XN000022-1978-09-07 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1978

SIR SHIU-KIN SAID THE VICTORIA TECHNICAL SCHOOL, THE OLD HONG KONG TRADE SCHOOL WHICH WAS LATER RENAMED THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND HAS NOW BECOME THE TECHNICAL TEACHERS' COLLEGE, ARE NOW OR WERE ONCE SITUATED IN THE AREA.

+MANY BRILLIANT TECHNICAL STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THIS DISTRICT OVER THE YEARS AND MANY NOW HOLD IMPORTANT AND RESPONSIBLE POSITIONS IN OUR SOCIETY,+ SIR SHIU-KIN SAID.

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BEWARE OF THOSE SIGNS OF DOMESTIC TROUBLE ******

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE (SOCIAL WORK), MRS. EVELYN DOE, TODAY CALLED ON FAMILIES TO WATCH OUT FOR ANY SIGN OF DEVELOPING DOMESTIC TROUBLE AND NEVER LET IT GROW SERIOUS ENOUGH TO END IN A TRAGEDY.

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON SHE SAID THAT FAMILY TRAGEDIES WERE ALL TOO OFTEN THE RESULT OF NEGLECT WITHOUT ATTEMPTING TO TAKE EITHER PREVENTIVE OR REMEDIAL MEASURE WHEN A PROBLEM STARTED TO DEVELOP.

THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS HELD TO COINCIDE WITH THE LAUNCHING OF ANOTHER PHASE OF THE COMMUNITY-WIDE CAMPAIGN ON FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION.

THE CAMPAIGN, JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, AIMS AT FORESTALLING FAMILY BREAKDOWN AND STRENGTHENING THE FAMILY TIES TO HELP COMBAT SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

MRS. DOE SAID THAT IN THE FACE OF RAPID SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGES IT WAS ALL TOO EASY FOR FAMILIES TO BE UNWITTINGLY ENGROSSED IN VARIOUS CONFLICTS LEADING FINALLY TO A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN.

SHE SAID THE FACTORS OF URBANISATION, INDUSTRIALISATION AND COMMERCIALISATION, ALONG WITH THE MERGING OF MODERN AND TRADITIONAL CULTURES, WERE BOUND TO HAVE A STRONG IMPACT ON THEIR QUALITY AND MODE OF LIFE.

UNFORTUNATELY, SHE SAID, NOT ALL FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO ADJUST TO THESE SOCIAL CHANGES, AND FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT STAND THE ALIEN INFLUENCES, MISUNDERSTANDING CREEPS IN AND RELATIONSHIP BEGINS TO STRAIN AMONG MEMBERS.

+IT IS NOT INFREQUENT THAT WE HAVE HEARD OF OR EVEN SEEN CASES OF FAMILY TRAGEDIES AS A RESULT OF THE CULMINATION OF LONG-STANDING DOMESTIC TROUBLES OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER, SHE SAID.

/MRS. DOE