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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(c) in the older resettlement blocks no curbs

were provided round the washing spaces. The Public Works Department is being requested to make alterations and improvements to the washing spaces.

E. Inadequate number of water points.

Standpipes are provided on each floor of a resettlement building, two in the smaller blocks and four in the larger, and these would be quite adequate if it were not for the water restrictions which apply to the whole Colony. It is hoped that the situation will improve when the new reservoir at Tai Lam Chung has been completed.

2. The points raised by Dr. Bell will be referred to the Resettlement Estates Select Committee for consideration at its next meeting on Thursday of this week."

MR. BERNACCHI, in the absence of Dr. A. M. S. BELL, asked the following question :-

"Can the Commissioner for Resettlement make a state- ment to this Council as to what steps, if any, are being taken to ensure that children in resettlement blocks are able to receive education ?"

THE CHAIRMAN tabled the following written reply by the Commissioner for Resettlement :--

"The children in resettlement blocks are eligible for places in Government and Government-aided schools in exactly the same way as the children living in any other buildings in the urban areas.

I am authorized by the Director of Education to state that in his programme for the building of new primary schools special attention is being paid to the needs of all densely populated areas which do not at present have an adequate number of schools. Several sites in the vicinity of the Shek Kip Mei, Tai Hang Tung and Li Cheng Uk Estates have been allocated or reserved for new schools, some of which are already under construction.

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Within the last few months the Education Authorities have agreed that the penthouses at either end of the roofs of resettlement buildings may, if enclosed, be used for primary school class-rooms and already eight such schools have been opened on these roofs by voluntary agencies. It is hoped that before long there will be schools of this kind on the roof-top of every resettlement building."

MR. BERNACCHI, in the absence of Dr. A. M. S. BELL, asked the following question

"Can the Commissioner for Resettlement make any statement in respect to proposals for a road from Tai Hang Tung to Shek Kip Mei ?"

THE CHAIRMAN tabled the following written reply by the Commissioner for Resettlement:-

"I am authorized to state that funds have been provided by the Government for the construction of a road linking the Tai Hang Tung and Shek Kip Mei Estates and that work on this road will be starting very shortly."

MOTION.

MR. P. C. Woo moved the following resolution :-

"That Government be asked to consider whether, having regard to the statutory and other responsibilities carried by this Council, it would be in the public interest for the composition of some or all of the following committees and boards to be so altered as to include a representative of the Urban Council, as is at present the arrangement for the Traffic Advisory Committee :---

(1) Social Welfare Advisory Committee, (2) Medical Advisory Board,

(3) Town Planning Board,

(4) Board of Education,

(5) Technical Education and Vocational Training

Standing Committee,

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