DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Sunday, July 1, 1973
TEACHER TRAINEES CONFERENCE
***««**«*
r,The teacher and education" is the theme of the 1973 Conference for Graduands of the Northcote College of Education from July 4 to 6.
The conference will be opened by the Director of Broadcasting, Mr. J.E. Hawthrone next Wednesday morning.
A spokesman for the College said: "It is hoped the conference will provide opportunities for students and guest speakers to discuss such matters as paying for education, the role of the teacher in school and community, further training and studies after graduation and also schooling in preparation for earning a living."
Shortly after Mr. Hawthorne’s opening address there will be a debate on "That this house considers that an expansion of bi-sessional secondary schools is necessary to improve education in Hong Kong".
After the debate, Mr. Hawthorne will present the Student Union award to the winning team.
Noto to Editors: The conference will begin at 9*30 a.m. on
July 4 in the College Hall, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. You are invited to send a representative to cover the opening ceremony.
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
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Sunday, July 1, 1973
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EVENING COURSES FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN
********
The courses offered by the Evening Institute, The Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies and the Adult Education & Recreation Centres are very popular and both adults and children take the courses to enrich themselves, a spokesman for the Education Department said today.
At the Evening Institute, there are 1,500 students in 41 classes taking the Middle School Course for Adults leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. These men and women, aged 18 or over, attend classes four evenings a week for five years after which they take the examination to finish their secondary schooling.
Another course, with both Chinese and Anglo-Chinese sections for boys and girls of normal school age, is the six-year secondary school course.
There are about 700 students in these classes, who also take part in extra curricular activities. These pupils attend classes for five evenings a week and study a full curriculum.
At the end of the course they take the Certificate of Education Examination.
Nearly 5j000 pupils of normal school age attend the Post-Primary Extension Course* They are taught in a practical way. These children go to classes three evenings a week for three years at the end of which they sit for a final examination.
/The enrolment • • • • •
Sunday, July 1, 1973
- 3 -
The enrolment for the English language courses - Elementary, Intermediate and Senior - is about 6,200.
There are 20 centres, seven on Hong Kong Island, seven in Kowloon and six in the New Territories with a total of 17J classes.
The elementary level is from Primary 4 to Form III, the intermediate is equivalent to Form IV and V, leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination - English language only, and the senior level is equivalent to Lower Form VI. A certificate is awarded by the Education Department after an examination.
Other courses organised by the Institute are general background education courses for mature students who attend classes equivalent to Primary 2 to 6; practical background education courses in sewing and ’mitting, house craft and woodwork; and rural literacy courses equivalent to Primary 1 to 2 for people who wish to learn to read and to write.
The Evening Insitutte also runs 11 courses for teachers. These courses have an element of teacher training together with an element personal education in some skill or craft.
Application forms for all of these courses for the 1973/74 session commencing September 1973 can be obtained between July J and 15 at the following schools:
On Hong Kong Island: Queen’s College, King’s College and the Hennessy Road Government Primary School;
/In Kowloon .....
Sunday, July 1, 1973
- 4 -
In Kowloon : Queen Elizabeth School, Li Cheng Uk Government Primary School, San Po Kong Government Primary School, Tin Kwong Road Police Primary School and the Kwun Tong Government Primary School;
In the New Territories : Hoi Pa Street Government Primary School, Tai Po Government Primary School and the New Territories Heung Yee Kuk Yuen Long District Secondary School.
Forms can also be obtained by post. Such requests should be sent to the Adult Education Section, Education Department, Kowloon Government Offices, 6th floor, 4Q5, Nathan Road, Kowloon, together with stamped and self-addressed envelopes.
Enquiries may be made by telephoning the Section on 3-884111, Ext. 280.
At the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies there is a 3 years general arts course leading to a diploma issued by the Education Department.
There are 500 students in this evening school which runs 40 classes, five evenings a week.
Teachers who attend the course may have their fees refunded on passing the annual examination.
"Applications for admission to the first or second year of this course arc now invited," the spokesman said.
"Completed forms with all necessary academic certificates should be handed in personally to the Supervisor of the Evening School of Higher Chinese Studies on August 1."
/At the ••••••
Sunday, July 1, 1973
- 5 -
At the 14 Adult Education & Recreation Centres in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories, which have a total membership of about 13,000 men and women aged 18 and over can apply for short courses from September 11.
These courses, which are free of charge, cover such subjects as folk dance, music, dramatics, physical education, art, Mandarin, English conversation, photography and Chinese boxing. -----------------------------------0---------
VISIT TO SHELTERED WORKSHOP
»*«*»«****
Note to Editors: The Chairman of the Government Lotteries
Management Committee and the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the St. James Settlement, have organised a press visit to the St. Janes Sheltered Workshop for the Handicapped on Tuesday (July 5)•
Press representatives wanting to cover the event should assemble at Queen’s Pier, Hong Kong, not later than 10.50 a.ra. on Tuesday^ Transport will be provided.
