROVIDED WITH FLOODLIGHTS TO ENABLE MAXIMUM USE AT NIGHT.

WORK ON THE PLAYGROUND IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN EARLY DECEMBER AND SHOULD TAKE ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

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