XN000022-1978-03-30 — Page 20

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1978

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MR. YEUNG FIRST TOUCHED ON LAND COMMUNICATIONS AND URGED THAT PRIORITY BE GIVEN TO THE PROVISION OF FEEDER ROADS AND VILLAGE ACCESS ROADS TO THE LESS ACCESSIBLE PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+AS AND WHEN THE NETWORK OF SUBSIDIARY ROADS IS IMPROVED OR EXPANDED, THE BETTER LAND COMMUNICATIONS WILL FACILITATE ACCESS TO THE NEW TOWNS AND MARKET TOWNS AND EXTENSION OF SOCIAL AND COMMUNAL SERVICES TO THE VILLAGES.

+THIS WILL IN TURN PROVIDE VILLAGERS WITH GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT AND FOR MARKETING THE IR PRODUCE AS WELL AS RAISING THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING,+ HE SAID.

ON HOUSING, MR. YEUNG ASKED THE GOVERNMENT +TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS TO ENCOURAGE AND TO FACILITATE THE PLANS OF PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, WHETHER THESE BE FOR HOUSING IN THE URBAN OR RURAL AREAS+,

+GOVERNMENT ITSELF SHOULD CONSIDER ALSO CONSTRUCTING LOW COST HOUSES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND OFFER TO SELL THEM TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITHIN THE LOW INCOME BRACKET WITH PRIORITY ACCORDED TO VILLAGERS AND THE RESIDENTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+SUCH GOVERNMENT-BUILT HOUSES WOULD BE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE URBAN HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, AND WILL ALLOW BOTH URBAN AND RURAL FAMILIES TO ACQUIRE THEIR OWN HOMES IN A VARIETY OF HOUSING ACCOMMODATION LOCATED IN VARIOUS SURROUNDINGS, MR. YEUNG SAID.

+

MR. YEUNG ALSO NOTED THAT THE RECENT UPROOTING OF MANY VILLAGES TO MAKE WAY FOR MAJOR PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT HAS RESULTED IN RESENTMENT AND DISSATISFACTION AMONG VILLAGERS.

HE SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVES TO THE GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF SUCH DISRUPTION: CONSTRUCTION OF AN ENTIRELY NEW VILLAGE OF HOUSES IN A SUBURBAN AREA FOR THE AFFECTED VILLAGERS, OFFER OF A CHOICE OF VARIOUS TYPES OF HOUSING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND IN OTHER PARTS OF HONG KONG, HELP IN BUYING OR GRANTING OF LAND IN THE RURAL AREA TO AN INDIVIDUAL TO REBUILD HIS OWN HOME, OR ALLOWING THE WHOLE VILLAGE TO BE REDEVELOPED IN SITU WITH PROPER PLANNING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENERAL TOWN LAYOUT.

TURNING TO THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATION, MR, YEUNG EXPRESSED FEAR THAT THE PROPOSAL TO SUBSIDISE MORE THAN HALF OF THE NEW AIDED SCHOOLS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES UNDER THE CAPUT SCHOOL SYSTEM WOULD RESULT IN A LOWERING OF STANDARD AS THE FACILITIES WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE WILL BE LESS AND THE QUALITY AND STANDARD OF TEACHERS WILL BE JEOPARDISED BY THE INSUFFICIENCY AND UNCERTAINTY OF FUNDS.

J

+TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING STANDARDS OF EDUCATION I WOULD THEREFORE RECOMMEND THAT ALL SUCH NEW SCHOOLS SHALL BE UNDER THE PRESENT CODE OF AID WITH FULL GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY, HE SAID.

/IN THE CASE

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