XN000022-1983-10-12 — Page 22

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'EDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1983

DB MEMBERS LEARN FROM STUDY TRIPS

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OVERSEAS STUDY TOURS BY DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WERE WELL WORTH MAKING PROVIDED MEMBERS WERE AWARE OF THEIR OWN LIMITATIONS AND WERE SELECTIVE IN THE IMPORTING OF NEW IDEAS, THE YAU MA TEI AND MONG KOK DISTRICT OFFICER, MR WILFRED WONG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR WONG WAS SPEAKING ON THE EXPERIENCES BOARD MEMBERS GAINED THROUGH THESE TRIPS AT A LUNCHEON GATHERING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF VICTORIA HONG KONG.

IN JUNE THIS YEAR, MR WONG AND 16 UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FROM THE TWO DISTRICT BOARDS SPENT TWO WEEKS IN BRITAIN AND VISITED LONDON, BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER AND COVENTRY.

*NO DOUBT HONG KONG IS LAGGING BEHIND BRITAIN AS FAR AS THE EXTENT AND QUALITIES OF SOME OF THE GOVERNMENT SERVICES ARE CONCERNED.

+BUT IT WOULD ONLY BE APPROPRIATE IF WE ARE TO REGULATE THE PACE AT WHICH THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE TO BE ACHIEVED ACCORDING TO OUR OWN MEANS AND ABILITIES,+ HE SAID.

MR WONG SAID BOARD MEMBERS HAD BROUGHT HOME SOME IDEAS THEY CONSIDERED WORTH FURTHER EXAMINATION IN THE HONG KONG CONTEXT.

ON HOUSING IMPROVEMENT, HE SAID IN BIRMINGHAM A LARGE PROPORTION OF FUNDS HAD BEEN ALLOCATED FOR IMPROVING OLD PRIVATE AND COUNCIL-OWNED HOUSES.

+THERE ARE COMPREHENSIVE SCHEMES IN HONG KONG TO IMPROVE AND REDEVELOP OLD PUBLIC HOUSING BUT NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO PRIVATE BUILDINGS, PARTICULARLY MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS

IN THE INNER URBAN AREAS, HE SAID.

MR WONG SAID THE WARDEN SCHEME FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE IN BIRMINGHAM, IN WHICH WARDENS WERE EMPLOYED TO LOOK AFTER OLD PEOPLE IN PUBLIC HOUSINGS OR PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION, COULD BE CONSIDERED IN HONG KONG THROUGH VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION BY OWNERS' CORPORATIONS, MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES OR WELFARE ORGANISATIONS.

ON TRAFFIC, HE REFERRED TO THE TWO COMPUTERISED TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS IN COVENTRY WHICH HAD CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE REDUCTION IN DELAYS AND ROAD CONGESTIONS.

THE URBAN TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM IS BASED ON THE USE OF FIXED PLAN SIGNALS PRESET TO SUIT AVERAGE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, WHILE THE SPLIT CYCLE OFFSET OPTIMISATION TECHNIQUE IS FULLY RESPONSIVE TO ON-STREET TRAFFIC DEMANDS AND REQUIRES NO PRE-CALCULATED SIGNAL TIMINGS.

MR WONG SAID THE +HOME-SCHOOL LIAISON OFFICER+ SCHEME, IN WHICH A TEACHER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FAMILY VISITS AND FOR KEEPING

IN TOUCH WITH PARENTS, COULD HELP PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN FAMILY AND SCHOOL IN EDUCATING THE STUDENTS.

HE SAID THE VISIT HAD ACHIEVED ITS OBJECTIVES AND ALL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WHO TOOK PART AGREED THAT IT WAS MEMORABLE AND WORTHWHILE.