HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
present position is that the Ministry of Overseas Development has selected a suitable candidate for the post of Library Adviser and a firm offer of appointment is being made to him. Advertisements for the post of Assistant Librarians Class I will appear in the United Kingdom press very shortly. Advertisements for Assistant Librarians Class II have already appeared in the local press. Appointments will be offered as quickly as possible but at this stage no forecast can be made of the response to the advertisements, particularly as there appears to be a world-wide shortage of trained librarians. The situation is being watched carefully by the Library Select Committee, which has decided upon certain measures to keep matters under control and to maintain, in the interim, a reasonable minimum standard of library service to the public.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, are we offering a high enough salary both in Hong Kong and in the United Kingdom to attract suitable applicants in, should I say, a "buyer's market”?
CHAIRMAN:-I hope so, Sir, and events will tell us in the near future whether we are offering sufficient. I am encouraged, however, by the fact that a good candidate has come forward for the post of Library Adviser. That is a promising sign.
MR. BERNACCHI:-What results have been obtained from advertisements so far in Hong Kong?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, there has hardly been time to assess them, because the advertisements only appeared last week-end.
DR. LEE:-In view of our past experience, Mr. Chairman, is it wise to give contracts of the same length of time to the senior staff in the Library? If the contracts are spread over a period of, say, 2 years, we will not have this critical moment when all the senior staff will have their agreements due for renewal or termination at the same time?
CHAIRMAN:-That is an interesting point, but it was accidental that the Library started off with certain staff at the same time and their contracts were for three years, so they tended to terminate at the same time. I think there must now be some delays over a period of time in the recruitment of new staff and therefore the termination dates of contracts are not likely to fall due all at once in the future.
MR. WATSON:-Mr. Chairman, to avoid giving Government a false sense of security, may we make it clear that this appears to be a "seller's market" and not a "buyer's market" as far as Librarians are concerned?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. BERNACCHI:-Perhaps I got my metaphors mixed, Mr. Chairman. (Laughter). The second supplementary from me is: To retain the 50% of the Library staff, can the third paragraph of your answer be communicated to them?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MOTIONS.
(1) Resumption of the following motion moved by Mr. K. A. WATSON at the meeting held on 1st December, 1964:-
That Standing Order 22(9) be suspended in so far as it relates to the Sub-Committees appointed by the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee until 31st March, 1965.
CHAIRMAN:-The motion regarding suspension of Standing Order 22(9) was proposed by Mr. WATSON and seconded by Mr. BERNACCHI at the last meeting, and it then stood adjourned in accordance with Standing Order No. 24. Members may now speak on the motion if they so wish.
(No Members spoke)
CHAIRMAN:-The motion before the Council is that Standing Order 22(9) be suspended in so far as it relates to the Sub-Committees appointed by the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee until 31st March, 1965.
The question was put.
The motion was carried.
(2) Resumption of the following motion moved by the Chairman, Urban Council, at the meeting held on 1st December, 1964:-
That this Council endorse the Statement of Aims for 1965 tabled to-day.
He said: The debate on the Statement of Aims for 1965, which was adjourned from the last meeting, will now resume, and I have pleasure in calling on the Commissioner for Resettlement to speak.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Mr. Chairman, one year ago I had the privilege of attending my first meeting of the Urban Council. Since then three events, or combinations of events, have had a particular impact on the work of the Resettlement Department. Firstly, with the
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
present position is that the Ministry of Overseas Develop- ment has selected a suitable candidate for the post of Library Adviser and a firm offer of appointment is being made to him. Advertisements for the post of Assistant Librarians Class I will appear in the United Kingdom press very shortly. Advertisements for Assistant Libra- rians Class II have already appeared in the local press. Appointments will be offered as quickly as possible but at this stage no forecast can be made of the response to the advertisements, particularly as there appears to be a world-wide shortage of trained librarians. The situation is being watched carefully by the Library Select Committee, which has decided upon certain measures to keep matters under control and to maintain, in the interim, a reasonable minimum standard of library service to the public.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, are we offering a high enough salary both in Hong Kong and in the United Kingdom to attract suit- able applicants in, should I say, a "buyer's market”?
CHAIRMAN:-I hope so, Sir, and events will tell us in the near future whether we are offering sufficient. I am encouraged, however, by the fact that a good candidate has come forward for the post of Library Adviser. That is a promising sign.
MR. BERNACCHI:-What results have been obtained from advertise- ments so far in Hong Kong?
CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, there has hardly been time to assess them, be- cause the advertisements only appeared last week-end.
DR. LEE:--In view of our past experience, Mr. Chairman, is it wise to give contracts of the same length of time to the senior staff in the Library? If the contracts are spread over a period of, say, 2 years, we will not have this critical moment when all the senior staff will have their agreements due for renewal or termination at the same time?
CHAIRMAN: ---That is an interesting point, but it was accidental that the Library started off with certain staff at the same time and their contracts were for three years, so they tended to terminate at the same time. I think there must now be some delays over a period of time in the recruitment of new staff and therefore the termination dates of contracts are not likely to fall due all at once in the future.
MR. WATSON-Mr. Chairman, to avoid giving Government a false sense of security, may we make it clear that this appears to be a "seller's market" and not a "buyer's market" as far as Librarians are concerned?
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MR. BERNACCHI:-Perhaps I got my metaphors mixed, Mr. Chair- man. (Laughter). The second supplementary from me is: To retain the 50% of the Library staff, can the third paragraph of your answer be communicated to them?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MOTIONS.
(1) Resumption of the following motion moved by Mr. K. A. WATSON at the meeting held on 1st December, 1964: -
That Standing Order 22(9) be suspended in so far as it relates to the Sub-Committees appointed by the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee until 31st March, 1965.
CHAIRMAN:-The motion regarding suspension of Standing Order 22(9) was proposed by Mr. WATSON and seconded by Mr. BERNACCHI at the last meeting, and it then stood adjourned in accordance with Standing Order No. 24. Members may now speak on the motion if they so wish.
(No Members spoke)
CHAIRMAN:-The motion before the Council is that Standing Order 22(9) be suspended in so far as it relates to the Sub-Committees appointed by the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committe until 31st March, 1965.
The question was put.
The motion was carried.
(2) Resumption of the following motion moved by the Chairman, Urban Council, at the meeting held on 1st December, 1964:-
That this Council endorse the Statement of Aims for 1965
tabled to-day.
He said: The debate on the Statement of Aims for 1965, which was adjourned from the last meeting, will now resume, and I have pleasure in calling on the Commissioner for Resettlement to speak.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Mr. Chairman, one year ago
I had the privilege of attending my first meeting of the Urban Council. Since then three events, or combinations of events, have had a particular impact on the work of the Resettlement Department. Firstly, with the
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