XN000022-1983-07-27 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1983

TRIBUTE TO BENNETT AND TOPLEY

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TODAY PAID TRIBUTE TO TWO MEMBERS WHO WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, THE REV. JOYCE BENNETT, AND THE SECRETARY FOR EDUATION AND MANPOWER, MR KENNETH TOPLEY.

SIR EDWARD SAID MISS BENNETT WOULD BE LEAVING HONG KONG THIS SUMMER AFTER +34 YEARS OF SELFLESS DEVOTION TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, INCLUDING SEVEN YEARS OF STALWART SERVICE TO THE COUNCIL+.

+I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD READILY AGREE THAT HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN INCALCULABLE. SHE HAS ALSO BROUGHT TO OUR PROCEEDINGS A PASSION AND A WARMTH WHICH HAS CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF THE PUBLIC AND DEMANDED THE ATTENTION OF OFFICIALS CHARGED WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR EDUCATION, AND THROUGH HER USE OF THE SEARCHING SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION, FREQUENTLY KEPT THEM ON THEIR FEET TO PROVE IT,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.

CONTINUING, SIR EDWARD SAID: IT WAS ONLY APPROPRIATE THEN THAT I SHOULD MOVE ON TO MR TOPLEY WHO HAS, ONLY RECENTLY, SHOWN THIS COUNCIL WHAT FLAIR HE HAS FOR PUBLIC DEBATE.

+MR TOPLEY HAS SERVED THE ADMINISTRATION IN MANY FIELDS, BUT ON THIS COUNCIL HIS ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN, AGAIN, PRIMARILY EDUCATION - FIRST AS DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THEN AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW POST-SECONDARY AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND NOW AS SECRETARY FOR EDUATION AND MANPOWER,+ THE GOVERNOR SAID.

SIR EDWARD SAID +THE TOPLEY YEARS+ HAVE SEEN GREAT PROGRESS IN EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, MARKED BY THE ADVENT OF FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION IN FORM THREE, THE 1978 WHITE PAPER AND THE OVERALL REVIEW OF EDUCATION.

+GREAT PROGRESS, AND THE PROMISE OF MORE, A COMMITMENT WHICH WE SHALL KEEP, THE GOVERNOR ADDED.

HE WISHED THEM CONTINUED SUCCESS AND EVERY HAPPINESS.

THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HON ROGER LOBO, SPEAKING OF MISS BENNETT, SAID: +AS A MISSIONARY, SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, PRIEST AND MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL, MISS BENNETT HAS LEFT HER MARK IN MANY FIELDS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. SHE IS ALSO A GOOD COLLEAGUE.

+YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR, OWE A GREAT DEAL TO MISS BENNETT'S TIRELESS EFFORTS BOTH, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THIS COUNCIL.+

+CONSCIENCE, CONVICTION, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT ARE QUALITIES WHICH HAVE MARKED MISS BENNETT'S CONTRIBUTION TO OUR BUSINESS. WE SHALL MISS HER AND HER PLACE WILL NOT BE EASILY FILLED.

MR LOBO SAID MR TOPLEY HAD STEERED THE EDUATION SYSTEM IN HONG KONG.

+NO ONE WOULD PRETEND MR TOPLEY HAS HAD AN EASY TASK, J AND HIS STOUT DEFENCE OF HIS POLICIES AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO ACCOUNT FOR THEM IN THIS COUNCIL HAS ENRICHED AS WELL AS ENLIVENED OUR PROCEEDINGS,+ MR LOBO SAID.

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