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and the Urban Services Department. The Education Department's Physical Education Section takes care of the school population, while the Urban Services Department has no staff at all for organizing physical recreation activities for all other groups and even for school-children outside school-hours.

(Mr. Henry WONG arrived at this point.)

The Select Committee feels strongly that it is in Hong Kong's interests for urgent action to be taken to set up such a service which would also make a significant contribution towards keeping our youth away from harmful pursuits. It has therefore been examining the problem in detail and has come to the conclusion that, if this need is to be met, then a new Physical Recreation Unit will have to be created.

This unit could be placed in either the Education Department or the Urban Services Department, as the Government sees fit; but, wherever it is placed, it is important that its activities should cover the whole Colony. It may also be necessary for a controlling or advisory committee to be established in conjunction with the Unit. I must here stress that there is no intention whatsoever of the Unit, if established, infringing the autonomy of the national sports bodies.

The following possible terms of reference have been drawn up:

(i) To promote the greater and better use of existing public physical recreational facilities;

(ii) To create greater recreational opportunities in the field of physical recreation by the planning and development of new facilities;

(iii) To promote coaching opportunities and to aid in the development of groups and competitions;

(iv) To co-operate with the National Sports Bodies in the development of the use of public physical recreational facilities.

Thus, an important function of the Unit would be to form district leagues and sponsor competitions so as to attract the greatest number of young people to play together in organized sports activities. Coaching schemes would be introduced for the improvement of standards of performance.

Mr. Chairman, the Select Committee also submitted a proposal that the Unit, in addition to having staff for the planning and development of recreation facilities and for the exploitation of beaches and sports complexes, should also have a regional structure covering Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories. This structure would be broken down into districts, each with its own Recreation Officer who would have access to a central pool of coaches and administrators.

I understand that the Director of Urban Services put forward the Select Committee's proposals to the Colonial Secretariat in the middle of April, and is now awaiting a reply, which I trust will not be long in coming.

QUESTIONS

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

(a) How many resettlement appeals were heard in the year 1970-71, and how many were heard in 1971-72?

(b) What kind of appeal can now be heard by the Resettlement Appeals Sub-Committees?

(c) Why is the Urban Council no longer called upon for appeals concerning claims for domestic and factory resettlement, or for ex-gratia payment disputes?

THE COMMISSIONER for Resettlement replied as follows:

Mr. Chairman, as to the first part of this question, 29 appeals were dealt with in 1970-71 and 5 in 1971-72.

As to the second part, Section 5(3) of the Resettlement Ordinance allows for appeals to be heard by the appropriate Competent Authority. The Urban Council is the Competent Authority under Parts IV and V of the Ordinance and thus its Committees are authorized to deal with appeals under those Parts of the Ordinance. Part IV deals with the management of Resettlement Estates and Factories and Part V with the management of Cottage Areas. That is, appeals must be against the exercise of particular management powers conferred on the Urban Council concerning the management of urban estates, factories and cottage areas.

As to the third part of the question, this Council has never, to my knowledge, been authorized to hear appeals concerning resettlement clearance matters.

Mr. Chairman, having dealt with the first question, I would like to say that the replies to the other questions on resettlement matters stand in my name, as when they were prepared it was not certain that the new Chairman of the Resettlement Select Committee would be ready

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and the Urban Services Department. The Education Department's Physical Education Section takes care of the school population, while the Urban Services Department has no staff at all for organizing physical recreation activities for all other groups and even for school-children outside school-hours.

(Mr. Henry WONG arrived at this point.)

The Select Committee feels strongly that it is in Hong Kong's interests for urgent action to be taken to set up such a service which would also make a significant contribution towards keeping our youth away from harmful pursuits. It has therefore been examining the problem in detail and has come to the conclusion that, if this need is to be met, then a new Physical Recreation Unit will have to be created.

This unit could be placed in either the Education Department or the Urban Services Department, as the Government sees fit; but, wherever it is placed, it is important that its activities should cover the whole Colony. It may also be necessary for a controlling or advisory committee to be established in conjunction with the Unit. I must here stress that there is no intention whatsoever of the Unit, if established, infringing the autonomy of the national sports bodies.

The following possible terms of reference have been drawn up:

(i) To promote the greater and better use of existing public physical recreational facilities;

(ii) To create greater recreational opportunities in the field of physical recreation by the planning and development of new facilities;

(iii) To promote coaching opportunities and to aid in the development of groups and competitions;

(iv) To co-operate with the National Sports Bodies in the development of the use of public physical recreational facilities.

Thus, an important function of the Unit would be to form district leagues and sponsor competitions so as to attract the greatest number of young people to play together in organized sports activities. Coaching schemes would be introduced for the improvement of standards of performance.

Mr. Chairman, the Select Committee also submitted a proposal that the Unit, in addition to having staff for the planning and development of recreation facilities and for the exploitation of beaches and sports complexes, should also have a regional structure covering Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories. This structure would be broken down into districts, each with its own Recreation Officer who would have access to a central pool of coaches and administrators.

I understand that the Director of Urban Services put forward the Select Committee's proposals to the Colonial Secretariat in the middle of April, and is now awaiting a reply, which I trust will not be long in coming.

QUESTIONS

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

(a) How many resettlement appeals were heard in the year 1970-71, and how many were heard in 1971-72?

(b) What kind of appeal can now be heard by the Resettlement Appeals Sub-Committees?

(c) Why is the Urban Council no longer called upon for appeals concerning claims for domestic and factory resettlement, or for ex-gratia payment disputes?

THE COMMISSIONER for Resettlement replied as follows:

Mr. Chairman, as to the first part of this question, 29 appeals were dealt with in 1970-71 and 5 in 1971-72.

As to the second part, Section 5(3) of the Resettlement Ordinance allows for appeals to be heard by the appropriate Competent Authority. The Urban Council is the Competent Authority under Parts IV and V of the Ordinance and thus its Committees are authorized to deal with appeals under those Parts of the Ordinance. Part IV deals with the management of Resettlement Estates and Factories and Part V with the management of Cottage Areas. That is, appeals must be against the exercise of particular management powers conferred on the Urban Council concerning the management of urban estates, factories and cottage areas.

As to the third part of the question, this Council has never, to my knowledge, been authorized to hear appeals concerning resettlement clearance matters.

Mr. Chairman, having dealt with the first question, I would like to say that the replies to the other questions on resettlement matters stand in my name, as when they were prepared it was not certain that the new Chairman of the Resettlement Select Committee would be ready

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