XN000022-1978-03-30 — Page 8

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THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1978

+PATIENTS ARE BEING TURNED OUT OF OUR HOSPITAL UNABLE TO WALK BECAUSE THEIR BEDS ARE NEEDED, SHE SAID. +WHEN THEY ARE NOT REFERRED TO THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE THEY WILL BECOME BED-RIDDEN AND THE FAMILY DISTRAUGHT AS THEY DESPAIR OF CARING FOR THE IR LOVED ONES SATISFACTORILY.+

THE SCHEME HAS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL IN THE WHOLE HEALTH

CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN WE CAN DEPLOY OUR MEDICAL STAFF BETTER IN THIS WAY, THE HOSPITAL BEDS CAN BE RESERVED FOR ACUTE PATIENTS DEMANDING CONSTANT MEDICAL SUPERVISION AND NURSING CARE,+ SHE SAID.

FACTORY OWNERSHIP SCHEME SUGGESTED

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UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR THE HON. S. L. CHEN, TODAY CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO SET UP A +FACTORY OWNERSHIP SCHEME+ TO HELP SMALL INDUSTRIAL OPERATORS TO OVERCOME THE PRESSURE OF RENT INCREASES.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. CHEN SAID SUCH A SCHEME WOULD NOT ONLY HELP REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER PROBLEMS, BUT ALSO HELP PROVIDE THE OPERATORS WITH A MEASURE OF SECURITY THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR MAINTAINING STABILITY IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION. HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG'S THRIVING ECONOMY OWES AS MUCH TO THEIR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS AS TO THAT OF LARGE COMPANIES.

+OWNING A FACTORY WOULD NO DOUBT MEAN AS MUCH TO A SMALL MANUFACTURER AS WOULD OWNING A HOME TO A MAN IN THE STREET,+ HE SAID.

REFERRING TO STATISTICS, MR. CHEN NOTED THAT THERE WERE 34,196 OUT OF A TOTAL 37,135 MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS (OR 92 PER CENT) EMPLOYING 49 OR LESS WORKERS. FEW OF THESE OPERATORS OWN THE IR FACTORY PREMISES AND MANY ARE OPERATING IN PREMISES NOT SUITABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES AND IN THE WORST CASES, IN RESIDENTIAL PREMISES.

+THIS NOT ONLY GIVES RISE TO PROBLEMS SUCH AS FIRE HAZARDS, ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND OVER-CROWDING, A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN TO BOTH GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO RESULTS IN OPERATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT INSTABILITY, HE SAID.

MR. CHEN ALSO DREW THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTENTION TO ITS ROLE IN DEVELOPING OUR TWO SCARCE RESOURCE - LAND AND MANPOWER TO THE IR FULL POTENTIAL AND MAXIMISE THE RETURN FROM THEIR UTILISATION.

THE TIME HAD NOW COME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE ITS INVOLVEMENT IN HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH HAS HITHERTO BEEN LEFT IN THE HANDS OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, MR.. CHEN SAID.

/+WHILE THE