1963 — Page 137

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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the housing problem of our white collar families in the $900 to $2,000 income bracket. We hold the Financial Secretary to his promise made last year that he would give the matter his very serious consideration.

Road Safety

Hong Kong's basic problem is a problem of people. This problem will be more acutely felt with the passage of time for the simple reason that Hong Kong is limited in size but unlimited in the growth of its population. We will have more cars and more pedestrians each year making it essential for greater emphasis to be placed by both the Government and the public on the question of road safety.

Every one will endorse the view that road safety has to be vigorously studied and energetically pursued. Some piecemeal efforts have been made by various organizations like the Road Safety Association, the Kaifong Associations and the Junior Chamber of Commerce, but it appears there is a need for a central authority to co-ordinate all efforts and to devise overall long term planning in regard to road safety.

Scope of Council

In the course of the debate Members have dwelt at length on expanding the scope and responsibilities of the Urban Council. I think it would be quite logical if the Council should be made responsible for the work of the Social Welfare Department. First of all, the Director of this Department is a member of the Council and his relations with Members are both friendly and co-operative. Secondly, part of the Department's work has a direct bearing on the work of this Council. I am referring to the assistance his Department gives in regard to renewal of hawker licences and case work investigations. I feel sure that this suggestion to make the Council the responsible authority for the work of the Social Welfare Department would be welcomed by the public.

I further suggest, as my friend Mr. BERNACCHI has done, that the Urban Council should have control of the whole sphere of work of the Urban Services Department. The Department was formed in 1955 for the purpose of implementing the decisions of the Council, but since April 1960 the Department has been assigned to take over all functions concerning public health and sanitation in the New Territories, with the minor exception of offensive trades and private slaughterhouses which are still under the control of the District Commissioner.

The Urban Amenities Committee of the Council acts in an advisory capacity on New Territories beaches, but otherwise the Urban Council has nothing to do with the functions of the Department in this big area. This has created an anomalous situation!

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In view of the rapid growth of satellite towns like Tsuen Wan and of their proximity to Kowloon it is illogical and undesirable from the point of view of good administration and efficiency that this anomalous situation should be perpetuated.

It is only reasonable that the entire scope of the work of the Urban Services Department should come under the control of the Council. This measure will at the same time re-instill in the Department its original purpose, which was to act as the executive arm of this Council.

Private Schools

It is the recognized responsibility of every modern and progressive government to provide primary education for every child in the community. While Government's previous 7-year programme has been executed satisfactorily with the original target figures over fulfilled, it now appears that the hoped for policy of providing universal education for every Hong Kong child may not materialize.

According to the report of the Advisory Committee on Library Services the illiteracy rate of the population over 15 years of age is 28.4% and over 12.8% of the population under 18 years has received no schooling.

Of the 800,000 children attending schools in the Colony over half are in private schools. I firmly believe it is the duty of Government to help these schools in every way possible to discharge their duties properly in the interest of the community.

Under the present set-up, schools are being considered as business enterprises. Their premises are not subject to rent control and are not protected under the provisions of the Rent Increases (Domestic Premises) Control Ordinance, 1963. I know of many private schools which are facing the threat of high and unrealistic rentals. Such a threat upon our private school system is detrimental to the public good. It hardly needs emphasizing that the overall interests of our community transcend any sectional interest within the community. It is a matter of pressing urgency that Government should take appropriate steps to halt these spiral rent increases in school premises.

Rent control for schools would be welcomed by the public because it would stabilize school fees. It would also remove the spectre of economical strangulation from most of the existing private schools.

This measure should be welcomed by the Education Department which is justifiably concerned with overcrowding in classrooms and the matter of minimum scale of remuneration for teachers.

With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I support the motion. (Applause).

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