HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, from the reply and information which has been supplied by the Commissioner it would seem to me that there is still a fair number of residents in the estates who are not aware of this fact, and I would like to ask, through you, Sir, whether the Commissioner would be good enough to take appropriate steps to bring this fact to the knowledge of domestic residents in the estates?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, as I walk through the estates I see plastic flowers being assembled to the right and left of me and I can only conclude that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN'S complainants are extremely blind. I therefore see no particular reason why this fact requires to be publicized in the estates.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- On a point of clarification I have received complaints from at least five persons and they were definitely not blind, otherwise they could not have found me.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- If, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, you are satisfied that there really is a need to publicize this fact, I will take the necessary steps to this end in the Department.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
It has been suggested that all letters emanating from the Resettlement Department to residents living in estates and areas under the supervision of the Department should have a Chinese translation attached. Will the Commissioner for Resettlement take steps to see that this is done?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
Correspondence with tenants falls into three main categories: letters of an individual nature sent from Headquarters; standard replies to requests for extra space, addition of persons, change of trade, etc.; and disciplinary letters issued under the Ordinance and Regulations urging compliance with conditions of tenancy. Letters in the second and third groups are sent from Estate and Area Offices as well as from Headquarters.
Disciplinary letters are normally printed or stencilled forms which invariably include a Chinese translation, and individual entries of personal particulars, etc. are made in both languages. Many stencilled forms are used in correspondence falling within the second group. These are usually sent in English, but Chinese translations can, if necessary, be prepared and added to the existing form without undue difficulty. Letters in the first group are replies to individual requests of a more complex nature, and where these are sent to persons who may be presumed not to have a knowledge of the English language, translations can be attached. It is not, however, the normal practice to do so as many of the addressees are illiterate or semi-literate and it has been found to be more satisfactory for such translations to be done orally by Area Officers in the Estates, who can clarify any additional points.
The matter will be placed before the Resettlement Management Select Committee for discussion at its October meeting when more details will be made available. I should add that no complaints on this score have been addressed to the department by tenants, but I appreciate that it is an issue that must always be carefully watched.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
A number of residents in Shek Kip Mei Resettlement Estate have complained that heroin addiction and peddling is rife in the Estate and that this distressing situation is having an undermining influence upon the lives of the children in the Estate. Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please inquire from the Commissioner of Police what is being done to put this situation under control?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
There have been only six convictions for dangerous drug cases in the Shek Kip Mei Resettlement Estate during the past six months, four of which were first offence cases and the remaining two repeated offence cases.
The Estate staff keep the matter under constant surveillance and, in accordance with administrative instructions agreed with the Commissioner of Police in November 1962, report by telephone to the nearest Police Station when they detect such cases within the Estate, or they are reported by residents.
The Commissioner of Police is aware of the position and it is hoped that the combined efforts of staff of both departments will continue to improve the situation. I do not, however, consider that this is a subject about which it would be appropriate for me to say more on the present occasion.
Page 103 of 194
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
has been corrected toPage 102 of 194
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, from the reply and information which has been supplied by the Commissioner it would seem to me that there is still a fair number of residents in the estates who are not aware of this fact, and I would like to ask, through you, Sir, whether the Commissioner would be good enough to take appropriate steps to bring this fact to the knowledge of domestic residents in the estates?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, as I walk through the estates I see plastic flowers being assembled to the right and left of me and I can only conclude that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN'S complainants are extremely blind. I therefore see no particular reason why this fact requires to be publicized in the estates.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- On a point of clarification I have received complaints from at least five persons and they were definitely not blind, otherwise they could not have found me.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- If, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, you are satisfied that there really is a need to publicize this fact, I will take the necessary steps to this end in the Department.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
It has been suggested that all letters emanating from the Resettlement Department to residents living in estates and areas under the supervision of the Department should have a Chinese translation attached. Will the Commissioner for Resettlement take steps to see that this is done?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
Correspondence with tenants falls into three main categories: letters of an individual nature sent from Headquarters; standard replies to requests for extra space, addition of persons, change of trade, etc.; and disciplinary letters issued under the Ordinance and Regulations urging compliance with conditions of tenancy. Letters in the second and third groups are sent from Estate and Area Offices as well as from Headquarters.
