TNAG-0267-FCO40-303-Activities-of-Hong-Kong-Civic-Association-1970 — Page 23

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Sir L. Monson

CONFIDENT IAL

смий

е

HICKISHIL HKK 18/22 HXK9/1

5

A

Mr. Royle's Meeting with Mr. Hilton Cheong-Leen

Mr. Gaminara has prepared the attached draft submission about the reorganisation of the Urban Council.

I agree with his

conclusions (set gat in his paragraph 9).

Copied

b

HICK 18/22

2. I am dealing with policy on education in general terms in the

The letter to go to the Governor from the Secretary of State. position about the new Public Assistance scheme is briefly as

follows :

(a) In a speech in Legislative Council on 26 February, 1969,

the Governor said "I sincerely hope that the next year will see us making progress, progress both in easing our criteria for assistance and improving our methods of providing it, and progress also towards a properly based government system."

(b)

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In the same speech the Governor remarked "By early 1967, therefore, it was already becoming clear that the then scales of governmental public assistance, and the criteria for eligibility needed review and improvement and that further steps would be necessary."

He added "we have

been willing to recommend the allocation of more money for some considerable time. The real problems have been, on the one hand, to find answers to certain fundamental questions, such as to what levels should support be given bearing in mind both minimum needs and general wage levels here; subject to what criteria should support be granted, and what would be the cost." He also referred to "very severe problems to be solved concerning the organi- sation, control and administration of a system which is inevitably wide open to many abuses of a number of kinds.'

(c) In April, 1969, we received a saving despatch from Hong

Kong enquiring whether we could provide an expert (should such a person be required) to advise on the scope of the new scheme and the administrative machinery at various levels needed to implement it. The Governor was informed on 1 July, 1969, that after consultation with the Department of Health and Social Security we

/ considered ...

CONFIDENTIAL

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