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matter of other Government departments). The object would be to make better use of existing staff and to explore the further use of mechanical aids for the purpose of achieving overall budgetary and manpower economy. The bringing in of an expert to carry out an independent management survey would certainly be no reflection on the highly commendable work already being performed by the staff. This is a progressive suggestion which I feel should be welcome and which I would request be discussed by the Standing Committee of the Whole at an early date.

Mosquito Control: It is appropriate to note that the day-after- tomorrow, April 7th is United Nations World Health Day. I hope that I am expressing the sentiments of all members on this Council when I say that the celebration of the 1960 World Health Day has the moral support of this Council.

I understand that the theme of this year's celebration has to do with the eradication of malaria all over the world. While malaria in our urban areas is under effective control, I must express dissatisfaction that it is still rampant in the New Territories. It is a health problem which deserves the closest attention by Government.

Parks, Playgrounds & Urban Amenities: On more than one occa- sion during the past six months, I have sought to table questions to learn of Government's specific intentions to provide enough recreation space for the public in the released Naval Dockyard lands, only to be ruled out of order by the Chairman. I was politely told that it was none of my business. It is therefore hardly surprising that many questions which should have been asked in our local Councils are being asked in far-off London.

New Public Health and Urban Services Bill: It is two years since the Law Revision Select Committee under the able chairmanship of Mr. C. Y. KWAN, completed its consideration of the new Public Health and Urban Services Bill, and I must, as an elected member, ask you, Sir, to lodge a strong and formal protest at this incomprehensible delay on the part of Government in not introducing the Bill into the Legislative Council. In my opinion, this inexcusable delay is one good illustration of the need for an expert management survey to be made of our Government departments to speed up efficiency on the basis of overall economy.

Resettlement & Low-cost Housing: As you are aware, Mr. Chair- man, there are now nearly 600,000 squatters of all types still awaiting resettlement.

The magnitude of this problem beggars description. To the Urban Council, which is responsible for the direction of the work of the Resettlement Department, it is heartening to know that Government

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is committed to provide the necessary funds for an expansion in the resettlement programme so that approximately 100,000 persons will be annually resettled over the next five years.

Apart from resettlement as such, the Urban Council is now under- taking to provide a new type of "low-cost housing" for the purpose of accommodating the poorer section of tenement residents, with priority going to those tenants in old and dangerous buildings.

I take this opportunity of warning Government that bearing in mind the huge section of the population still awaiting proper housing accommodation, it should approach the question of any amendment to the Landlord and Tenant Ordinance with the greatest of circumspection.

World Refugee Year: In the wake of this rapid expansion of resettlement and low-cost housing under the aegis of the Urban Council, it is now of the utmost importance that the resettlement and low-cost housing estates be provided with more education, medical, welfare and recreational facilities than had been the case in the past. This year, being World Refugee Year, steps are being taken in that direction through the setting-up of multi-purpose community centres.

In view of the huge Budget deficit proposed by the Financial Secretary, which is a complete swing of the pendulum from the ultra- conservative and uninspiring budgets of previous years, it is indubitably the right time for the Hong Kong community to expect that the United Kingdom Government should make a large contribution to help solve our refugee problem. If there is any truth to the statement that the American Government has for many years been contributing US$7 million annually for this purpose, then it should be expected that during this World Refugee Year the United Kingdom Government could make a direct and substantial contribution to Hong Kong. And the £7 million which the Hong Kong Government has agreed to hand over on the Naval Dockyard deal might well be the home government's first sub- stantial contribution.

I would formally request that you convey these views to our Central Government and also through them to the United Kingdom Govern- ment.

Corruption: During recent months, there has been a great hulla- baloo about corruption. This has been a question which has constantly exercised the minds of the unofficial members of the Urban Council, both elected and appointed.

The members of the various select committees are very much on the alert for possible signs of corruption, and while I am not in favour of starting any witch-hunt in the Urban Council or in the Civil Service,