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ethical concept of the East. It must be pointed out that over 98% of the population in Hong Kong are Chinese who attach great importance to filial piety and regard it as their duty to support their parents. Moreover, there is still no comprehensive welfare system in Hong Kong and it is the common wish of the majority of people here that Parents Allowance should be re-introduced. In the past, the Hong Kong Government did respect this traditional practice by providing Parents Allowance. We can't understand why it was suddenly abolished and what the Assessor's motive was in so doing. It must be pointed out that the abolition of Parents Allowance has aroused very great dis-satisfaction among the public who are under the impression that Government is trying to discourage them from supporting their parents. The authority should not have based its decision to abolish the Parents Allowance on the ethical concept and the social welfare system prevalent in U.K. and U.S.A. because such a move shows that the authority has paid no respect to local tradition.
Besides, the amount of Child Allowance is not realistic. Although free primary education is provided in Hong Kong, yet expenses for secondary and university education are still borne by the families. To better equip our younger generation with skills to make their own living, it is only reasonable for the Government to raise the amount of Child Allowance.
Furthermore, with regard to the Salaries Tax in Hong Kong, a husband and a wife are counted as one tax-paying unit. This is contrary to the definition of "Personal Salaries Tax". It can be said that the counting of the husband and the wife's incomes together in the assessment of the Salaries Tax is just an increase of tax in a disguised form. This is unfair. No wonder people say that some couples have to fake divorce so that they can submit separate salaries returns for the purpose of paying less tax. In my opinion, taxes levied on the husband and wife must be assessed separately. Both parties should have the right to claim Parents Allowance and Child Allowance but it should be up to them to decide which one should make the claim according to their own practical needs.
A fair Salaries Tax rate should be introduced without further delay if the number of tax evaders is to be reduced, the misery of families alleviated and social unrest avoided. I therefore suggest that Personal Allowance for self should be raised to $15,000 and that Child Allowance be fixed at $4,000 each. I further suggest that Parents Allowance should be re-introduced and that its amount be increased to $5,000 each. An allowance of $5,000 each should also be granted to those who have to maintain their father-in-law and/or mother-in-law. It is hoped that the authority will pay due attention to these suggestions and adopt a policy which keeps abreast with the social situation.
On our urban services, we should first determine the order of priority of our work in order to provide better services for the people. For example, we should provide more better-equipped cultural and recreational facilities especially in the most populous districts. I strongly feel that we have not done enough in this respect. Take Mong Kok for an instance. There are over 280,000 residents in Mong Kok but no library or swimming pool has yet been provided there to enable the youths in the region to engage themselves in healthy activities. The situation will only become more and more serious since people there are generally living in overcrowded condition and the majority of the population are teenagers. We should therefore give top priority to the provision of a library and swimming pool in Mong Kok to cater for the need of its residents, particularly the young people.
As far as I know, the condition of environmental hygiene in some places in Mong Kok are terribly poor, not to mention the fact that there is not a single library or swimming pool in the whole district. For instance, in Sai Yee Street, there is a refuse collection point between Hong Kong Vernacular Normal College Alumni Association School and Chi Kit School, quite close to six cooked-food stalls. In my opinion, the presence of such a refuse collection point in the vicinity of two schools with several thousand students and cooked-food stalls indeed makes a great mockery of the urban services in Hong Kong.
When I made an on-the-spot inspection, I saw with my own eyes the filthy condition there which was obviously detrimental to the health of school children. Earlier, I suggested more than once that the refuse collection point in question be moved to a permanent off-street site but hitherto, it still remains where it is. In order to protect the health of school children and maintain good urban appearance, we must do all we can to press for early removal of this refuse collection point.
Finally, I have a few words to say about the Hong Kong Stadium. There are only 68 seats for honourable guest in the whole stadium. When international sport meetings are held in Hong Kong, surely, there will not be enough seats. I suggest that the benches behind these seats be converted into such seats so as to increase their number to 120 and thus more guests will be accommodated.