The Workshop, run by the St. James Settlement, was set up in April this year. A grant of 2404,87^ from the Lotteries Fund has been approved to be used as running expenses for the first two years.
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/6..........
Sunday, July 1, 1973
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EXHIBITION OF STUDENT SURVEY ON CRIME IN MONGKOK
**********
Seventy pupils of Ming Kei College in Oak Street, Tai Kok Tsui, Mongkok, are assembling display materials for a three-day exhibition next Wednesday (July 4) in support of the current Fight Violent Crime Coxrpcdgni
These pupils, who are members of the College’s Economic and Public Affairs Club, have written articles on various aspects of crime.
Descriptive reports in Chinese and English, photographs, drawings, diagrams and models will be put up by the pupils who, on their own initiative, carried out a survey on crime in the district.
The findings of the survey will also be displayed.
The exhibition is sponsored by the Mongkok District Committee Fight Violent Crime Campaign.
It will be declared open by Mrs. Fok Lo Shiu-ching, City District Officer (Mongkok)•
She will be joined by Mr. Kong Fung-chuk, Divisional Superintendent, Mongkok; Mr. John Keith Walls, Principal of Ming Kei College; Mr. S.B. Chan, Senior Education Officer (Kowloon West); the chairmen of the Fight Violent Crime Campaign Area Committees and other members of the District Committee to cut a ribbon at the opening ceremony in the school hall.
Mr. K.K. Lai, Inspector (Rural Science) and the Education Department’s co-ordinator in the campaign, will preside at the ceremony.
/Members of •••••
Sunday, July 1, 1973
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Members of the Fight Violent Crime Area Committees and local Kai Fong representatives in Mongkok have been invited to attend the opening of the exhibition.
Children from nearby schools in Mongkok, Sham Shui Po and Yau 14a Tei have also been invited to view the exhibits.
Members of the publie are welcomed to attend.
Note to Editors: You are invited to have the opening ceremony
covered. It will begin at 10.J0 a.m. on July 4.
Supday, July 1, 1973
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ELUSIVE PYTHON CAUGHT
********
Pest control officers have finally captured a 20-pound Indian male python which had somehow canafeed to elude every trap laid for it for nearly a month.
And during the course of the affair, the eight-foot long reptile twice became unfriendly, inflicting minor injuries on a snake expert from the Urban Services Department. ............
The drama unfolded early last month when the python was first spotted at a- construction site near the Tai Po Tau pumping station of the Waterworks Office.
Workers immediately launched a concerted effort to catch it, but the python vanished into the pumping station only to reappear a few days later (June 7) on top of a pipe inside a sump in the pumping station.
The U.S.D, snake disposal unit was notified and a group of volunteers raced to the. rescue. However, it wasn’t to be so easy.
Ono of tne experts, Mr. Wong Kam-ming, climbed down into the sump and tried to reach for the python. The python, which is not poisonous, responded by scratching Mr. 17ong on the forehead and promptly scurried off into the water at the bottom of the sump.
It did not reappear for several days. Summoned to the scene, Mr. Wong repeated his attempt to capture the slippery reptile — this tine wearing a rubber glove for protection.
/Undaunted, ......
Sunday, July 1, 1973
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Undaunted, the python bit through the glove, again hurting Mr. Wong and repeating its disappearance act.
A third unsuccessful attempt was made three days later and nothing was seen or heard of the snake until last Wednesday (June 27)-This time, Mr. Wong wasn’t to be outdone and he captured the reptile bare-handed.
Pest Control Officer, Mr. Chau Gar-wai, who headed the hunt said the python had earned its freedom and would be released at a spot far away from the population.
Note to Editors: Copies of a picture showing Mr. Wong and the
python are distributed separately in the G.I.S. press boxes.
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Release time: 2.JO p.m.
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No,
Expert from Bank of England will advise Hong Kong on the establishment of properly regulated commodity exchanges 1
Commissioner for Transport refutes rumours that licence fees for public light buses and other vehicles will be doubled in the near future ......... 2
Nam Fung Road will be opened on Thursday to improve road links between Happy Valley and the Wong Chuk Hang/Aberdeen area ......... 4
Kowloon Tsai squatters affected by June rainstorm have been offered public housing or resite areas .................... •...............6
Water supply in Hung Hom will be cut off for five hours.......... 7
Six-storey multi-purpose community centre to be built for Chai Wan residents ...............••••••.................• ...•»••*••••«•• 8
Traffic re-routing and clearway hours to improve traffic flor; in Kowloon Tong and Mong Kok •••»..«••......................... 9
Director of Medical and Health Services urges public to observe personal hygiene as a preventive against cholera ••••••••••••••••,,•10
Leadership training camp for youths between 15 and 20 organised by four estate community work offices .............••••••••••••••••••••11
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Tuesday, July 3i 1973
- 1 -
COMMODITY EXCHANGE EXPERT IN HONG KONG
*********
An expert from the Bank of England has arrived in Hong Kong to advise the government on the problem of establishing one or more commodity exchanges.
