XN000022-1983-09-16 — Page 14

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1983

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+THIS HAS CAUSED MUCH INCONVENIENCE TO RESIDENTS OF TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG WHO WORK ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND DO NOT FINISH WORK UNTIL 5 PM OR LATER, THE SURVEY SAID.

THE FINDINGS ALSO SHOWED THAT THE PASSENGERS PREFERRED HOVERFERRY TO OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.

THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ON JUNE 22 THIS YEAR BY MEMBERS OF A WORKING GROUP FROM THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT BOARD'S TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE TO COLLECT PASSENGERS' VIEWS ON THE HOVERFERRY SERVICE.

A REPORT OF THE SURVEY WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE HONG KONG AND YAU MA TEI FERRY COMPANY FOR CONSIDERATION.

A TOTAL OF 3 500 QUESTIONNAIRES IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE PASSENGERS AT BLAKE PIER AND TUEN MUN FERRY PIER ON THAT DAY.

OF THE 834 QUESTIONNAIRES RETURNED, 64 PER CENT CONTAINED ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO A NUMBER OF OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS — AN INDICATION OF GENUINE PUBLIC CONCERN FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE EXISTING HOVERFERRY SERVICE.

PASSENGERS FEEL THAT THE HOVERFERRIES SHOULD STRICTLY KEEP TO THE SCHEDULE AND THAT COMFORTABLE SOFT-PADDED SEATS SHOULD BE USED AGAIN.

THEY CLAIM THAT THE HEIGHT AND SIZE OF THE EXISTING FIBRE- CLASS SEATS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS.

SOME RESPONDENTS ALSO PROPOSE THAT THE FARE SHOULD BE REDUCED TO $5 OR $6 IN ORDER TO ATTRACT MORE PASSENGERS.

PUPILS BEHAVIOUR SURVEYED

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AN AVERAGE OF SEX SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS OUT OF EVERY 100 WERE INVOLVED IN INCIDENTS OF UNRULY AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT DURING 1982 COVERING SOME 400 SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THIS FIGURE WAS NOT OVERLY ALARMING AS SCHOOLS WERE ASKED TO REPORT ALL INCIDENTS, LARGE OR SMALL, REFERRED TO THE DISCIPLINE MASTER OR TEACHER RESPONSIBLE FOR DISCIPLINE.

+THIS COULD RANGE FROM SUCH MINOR OFFENCES AS BEING LATE FOR SCHOOL AND FAILURE TO HAND IN HOMEWORK TO THE MORE SERIOUS OFFENCES AS FIGHTING OR STEALING, HE SAID.

THE SURVEY,