Disciplinary letters are normally printed or stencilled forms which invariably include a Chinese translation, and individual entries of personal particulars, etc. are made in both languages. Many stencilled forms are used in correspondence falling within the second group. These are usually sent in English, but Chinese translations can, if necessary, be prepared and added to the existing form without undue difficulty. Letters in the first group are replies to individual requests of a more complex nature, and where these are sent to persons who may be presumed not to have a knowledge of the English language, translations can be attached. It is not, however, the normal practice to do so as many of the addressees are illiterate or semi-literate and it has been found to be more satisfactory for such translations to be done orally by Area Officers in the Estates, who can clarify any additional points.
The matter will be placed before the Resettlement Management Select Committee for discussion at its October meeting when more details will be made available. I should add that no complaints on this score have been addressed to the department by tenants, but I appreciate that it is an issue that must always be carefully watched.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
A number of residents in Shek Kip Mei Resettlement Estate have complained that heroin addiction and peddling is rife in the Estate and that this distressing situation is having an undermining influence upon the lives of the children in the Estate. Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please inquire from the Commissioner of Police what is being done to put this situation under control?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
There have been only six convictions for dangerous drug cases in the Shek Kip Mei Resettlement Estate during the past six months, four of which were first offence cases and the remaining two repeated offence cases.
The Estate staff keep the matter under constant surveillance and, in accordance with administrative instructions agreed with the Commissioner of Police in November 1962, report by telephone to the nearest Police Station when they detect such cases within the Estate, or they are reported by residents.
The Commissioner of Police is aware of the position and it is hoped that the combined efforts of staff of both departments will continue to improve the situation. I do not, however, consider that this is a subject about which it would be appropriate for me to say more on the present occasion.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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Page 103 of 194
of 194
Page 102 of 194
186
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, from the reply and informa- tion which has been supplied by the Commissioner it would seem to me that there is still a fair number of residents in the estates who are not aware of this fact, and I would like to ask, through you, Sir, whether the Commissioner would be good enough to take appropriate steps to bring this fact to the knowledge of domestic residents in the estates?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Mr. Chairman, as I walk through the estates I see plastic flowers being assembled to the right and left of me and I can only conclude that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN'S com- plainants are extremely blind. I therefore see no particular reason why this fact requires to be publicized in the estates.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-On a point of clarification I have received complaints from at least five persons and they were definitely not blind, otherwise they could not have found me.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-If, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, you are satisfied that there really is a need to publicize this fact, I will take the necessary steps to this end in the Department.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
It has been suggested that all letters emanating from the Resettlement Department to residents living in estates and areas under the supervision of the Department should have a Chinese translation attached. Will the Commis- sioner for Resettlement take steps to see that this is done?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:
Correspondence with tenants falls into three main categories: letters of an individual nature sent from Headquarters; standard replies to requests for extra space, addition of persons, change of trade, etc.; and disciplinary letters issued under the Ordinance and Regulations urging com- pliance with conditions of tenancy. Letters in the second and third groups are sent from Estate and Area Offices as well as from Headquarters.
Disciplinary letters are normally printed or stencilled forms which invariably include a Chinese translation, and in- dividual entries of personal particulars, etc. are made in both languages. Many stencilled forms are used in corre- spondence falling within the second group. These are usually sent in English, but Chinese translations can, if necessary, be prepared and added to the existing form
!
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
187
without undue difficulty. Letters in the first group are replies to individual requests of a more complex nature, and where these are sent to persons who may be presumed not to have a knowledge of the English language, transla- tions can be attached. It is not, however, the normal practice to do so as many of the addressees are illiterate or semi-literate and it has been found to be more satis- factory for such translations to be done orally by Area Officers in the Estates, who can clarify any additional points.
The matter will be placed before the Resettlement Management Select Committee for discussion at its October meeting when more details will be made available. I should add that no complaints on this score have been addressed to the department by tenants, but I appreciate that it is an issue that must always be carefully watched.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question :-
A number of residents in Shek Kip Mei Resettlement Estate have complained that heroin addiction and peddling is rife in the Estate and that this distressing situation is having an undermining influence upon the lives of the children in the Estate. Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please inquire from the Commissioner of Police what is being done to put this situation under control?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:------
There have been only six convictions for dangerous drug cases in the Shek Kip Mei Resettlement Estate during the past six months, four of which were first offence cases and the remaining two repeated offence cases.
The Estate staff keep the matter under constant surveillance and, in accordance with administrative instructions agreed with the Commissioner of Police in November 1962, report by telephone to the nearest Police Station when they detect such cases within the Estate, or they are reported by residents.
The Commissioner of Police is aware of the position and it is hoped that the combined efforts of staff of both depart- ments will continue to improve the situation. I do not, however, consider that this is a subject about which it would be appropriate for me to say more on the present occasion.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.