XN000022-1979-02-23 — Page 13

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1979

BUSY YEAR FOR PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRES

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THE 24 PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRES OPERATED BY THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT IN THE URBAN AREA LAST YEAR HANDLED A RECORD OF 3,436,959 ENQUIRIES AND CASES, AN INCREASE OF 36.6 PER CENT OVER THE 1977 FIGURE OF 2,515,973.

THE MOST PUPULAR ENQUIRIES WERE ON THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME (65,465), GOVERNMENT JOBS ON VACANCIES (52,417), APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC HOUSING (51,601), GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES AND ADDRESSES (48,828), AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ON WELFARE ALLOWANCE (45,226).

THE DEMAND FOR VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AND CERTAIN NON-GOVERNMENT FORMS AND PAMPHLETS ALSO ROSE FROM 1,345,503 IN 1977 TO 2,095,971 LAST YEAR.

THESE CONSISTED OF APPLICATION FORMS FOR GOVERNMENT VACANCIES (319,414)- WALKS FOR MILLIONS SPONSOR FORMS (184,529)= APPLICATION FORMS FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION (168,146)- HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME (145,859) AND PUBLIC EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS (91,418).

LEAFLETS AND BROCHURES CONCERNING FUNCTIONS AND PROCEDURES

OF VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WERE ALSO VERY POPULAR, PARTICULARLY AMONG STUDENTS.

THE ALL-TIME HIGH FIGURE RECORDED LAST YEAR MAY BE REFLECTED BY THE INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE VARIOUS SERVICES RENDERED BY THE PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRES IN THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICES.

APART FROM HANDLING ENQUIRIES, DEALING WITH PERSONAL OR GROUP CASES, ADMINISTERING STATUTORY DECLARATIONS, DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION MATERIALS AND GOVERNMENT FORMS, THESE CENTRES ALSO SERVE AS REFERRAL AGENCIES FOR THE FREE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME OPERATED BY THE HONG KONG LAW SOCIETY AND THE RENT OFFICERS SCHEME OPERATED BY THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT.

IN VIEW OF THE GROWING DEMAND FOR ENQUIRY SERVICES, THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT HAS PLANS TO ESTABLISH MORE SUB-OFFICES IN THE URBAN AREAS.

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