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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(7) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:—

I have received representations from residents in resettlement estates asking for the setting up of more children's reading rooms which could also be used as study rooms, especially for those children who are in the last few years of their primary education or are in the early years of their secondary education; can the Chairman of the Resettle- ment Management Committee advise how many reading- rooms to meet such need exist in the resettlement estates and what is being done to provide more of such reading- rooms in the near future for the benefit of the younger generation of Hong Kong?

MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE Resettlement MANAGE- MENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows: ---

At present there are 36 libraries/reading rooms operated by voluntary organizations and Kaifong Associations inside or in the vicinity of resettlement estates.

Many of these libraries and reading rooms are also being used as study rooms by the children in the resettlement estates. As regards future planning, one whole floor with an area of 2,300 sq. ft. in each of the four proposed estate welfare buildings in Lam Tin, Hing Wah, Pak Tin and Tsz Wan Shan has been earmarked for use as a library with read- ing room facilities. In older estates where no welfare buildings are provided and where such facilities are inadequate, the Resettlement Management Select Commit- tee is prepared to consider allocating premises reserved for welfare purposes to voluntary organizations for use as libraries or reading rooms.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, from the reply it does seem that in the older estates there is a real need for such libraries and reading rooms. Could the Resettlement Management Select Committee go one step further in this and bring to the attention of interested voluntary organizations that that need does exist, and would they be prepared to come into these older estates and set up such libraries and reading rooms.

MR. HU:-We certainly would, Mr. Chairman. I can assure Mr. CHEONG-LEEN that out of these 36 libraries, many of them are in the old estates.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Well, we know that there are over a million people in our resettlement estates, and certainly 36 libraries and reading

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rooms are insufficient for such a large population. I do urge the Resettlement Committee to go into the suggestion I have made.

MR. HU: Yes, we certainly will, Mr. Chairman.

(8) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question:-

What steps are being taken to quicken up the procedure for

allocating compassionate resettlement rooms?

MR. HENRY H. L. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THe ResettlemENT MANAGE- MENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-

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At their meeting on the 24th February 1971, the Resettlement Management Select Committee discussed the question of compassionate resettlement in some detail. On the instructions of the Select Committee, an inter-departmental meeting was held between officers of the Social Welfare, Medical and Resettlement Departments at which the procedure for resettling families on compassionate grounds was finalized. It was agreed that the backlog of some 600 families should be offered resettlement in order of priority in accordance with the date of referral.

Since then, 212 cases representing 36.7% of the total backlog of 578 cases have been dealt with. This does not include single persons who the Select Committee agreed should be referred back to the recommending bodies for forming into groups of appropriate size for resettlement rooms.

Of the 36.7% of the backlog which has been dealt with, about one third have accepted resettlement accommodation. At this rate, the backlog will most probably be cleared in two to three months' time. It is expected that the exercise could be accelerated when more rooms become available in the new blocks in developing estates in April 1971.

MRS. ELLIOTT:--Mr. Chairman, could the Chairman of the Resettlement Management Select Committee explain why this backlog occurred?

MR. HU-I should think, Mr. Chairman, because we did over- look this problem from the very beginning.

MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, is it correct that we are now giving about 2,000 rooms per year on compassionate grounds and, if so, it is going to take 2 to 3 months to get rid of this backlog. Are we always going to have a backlog?