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local Government. The public, I am sure, appreciates our work and the progress we have made. Government has taken cognizance of the work of the Council too, which can be witnessed by the additional responsibilities it has given us from time to time, notably the manage- ment of the City Hall.

But I am not contented to limit our work just within the scope of the Urban Council. I am confident that we can be of more service to the community if we can be represented in other public bodies as well. The public is always concerned about the policy and work of the Government, especially in medical services and education. At present, medical services in the Colony, as pointed out by the Honourable RUTTONJEE for three years in succession in the annual Budget Debate of the Legislative Council, is highly inadequate. As for educational facilities, it is undeniable that the number of schools provided by Government is insufficient to meet the demand. Yet these two services share a very large portion of the Government Budget every year. In order to ensure that the big sum of money allocated to these services is well spent, the Urban Council with its membership consisting of Appointed Members, Official Members, and Elected Members would be a most suitable body to ask for advice. Government should realize by now that while professional views are always right, non-professional views are also indispensable if we want progress and improvement. Take the new policy of the Education Department in primary education for instance. The new policy to provide 2 years Secondary Education to the Primary School pupils is, I think, commendable. But I do not understand why the age of entry to Primary One should be seven years old instead of six years old. If it is intended to help those children who unfortunately have to earn their living as soon as they reach the minimum working age prescribed by the Labour Department, that is, fourteen years old, then wouldn't it be simpler to continue the present education system and provide two years' secondary education specially for these poor children? Another incongruity in this new system will be enforced in Government and grant-in-aid schools while private schools are allowed to take their choice. Government must not ignore the fact that private schools are playing an important role in local education, and if they have any difficulties in the transitional period in changing from one old system to a new one, Government should assist them to overcome their difficulties instead of allowing them to lag behind. It is a pity therefore that so far Government would not allow the Urban Council to be represented in the various public boards and committees, and our views are not sought in matters like educational and medical services. I do think it is now time for Government to revise its policy in this respect.

Turning to the policy of the Council, it is interesting to note that Council has taken a sudden change in its market policy. For many

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years no action had been taken to hasten the programme of building markets, but now it is anticipated that two markets will be built or re-constructed every year. "Multipurpose Market" is indeed the right name for the new markets, for apart from stalls, they include offices, staff quarters, hawker bazaars, etc. Hawkers have been a serious problem to us; housing them in markets will solve a greater part of the problem. In this connexion, I would like to say a few words on the design of our new markets. Take the new Tang Lung Chau Market for example. A new-comer to the Colony will not recognize that it is a market. It is just an ordinary building with the name of the market outside. A special design should be used, preferably oriental in style, for our markets, and if that is unpractical, at least a special colour scheme should be used. In planning new markets, moreover, provision should be made for refrigeration facilities. At present, anything left unsold during the day in the market is kept by stallholders in the stall without refrigeration and offered for sale again the next day. I think this is a dangerous practice. Since frozen food is now allowed to be sold in markets, it is even more essential that in our future markets refrigeration facilities should be provided. With the new clean markets, more housewives will be interested in shopping there, and it would be convenient to them if a special section for frozen food with the sale of frozen fruits could be included in the plan.

Before I finish the subject of markets, I would like to add that many years ago, there was a ruling by this Council that no food-shops should be licensed within 100 yards of a market. The change of market policy calls for re-introduction of this ruling, because if money is to be spent on constructing new markets, substantial return of revenue from market rents should be expected, and some protection for the market stallholders who have to pay high rentals is reasonable.

Now I must comment on the salary scale of the low-grade staff of the Urban Services Department. A total of 6,521 persons are employed in this grade, of which 5,460 belong to the lowest group. These are the people who keep our city clean, and they contribute directly to the sanitary work of the Colony. And I must say they are doing very important work for us. However, the low rate in which they are remunerated is indeed shocking. Their wages start with $128 with an annual increment of $2. In nine year's time they reach the maximum of $146, at which they have to remain for another nine years before they can be promoted to the next higher grade with a remuneration of $150 to begin with. It takes a further nine years before they get to the maximum of $173 and another five years before a promotion is due, the salary at that time being $360. This salary scale, even though there is in addition a small cost of living allowance until the top grade of $360 per month is reached, is very low, for nowadays any unskilled worker can earn 7-8 dollars a day or $200-250 a month. It must also