XN000022-1982-11-01 — Page 4

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1982

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+THIS COLLABORATION IN THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, THE GENEROUS TREATMENT WHICH YOUR UNIVERSITIES ACCORD TO ACADEMIC STAFF AND STUDENTS FROM BRITAIN AND WHICH, WE HOPE, WE ACCORD TO YOURS. CONSTITUTE ONE OF THE LEAST HERALDED BUT MOST POWERFUL STRANDS IN COMMONWEALTH RELATIONSHIPS. HONG KONG IS ONE OF THE GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD AND, IF YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO SAY SO, ONE OF THE MIRACLES OF THE WORLD. IT IS ESSENTIALLY A CHINESE CITY, BUT ONE WHICH HAS BEEN HOSPITABLE TO OTHER CULTURES AND RECEPTIVE TO OTHERS' SKILLS.

+BELIEVE ME, I FEEL HONOURED THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED

ME TO DECLARE THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL OPEN AS I NOW MOST GLADLY DO- AND THROUGH YOU, DIRECTOR, MAY I WISH WELL ALL THOSE WITHIN THESE WALLS WHO WILL PROBE THE CAUSES OF DISEASE, TRAIN THE NEW GENERATIONS OF DOCTORS AND PURSUE THE NOBLE VOCATION OF CARING FOR THE SICK.+

NEW STANDARD COSTS PROPOSED FOR WELFARE SERVICES WILL MEAN $12M IN INCREASED SPENDING

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PLANS BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO SUBVENT EIGHT WELFARE SERVICES ON A STANDARD COST BASIS IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR WILL MEAN A RISE OF ABOUT $12 MILLION IN GOVERNMENT SPEND ING IN THESE IMPORTANT AREAS, SUBJECT TO THE VOTING OF FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT TODAY (MONDAY) DESCRIBED THE PROPOSALS AS A FURTHER STEP FORWARD IN IMPLEMENTING THE NEW SUBVENTION SYSTEM ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR+.

+THIS IS A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INCREASING COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SERVICES IN THESE FIELDS, HE SAID.

THE SERVICES COVERED INCLUDE OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORK, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK, FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION, SMALL GROUP HOMES, FOSTER CARE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD LEVEL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WORK ON DETERMINING THE STANDARD COSTS FOR TWO REMAINING SERVICES FAMILY COUNSELLING AND POOL BUS SERVICE IS BEING FINALISED AND PROPOSALS WILL BE READY VERY SHORTLY.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS WRITTEN TO ALL THE SUBVENTED AGENCIES CONCERNED TO SEEK THEIR VIEWS ON THE PROPOSALS BEFORE PUTTING ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. +THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSALS WITH AGENCIES IF THEY FEEL THAT A MEETING WILL BE USEFUL, SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE

/HE NOTED