XN000022-1986-02-02 — Page 4

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1986

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PROMOTE BILLIARDS AS HEALTHY SPORT, SURVEY SAYS

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RECOMMENDATIONS IN A SURVEY ON BILLIARD SALOONS IN MONG KOK SUGGEST THAT LAWS GOVERNING SUCH HALLS SHOULD BE AMENDED AND THAT THE URBAN COUNCIL SHOULD PROMOTE THE GAME AS A HEALTHY SPORT.

THIS IS ONE OF THE TWO SURVEYS RECENTLY CONDUCTED BY THE +COMMUNITY-IN-PERSPECTIVE+ PROJECT ORGANISED BY THE MONG KOK DISTRICT BOARD, TO FIND OUT THE EFFECTS OF BILLIARD SALOONS AND VIDEO GAMES CENTRES ON YOUTHS, AS WELL AS NUISANCES CAUSED BY SIGNBOARDS ON RESIDENTS.

ACCORDING TO THE FIRST SURVEY, SOME 900 STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS INTERVIEWED ABOUT BILLIARD SALOONS AND VIDEO GAMES CENTRES THOUGHT THAT YOUTHS COULD EASILY INDULGE IN THE GAME AND SPEND MUCH POCKET MONEY IN SUCH PLACES.

THE REPORT ALSO SUGGESTED THAT STRICT ENFORCEMENT BE CARRIED OUT ON THE LAW FORBIDDING STUDENTS UNDER 16 YEARS OLD AND IN SCHOOL UNIFORM FROM ENTERING VIDEO GAMES CENTRES.

ANOTHER SURVEY ON THE NUISANCE OF SIGNBOARDS REVEALED THAT AMONG THE 120 SHOP OPERATORS, MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND BUILDING OWNERS INCORPORATIONS INTERVIEWED, MORE THAN HALF OF THEM DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHICH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT REGULATED SIGNBOARDS.

AND AMONG THEM, 80 PER CENT DID NOT KNOW WHICH DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE APPROACHED FOR PERMISSION TO ERECT A SIGNBOARD.

THE REPORT PROPOSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD WIDELY PUBLICISE LEGISLATION ON SIGNBOARDS AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND SHOP OWNERS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN A SEMINAR TODAY (SUNDAY) TO DISCUSS THE FINDINGS OF THE TWO SURVEYS,

FINDINGS AND PROPOSALS IN THE SURVEYS HAVE BEEN COMPILED INTO TWO REPORTS AND WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR THE DISTRICT BOARD'S CONSIDERATION.

GUEST SPEAKERS AT THE SEMINAR INCLUDED UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS, MRS PAULINE NG AND MRS ROSANNA TAM- URBAN COUNCILLOR, DR RONALD LEUNG- ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR T.K. CHOY AND POLICE DISTRICT COMMANDER (MONG KOK) MR WONG TSAN-KWONG.

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