XN000022-1977-06-15 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1977

KINDERGARTEN POPULATION IS 161,000

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A KINDERGARTEN POPULATION OF 161,000 WAS RECORDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR WHICH STARTED ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1976, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

OUT OF THIS KINDERGARTEN POPULATION, 139,000 WERE CHILDREN OF FOUR TO SIX, HE SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY REV. THE HON. JOYCE BENNETT ON THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN OF FOUR TO SIX ATTENDING PRE-SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN, PLAYGROUPS AND NURSERY CLASSES IN THE CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR.

THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN OF TWO TO SIX ATTENDING PLAYGROUPS AND NURSERIES WAS 12,000 AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH, MR. TOPLEY SAID.

REFERRING TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY REV. BENNETT ON THE CLOSURE OF KINDERGARTENS, MR. TOPLEY SAID, 53 OF THEM WERE CLOSED IN 1975 AND 38 IN 1976. DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, 13 KINDERGARTENS WERE CLOSED.

THE NUMBER OF PLAYGROUPS AND NURSERIES CLOSED IN 1975 AND 1976 IS NOT KNOWN BECAUSE THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED UNTIL JUNE 1, 1976 AND OPERATORS OF SUCH GROUPS WERE GIVEN A YEAR TO REGISTER, MR. TOPLEY SAID,

HE ALSO NOTED THAT NO PLAYGROUPS KNOWN TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WERE EXPECTED TO CLOSE THIS SUMMER BUT 38 NURSERIES KNOWN TO DEPARTMENT WOULD REQUIRE TO CLOSE.

GOVERNMENT OWNS 10.1M SQ FT RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION

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THE GOVERNMENT CURRENTLY OWNED ABOUT 10.1 MILLION SQ. FT. OF RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION AND EXPECTED TO OWN ANOTHER 1,955,000 SQ. FT. WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE HON. JOSEPH HAMMOND, SAID TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

REPLYING TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON. LI FOOK-WO MR. HAMMOND SAID, THESE FIGURES INCLUDED RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION FOR THE DISCIPLINED SERVICES, HOSPITAL STAFF AND ALL OTHERS OBLIGED BY THE NATURE OF THEIR WORK TO OCCUPY GOVERNMENT QUARTERS.

REFERRING TO LEASED RESIDENTIAL PREMISES. HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT AT PRESENT RENTED AN AREA OF 1.5 MILLION SQ. FT. AND ESTIMATED TO RENT ANOTHER 1,335,000 SQ. FT. WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

AT THE SAME TIME, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT CURRENTLY OWNED ABOUT 2.6 MILLION SQ. FT. OF OFFICE ACCOMMODATION AND LEASED 1.15 MILLION SQ. FT.

MR. HAMMOND EXPLAINED THAT WHILE NO NEW MAJOR GOVERNMENT OWNED OFFICE BUILDINGS WERE LIKELY TO BE COMPLETED DURING THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THE ESTIMATED OFFICE ACCOMMODATION TO BE LEASED DURING THE PERIOD TOTALLED 460,000 SQ. FT.