There should be a better arrangement for the allocation of these seats too. For example, the representatives from the member clubs of
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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i
i
164
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ethical concept of the East. It must be pointed out that over 98% of the population in Hong Kong are Chinese who attach great importance to filial piety and regard it as their duty to support their parents. Moreover, there is still no comprehensive welfare system in Hong Kong and it is the common wish of the majority of people here that Parents Allowance should be re-introduced. In the past, the Hong Kong Government did respect this traditional practice by providing Parents Allowance. We can't understand why it was suddenly abolished and what the Assessor's motive was in so doing. It must be pointed out that the abolition of Parents Allowance has aroused very great dis- satisfaction among the public who are under the impression that Government is trying to discourage them from supporting their parents. The authority should not have based it decision to abolish the Parents Allowance on the ethical concept and the social welfare system pre- valent in U.K. and U.S.A. because such a move shows that the authority has paid no respect to local tradition.
Besides, the amount of Child Allowance is not realistic. Although free primary education is provided in Hong Kong, yet expenses for secondary and university education are still borne by the families. To better equip our younger generation with skills to make their own living, it is only reasonable for the Government to raise the amount of Child Allowance.
Furthermore, with regard to the Salaries Tax in Hong Kong, a husband and a wife are counted as one tax-paying unit. This is con- trary to the definition of "Personal Salaries Tax". It can be said that the counting of the husband and the wife's incomes together in the assessment of the Salaries Tax is just an increase of tax in a disguised form. This is unfair. No wonder people say that some couples have to fake divorce so that they can submit separate salaries returns for the purpose of paying less tax. In my opinion, taxes levied on the husband and wife must be assessed separately. Both parties should have the right to claim Parents Allowance and Child Allowance but it should be up to them to decide which one should make the claim according to their own practical needs.
A fair Salaries Tax rate should be introduced without further delay if the number of tax evaders is to be reduced, the misery of families alleviated and social unrest avoided. I therefore suggest that Personal Allowance for self should be raised to $15,000 and that Child Allowance be fixed at $4,000 each. I further suggest that Parents Allowance should be re-introduced and that its amount be increased to $5,000 each. An allowance of $5,000 each should also be granted to those
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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who have to maintain their father-in-law and/or mother-in-law. It is hoped that the authority will pay due attention to these suggestions and adopt a policy which keeps abreast with the social situation.
On our urban services, we should first determine the order of priority of our work in order to provide better services for the people. For example, we should provide more better-equipped cultural and recreational facilities especially in the most populous districts. I strongly feel that we have not done enough in this respect. Take Mong Kok for an instance. There are over 280,000 residents in Mong Kok but no library or swimming pool has yet been provided there to enable the youths in the region to engage themselves in healthy activities. The situation will only become more and more serious since people there are generally living in overcrowded condition and the majority of the population are teenagers. We should therefore give top priority to the provision of a library and swimming pool in Mong Kok to cater for the need of its residents, particularly the young people.
As far as I know, the condition of environmental hygiene in some places in Mong Kok are terribly poor, not to mention the fact that there is not a single library or swimming pool in the whole district. For instance, in Sai Yee Street, there is a refuse collection point between Hong Kong Vernacular Normal College Alumni Association School and Chi Kit School, quite close to six cooked-food stalls. In my opinion, the presence of such a refuse collection point in the vicinity of two schools with several thousand students and cooked-food stalls indeed makes a great mockery of the urban services in Hong Kong.
When I made an on-the-spot inspection, I saw with my own eyes the filthy condition there which was obviously detrimental to the health of school children. Earlier, I suggested more than once that the refuse collection point in question be moved to a permanent off-street site but hitherto, it still remains where it is. In order to protect the health of school children and maintain good urban appearance, we must do all we can to press for early removal of this refuse collection point.
Finally, I have a few words to say about the Hong Kong Stadium. There are only 68 seats for honourable guest in the whole stadium. When international sport meetings are held in Hong Kong, surely, there will not be enough seats. I suggest that the benches behind these seats be converted into such seats so as to increase their number to 120 and thus more guests will be accommodated.
There should be a better arrangement for the allocation of these seats too. For example, the representatives from the member clubs of
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