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And, all the time, we must encourage an appreciation of standards of excellence. Let us then have the vision of an intensive bicultural life in Hongkong so that we may preserve and develop the best in local Chinese artistic traditions and cultivate the growing interest in Western and other arts." As you have heard from the Chairman of the City Hall and Entertainments Select Committee the Orchestra will be present- ing programmes of orchestral music by contemporary Chinese composers at the forthcoming Arts Festival. The opportunity for a musician to listen to his own composition performed by a full orchestra will surely inject fresh impetus and inspire more creative work. I am equally sure that there is a great deal more hidden talent which only needs the stimulus of interest to become a reality. Perhaps in one of our schools there is the future composer of a full-scale symphony, to eulogise the achievements of Hong Kong as a unique metropolis. Let us hope that it will not be called the Hong Kong Dollar Symphony!

But the role of the Orchestra need not be confined to playing in a few concerts. It can be used as a vehicle to further other aspects of musical life in Hong Kong by supplementing the valuable work of our institutes of learning and other academic circles where music is taught. The Hongkong Philharmonic provides a wonderful opportunity for students to come in direct contact with musical performances which will enhance their practical knowledge. And I would like to see this important aspect of the future activities of the Hongkong Philharmonic exploited more fully.

Unfortunately in Hong Kong, public funds are not yet available to establish a conservatoire. Because of this there is now a complete lack of any facilities to teach instrumental music. I would like to suggest that the Hongkong Philharmonic Society could do something to fill this gap temporarily, until such time as a complete course of education in music can be offered. I am sure members of the orchestra would wish to help and would readily agree to work together to achieve what could be an additional role of the Hongkong Philharmonic.

You will agree that the process of transforming a purely amateur body to that of a professional orchestra of international status takes years to achieve. Although the Orchestra is still in its infancy, it is rapidly growing in stature and importance, and is firmly on the road to becoming the linchpin of the Council's endeavours to enlarge the scope of its cultural activities. There is no doubt that the Council has, due to the vision and foresight of our Chairman and fellow Councillors, made a very sound investment. But we must make sure that the Orchestra continues to make progress; for no creative talent can survive stagnation.

I hope, therefore, you will give your blessing to its expansion plans when they are presented for your consideration and that you will approve a larger financial vote.

Now, a word on the general aspects of our cultural activities and their influence on the people of Hong Kong.

Mr. Chairman, in your speech mentioned above, you emphasized the necessity of cultivating "an appreciation of the arts as a process of education". On another occasion, I appealed for an enrichment of the cultural content of school curricula. People who supported the idea may wonder how it can be done. I would like to suggest that the cultural facilities offered by the Council are just the sort of thing which can and should be used for the purpose of inculcating the precepts of culture. I am confident that by making fuller use of these facilities, we shall then be able to bring up young people of quality. And in terms of Hong Kong's population, quality is surely more important then quantity. But I shall leave population growth to my colleagues who are more knowledgeable on the subject.

What concerns me most is whether we are giving sufficient publicity to our endeavours in the cultural field. Are we making the rising generation sufficiently aware of the ancillary benefits and advantages that can be derived from the more regular use of our facilities? In my view we should first have an in-depth publicity campaign for our cultural activities and apply the same drive and vigor as that given to the Keep Hong Kong Clean campaign. And to this end, I would like to see some thought given to the choice of an appropriate slogan.

Secondly, we should not confine our publicity to the mass media. I suggest that we should reach out to teachers and parents and through them urge all young people to make the maximum use of our facilities. We have now ten USD districts staffed by officers who maintain close contact with the public in discharging their statutory duties. Perhaps they can now assume the role of cultural ambassadors in this respect.

If we follow these courses of action, I am sure we shall not only raise the image of the Council to an even more exhaulted position in the minds of the public, but we shall have also fulfilled a new and worthy mission.

With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I support the motion before Council.

(The Honourable Hilton CHEONG-LEEN, Mr. Henry H. O. LUK and Mr. Peter C. K. CHAN arrived at this point.)