XN000022-1976-10-27 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1976

SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT'S TARGET ON HOUSING

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THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT GOOD PUBLIC HOUSING AT REASONABLY LOW RENTALS WAS ESSENTIAL IN CREATING A SENSE OF IDENTITY AND LOYALTY TO HONG KONG.

IN SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT'S TARGET TO HAVE +SELF-CONTAINED HOUSING IN A DECENT ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL AND WITHIN THE MEANS OF ALL, BY THE EARLY 80S+, HE SAID IT SHOULD BE THE ROLE OF THE COUNCIL TO GIVE THE SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE NECESSARY TO SEE THAT THE BACK OF THE HOUSING PROBLEM WAS BROKEN BY 1984.

REGARDING HOME OWNERSHIP, MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE PROMOTION OF THIS SCHEME PARTICULARLY FOR THE LOWER MIDDLE INCOME GROUPS WITH A MAXIMUM FAMILY MONTHLY INCOME OF $3,500 TO $4,000, DESERVED SUPPORT AND THAT THE COUNCIL WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THE PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS TO BE DEVISED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S WORKING PARTY AS TO HOW THE SCHEME WOULD OPERATE.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN ALSO VOICED HIS SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO ELIMINATE PRINCIPAL DEFECTS IN HONG KONG'S SOCIETY IN 10 YEARS.

THIS LONG-TERM PLANNING, HE SAID, CONTRIBUTED CONFIDENCE TO HONG KONG AND ENCOURAGED ITS CITIZENS TO FACE THE FUTURE WITH DETERMINATION AND CONVICTION.

+MANY OF GOVERNMENT'S LONG-TERM PLANS SEEK TO IMPROVE LIVING STANDARDS AND THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, HE STATED,

+

+THE THRUST TOWARDS BETTER CONDITIONS FOR WORKERS, IF SENSIBLY APPLIED AT THE RIGHT POINT IN TIME. WILL PROGRESSIVELY DEMOLISH IN OUR SOCIETY THE TIME-WORN BELIEF THAT THE BLUE-COLLAR WORKER IS AT THE LOWER RUNG OF THE SOCIAL LADDER THAN THE WHITE- COLLAR WORKER OR MANAGER,

+YET IN ADVANCING TOWARDS MORE WORKERS' WELFARE, WE CANNOT SUCCUMB TO ANY ILL-ADVISED PRESSURE FROM OUTSIDE INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS, NO MATTER HOW WELL-INTENTIONED, TO ACCELERATE THE PACE OF SUCH SOCIAL REFORMS BEYOND THE GROWTH CAPACITY OF OUR ECONOMY.+

+HONG KONG'S VERITABLE EXISTENCE, HE STRESSED, DEPENDS FIRSTLY ON CONFIDENCE AND SECONDLY ON AN EXPANDING ECONOMY CAPABLE OF ABSORBING A STEADY PACE OF SOCIAL REFORMS.+

ON UMELCO, MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PRESENT SYSTEM IMPROVED EVEN FURTHER THROUGH CLOSER LIAISON BETWEEN THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICES AND THE UMELCO OFFICE.

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE, HE ADDED, WAS TO EXPOSE THOSE AREAS WHERE +POLICY AND/OR LEGISLATION NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, WHERE THERE IS A STRONG CASE FOR DEPARTURE FROM POLICY IN THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHERE NO ACTION IS FORTHCOMING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. +

MR. CHEONG-LEEN