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Standing Committee of the Whole Council, so it is with some confidence that I now move "that the Stadia By-law, 1974, be made under Section 105D of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132."
MR. R. H. LOBO (in English):-I pledged support for Mr. Lo's motion and therefore I second it.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(2) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI moved the following motion:-
"That rooms be provided throughout the urban areas for students to study, preferably air-conditioned premises, under the management of the Urban Council.”
He said (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I rise to move the motion standing in my name. Hundreds if not thousands of students are from overcrowded homes that become very hot and stuffy in the summer but they are expected to study to become good and useful citizens of future Hong Kong. Not enough is being done to provide these students with suitable study rooms preferably in air-conditioned premises. I know that the Urban Council plans already to approach various schools to provide study rooms in the evenings, but a lot more urgency should be given to this whole question. Even in premises at present under the control of the Urban Council such as the City Hall and District Libraries, premises could be set aside now for student study rooms. The Central Government itself could be requested to provide rooms in various districts for a similar purpose. As an interim measure also, I would call on the various religious bodies in Hong Kong similarly to make church halls available for a few evenings a week. All public estates are now under the Housing Authority on which sit 8 Urban Councillors appointed as such to that Authority. I suggest that in all these public estates rooms fitted with air conditioners could and should be made available as general study rooms, to relieve the individual family from making space available in their densely crowded rooms especially for their children to study. I stress that there are more than half a million students in our Public Housing Estates who have literally nowhere else to go to other than old places like the City Hall Library, which in itself can only accommodate a very small number. I appreciate that youth is nearly always high spirited, and therefore it is preferable to have someone in control of the proposed study rooms,
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perhaps teachers could be recruited to supervise on a rota basis. It is essential that this Council sets up a lot of rooms in every district, with adequate reference materials as study rooms, and I so move.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-In the absence of Mr. Henry Hu, Miss Cecilia YEUNG will second the motion. Miss YEUNG.
MISS CECILIA YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman. I strongly support this motion. I second the motion.
MISS KO SIU-WAH (in English):-Mr. Chairman. May I know more clearly what is the motion by Mr. BERNACCHI, because whilst I appreciate his long speech, what's the motion? Is it exactly what is written on the paper?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Yes, that's the text of the motion. Do you wish to speak?
MISS KO (in English):-Yes. I think we all agree to have sufficient study rooms in urban areas. But I wonder whether Mr. BERNACCHI could inform us of the lacking situation at the present time. Who are now providing most study rooms, the youth agencies, community centres or other welfare organizations? What would be the principle for providing study rooms? Should the provision of study rooms be primarily in connection with libraries or with the services for children and youth or with both? I think these are some of the areas that need to be clarified before supporting the motion.
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-Mr. Chairman. Is Mr. BERNACCHI the only person in the Urban Council concerned with the provision of study rooms? To this the answer is "No". My research of the minutes of the Libraries Select Committee reveals that as early as May last year, consideration was given to the provision of study rooms. This was duly followed by the departmental paper in regard to the Library Expansion Programme. In September 1973, a departmental paper set out the department's suggestions with regard to the provision of study rooms. This Library Expansion Programme was then considered at the meeting of the Libraries Select Committee in November 1973. Subsequent to that, as a result of stimulation from Mr. MACKENZIE, a review of Libraries Select Committee policy paper was then produced, setting out the Libraries Select Committee's policy with regard to the provision of study rooms. The policy was to provide a study room of 2,000 sq. ft., accommodating 200 seats to be provided for every 20,000 secondary school population. This proposed policy review paper was then considered on the 20th of May, Sir, again by
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Standing Committee of the Whole Council, so it is with some con- fidence that I now move "that the Stadia By-law, 1974, be made under Section 105D of the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, Cap. 132."
MR. R. H. LOBO (in English):-I pledged support for Mr. Lo's motion and therefore I second it.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(2) MR. B. A. BERNACCHI moved the following motion:-
"That rooms be provided throughout the urban areas for students to study, preferably air-conditioned premises, under the management of the Urban Council.”
He said (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I rise to move the motion standing in my name. Hundreds if not thousands of students are from overcrowded homes that become very hot and stuffy in the summer but they are expected to study to become good and useful citizens of future Hong Kong. Not enough is being done to provide these students with suitable study rooms preferably in air-conditioned premises. I know that the Urban Council plans already to approach various schools to provide study rooms in the evenings, but a lot more urgency should be given to this whole question. Even in premises at present under the control of the Urban Council such as the City Hall and District Libraries, premises could be set aside now for student study rooms. The Central Government itself could be requested to provide rooms in various districts for a similar purpose. As an interim measure also, I would call on the various religious bodies in Hong Kong similarly to make church halls available for a few evenings a week. All public estates are now under the Housing Authority on which sit 8 Urban Councillors appointed as such to that Authority. I suggest that in all these public estates rooms fitted with air conditioners could and should be made available as general study rooms, to relieve the individual family from making space available in their densely crowded rooms especially for their children to study. I stress that there are more than half a million students in our Public Housing Estates who have literally nowhere else to go to other than old places like the City Hall Library, which in itself can only accommodate a very small number. appreciate that youth is nearly always high spirited, and therefore it is preferable to have someone in control of the proposed study rooms,
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Page 44 of 187
57
perhaps teachers could be recruited to supervise on a rota basis. It is essential that this Council sets up a lot of rooms in every district, with adequate reference materials as study rooms, and I so move.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-In the absence of Mr. Henry Hu, Miss Cecilia YEUNG will second the motion. Miss YEUNG.
MISS CECILIA YEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman. I strongly support this motion. I second the motion.
know
Miss KO SIU-WAH (in English):-Mr. Chairman. May more clearly what is the motion by Mr. BERNACCHI, because whilst I Is it exactly what is appreciate his long speech, what's the motion? written on the paper?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Yes, that's the text of the motion. Do you wish to speak?
MISS Ko (in English):-Yes. I think we all agree to have suffi- cient study rooms in urban areas. But I wonder whether Mr. BERNACCHI could inform us of the lacking situation at the present time. Who are now providing most study room, the youth agencies, community centres or other welfare organizations? What would be the principle for providing study rooms? Should the provision of study rooms be primarily in connection with libraries or with the services for children I think these are some of the areas that and youth or with both? need to be clarified before supporting the motion.
Is Mr.
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-Mr. Chairman. BERNACCHI the only person in the Urban Council concerned with the provision of study rooms? To this the answer is "No". My research of the minutes of the Libraries Select Committee reveals that as early as May last year, consideration was given to the provision of study rooms. This was duly followed by the departmental paper in regard to the Library Expansion Programme. In September 1973, a depart- mental paper set out the department's suggestions with regard to the provision of study rooms. This Library Expansion Programme was then considered at the meeting of the Libraries Select Committee in November 1973. Subsequent to that, as a result of stimulation from Mr. MACKENZIE, a review of Libraries Select Committee policy paper was then produced, setting out the Libraries Select Committee's policy with regard to the provision of study rooms. The policy was to provide a study room of 2,000 sq. ft., accommodating 200 seats to be provided for every 20,000 secondary school population. This proposed policy review paper was then considered on the 20th of May, Sir, again by
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