XN000022-1977-11-09 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977

MR. HO ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENTER TERTIARY EDUCATION WILL BE IMPROVED BY THE SUBSTANTIAL DECLINE IN THE 17 TO 19 YEARS OLD POPULATION.

THE FIRST YEAR PLACES AT THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNIC WILL INCREASE FROM ABOUT 13 PER CENT OF THE RELEVANT POPULATION IN 1977 TO NEARLY 23 PER CENT EY 1986.

HE NOTED THAT THE PRIORITY GIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION IS EVIDENT FROM ITS EXPENDITURE HAVING RISEN FROM $33 MILLION IN 1965-66, WHEN THE UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMITTEE CAME INTO BEING, TO A PROVISION OF MORE THAN $350 MILLION IN 1977-78 ESTIMATES.

ON THE TURNOVER OF DOCTORS IN PUBLIC SERVICE, MR. HO SAID RECORDS SHOWED THAT THERE WAS AN AVERAGE ANNUAL TÚRNOVER OF ABOUT 13 PER CENT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

HE NOTED THAT FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT OF DOCTORS WHOSE SERVICES ARE IN STRONG DEMAND, THIS TURNOVER RATE CANNOT BE CONSIDERED TO BE EXCESSIVE.

HE SAID IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE REWARDS TO DOCTORS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE WERE MUCH GREATER, GOVERNMENT DOCTORS HAD ASKED FOR CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, PROMOTION PROSPECTS, SPECIALIST TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, ARRANGEMENTS FOR OVERSEAS STUDY LEAVE AND SOME OTHER FRINGE BENEFITS.

THESE REQUESTS, HE SAID, WERE BEING LOOKED INTO AND HE HOPED THAT SOME IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE QUITE SOON.

MR. HO ALSO REVEALED THAT LEGISLATION ON PROFESSIONS SUPPLEMENTARY TO MEDICINE WAS BEING DRAFTED AND IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE A BILL INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE CURRENT SESSION.

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