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of the Hong Kong Housing Authority, have been seriously handicapped in the Annual Debate on Housing by the fact that Government has not published this Report. Therefore, you will agree that it is of great concern that we should urge upon Government to have this Report issued as soon as possible. In the circumstances, Mr. Chairman, can you please tell this Council whether in fact this Report will be published before the Hong Kong Housing Authority meets for its next annual debate? I believe that will take place in February next year. (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I must say that I assume that the Report will be published before that date, but I will make an inquiry and ascertain for you the likelihood of its publication.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I go a little further than Mr. SALES and ask you if it is possible to publish this Report before the winter comes?
CHAIRMAN:-I will address an inquiry to the Colonial Secretary.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, and I ask it by way of supplementary, surely the publication of the Report and the publication of the recommendations of the Urban Council on the Report is an entirely separate matter from acceptance of the whole of the Report or part of the Report by Government? Sir, is there any reason why there could not be a publication of the Report and the recommendations of the Urban Council on the Report before its acceptance or rejection by Government?
CHAIRMAN:-I do not know, Sir, but I will inquire and find out for you.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
As there are many poor families living in resettlement areas and estates for whom it is a serious financial burden to send their children to primary school, will the Commissioner for Resettlement please inquire from Government whether it would be willing to allocate an initial sum of at least $250,000 to the Urban Council to establish a Fund to be managed by the Social Welfare Department to enable private primary schools to reduce the fees of students from poor families living in the resettlement areas and estates by a minimum of $5 to a maximum of $10 per student?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
57
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows: ---
In the course of your speech at the Annual Conventional Debate on 3rd December, 1963 you proposed the establishment of a similar fund to provide educational allowances to all Hong Kong-born children who needed such assistance. Your remarks on that occasion were brought to the attention of Government.
Your present question proposes that a fund should be established to provide assistance only to the children of families living in resettlement estates and areas. I think you will agree, Sir, that such special treatment for one section of the community would be undesirable, implying as it would, that they are not integrated into the general population.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, would you elucidate the manner and form in which these remarks, which were made by me at the December meeting of this Council, were brought to the attention of Government?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, a complete record—a verbatim account—of your remarks was forwarded to the Colonial Secretary for attention.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I am sorry, I did not get it, Mr. Chairman. To whose attention?
CHAIRMAN: -It was forwarded to the Colonial Secretary.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Was that under cover of a letter addressed to the Colonial Secretary?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I inquire, Mr. Chairman, whether you have any knowledge of what action was taken?
CHAIRMAN:-I have no knowledge, Sir. I think I am right in saying that your remarks were probably also brought to the attention of the Director of Education, but I would like to check that point.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, would you be good enough, please, to find out both from the Colonial Secretary and the Director of Education whether these remarks have actually been considered and what decision has been taken?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-A further supplementary, Mr. Chairman. You will agree, Mr. Chairman, that if this particular question had
Page 39 of 312
Page 39 of 312
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of the Hong Kong Housing Authority, have been seriously handicapped in the Annual Debate on Housing by the fact that Government has not published this Report. Therefore, you will agree that it is of great concern that we should urge upon Government to have this Report issued as soon as possible. In the circumstances, Mr. Chairman, can you please tell this Council whether in fact this Report will be pub- lished before the Hong Kong Housing Authority meets for its next annual debate? I believe that will take place in February next year. (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I must say that I assume that the Report will be published before that date, but I will make an inquiry and ascertain for you the likelihood of its publication.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I go a little further than Mr. SALES and ask you if it is possible to publish this Report before the winter comes?
CHAIRMAN:-I will address an inquiry to the Colonial Secretary.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, and I ask it by way of supple- mentary, surely the publication of the Report and the publication of the recommendations of the Urban Council on the Report is an entirely separate matter from acceptance of the whole of the Report or part of the Report by Government? Sir, is there any reason why there could not be a publication of the Report and the recommendations of the Urban Council on the Report before its acceptance or rejection by Government?
CHAIRMAN:-I do not know, Sir, but I will inquire and find out
for you.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:-
As there are many poor families living in resettlement areas and estates for whom it is a serious financial burden to send their children to primary school, will the Commis- sioner for Resettlement please inquire from Government whether it would be willing to allocate an initial sum of at least $250,000 to the Urban Council to establish a Fund to be managed by the Social Welfare Department to enable private primary schools to reduce the fees of students from poor families living in the resettlement areas and estates by a minimum of $5 to a maximum of $10 per student?
!
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
57
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows: ---
In the course of your speech at the Annual Conventional Debate on 3rd December, 1963 you proposed the estab- lishment of a similar fund to provide educational allow. ances to all Hong Kong-born children who needed such assistance. Your remarks on that occasion were brought to the attention of Government.
Your present question proposes that a fund should be estab- lished to provide assistance only to the children of families living in resettlement estates and areas. I think you will agree, Sir, that such special treatment for one section of the community would be undesirable, implying as it would, that they are not integrated into the general popu- lation.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, would you elucidate the manner and form in which these remarks, which were made by me at the December meeting of this Council, were brought to the attention of Government?
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, a complete record-a verbatim account-of your remarks was forwarded to the Colonial Secretary for attention.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I am sorry, I did not get it, Mr. Chairman. To whose attention?
CHAIRMAN: -It was forwarded to the Colonial Secretary.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Was that under cover of a letter addressed to the Colonial Secretary?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-May I inquire, Mr. Chairman, whether you have any knowledge of what action was taken?
CHAIRMAN:-I have no knowledge, Sir. I think I am right in say- ing that your remarks were probably also brought to the attention of the Director of Education, but I would like to check that point.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, would you be good enough, please, to find out both from the Colonial Secretary and the Director of Education whether these remarks have actually been considered and what decision has been taken?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-A further supplementary, Mr. Chairman. You will agree, Mr. Chairman, that if this particular question had
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