TNAG-0199-FCO40-235-City-district-officer-scheme-1969 — Page 29

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

International Building, Lee Gardens and Kowloon Central Post Office have been invited to use the teleprinters we have when they wish to do so. They cost only $200-$300 a month and are a useful means of communica- tion. When we have more installed they will be used to send circulars, P.E.S. amendments etc., from Beaconsfield House during off-peak hours.

32. There are two outstanding issues of a domestic nature. The first concerns branch offices of the new City District Offices. Normal Government rules governing rented office space have permitted us to have or to retain sub-offices in Tai Kok Tsui, Hung Hom and Aberdeen. But they do not at present enable us to open a sub-office in Shau Kei Wan where, in fact, the need is greater because of the size of the Eastern District. The staff implications are insignificant and this question is being pursued separately. The second outstanding question is the need for a small amount of money which each C.D.O. can use for a miscellany of purposes-usually connected with some community project. Up to the present we have managed to get small sums needed through the generosity or influence of Kaifong leaders and other public spirited persons, but it will be readily appreciated that this is not an appropriate method of providing, for example, luncheon for volunteer students carrying out a hawker survey. Our application now is for $5,000 for each C.D.O. for next financial year and I am afraid it has all the worst attributes of a request for money except that it is small. We cannot say precisely how it will be spent and we have to ask that C.D.O.s be given considerable latitude in spending it. We have very little basis for our estimate. The type of case when a little money would have been of great help can however be illustrated.

(1) Surveys. The C.D.O.s have conducted a number of surveys from time to time including, for example, a survey of hawkers, housing and living conditions in multi-storey buildings, bus services, shops and firms, etc., etc. In these, we have had the services of volunteers from the universities and secondary schools. The aim has not only been to glean information but also to involve young people in the circumstances of the district in which they live or go to school.

(2) A home visit scheme in Shau Kei Wan which was fact-finding to some extent but also had the aim of simply getting students to go round various poor homes and chat with the occupants. (3) Visits to factories, Government departments, etc. by students and factory and restaurant workers. This is thought to be a valuable

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