He is Mr. John Wilson who is the bank’s expert in commodity trading.
In a statement to the Legislative Council on June 20, the Financial Secretary said commodity markets had speculative and volatile characteristics, and adequate regulations were necessary for the proper running of such exchanges.
Mr. Haddon-Cave said the government had decided to ban, for the time being, the establishment of commodity exchanges dealing with specified commodities — initially 20 in all.
However, he pointed out that it was not the intention to frustrate the development of a properly regulated exchange, or possibly more than one exchange, at a later stage.
The intention was to ensure that if and when such an exchange was established it would operate in a well regulated and orderly manner and in accordance with internationally accepted standards.
Mr. Wilson will be in Hong Kong for about three weeks.
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Tuesday, July 3, 1973
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COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT SPEAKS ABOUT PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES
********
The Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Wilson, today described as ’’pure invention" reports that licences for public light buses, or any other vehicle licences, would be doubled in the near future. * ♦
He made it clear that the matter had neither been hinted nor stated officially. ’’The public light bus is one of a number of forms of public transport and obviously its future must be determined in relation to an overall transport policy, not just by itself.’’
Mr. Wilson said a proposed transport policy was likely to be debated by the Legislative Council later this year.
’’Recent press statements by representatives of some public light bus associations give an unfortunate impression that the Transport Department is about to declare war on this form of transport. This," he said, ’’is absolutely ridiculous".
The Commissioner for Transport also explained that the number of roads where PLBs were not allowed to step was being increased simply to relieve traffic congestion, "and it’s proving highly successful as a means of keeping traffic moving".
In every case, suitable alternative stopping places are provided and it was "nonsense" for anyone to claim that these bans were putting the PLBs out of business.
"Indications are that they are carrying the same number of passengers as before, although stopping in slightly different places when bans are imposed
/"Passengers .........
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
’’Passengers don’t cease to use this form of transport solely because the PLBs stop in a side street rather than on a main road,” Mr. Wilson stressed.
He emphasised that apart from two minor exceptions, no new public light bus licences had been issued for years• The two exceptions were 10 licences in 1972 for the Peak maxicab service and 100 or so licences early this year as a result of legal action dating from 1969.
On the question of controlling PLB fares, the Commissioner said the
remedy surely lay in the hands of some PLB operators; — ’’they should stop profiteering”.
It was a strange state of affairs, he said, that some operators
should criticise the Transport Department for failing to arrange for legislation to stop PLB operators from charging what they like.
He pointed out that two-way radios for public light buses were
undesirable, even if the necessary wave lengths were available. A PLB is not licensed to ply for hire like a taxi or public car on a call basis by telephone or radio.
Fir. Wilson said the Transport Department arranges periodical meetings
with representatives of PLB associations to discuss matters of mutual interest and of resolving differences. The last one was held only a couple of weeks ago.
However, he added, there was no point in having these meetings if some PLB operators proposed to comment without bothering to check facts.
’’The trouble seems to be confined to only one or two of the 12 associations of PLB operators> The remainder very reasonably prefer to talk over matters,” Mr. Wilson said.
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A
Tuesday, July 5, 1975
- 4 -
NEW ROAD LINKING ABERDEEN AND HAPPY VALLEY
*********
A new road, which will greatly reduce the travelling time from Aberdeen to Happy Valley and Wan Chai will be officially opened by the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose on Thursday (July 5)•
A spokesman for the Public Works Department said today the road, which is just under a mile long, marks an important milestone in the improvement of road communications for the Wong Chuk Hang and Aberdeen areas*
Rapid industrial and housing development together with increased tourist activities in the areas have generated a large volume of traffic*
As a result, this causes severe congestion along Pokfulam Road which is the only major through route.
To overcome this problem on a long-term basis the government is planning to build a four-lane tunnel linking Aberdeen with Happy Valley. In the meantime, Nam Fung Road will provide the required capacity before the completion of the proposed Aberdeen tunnel.
The new road begins at the widened upper section of Deep Water Bay Road and runs feet along the southern foothills of Mount Nicholson through densely wooded terrain.
It joins Wong Chuk Hang Road at a signal-controlled junction near the Grantham Hospital.
/Costing more •••••••
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
- 5 -
Costing more than million, the 3^- foot wide carriageway will have two lanes for uphill traffic and a single lane for the downhill run.
In addition, there will be a six-foot wide footpath on each side of the carriageway.
Nam Fung Road will be open for public use one hour after Sir Murray unveils a plaque at 3-30 p*m. to commemorate the completion of the road.
Note to Editors: You are invited to cover the opening
ceremony which begins at 3-30 p.m. on Thursday (July 5)- G.I.S. officers will meet press representatives in the reception area outside the main entrance of Murray Building in Garden Road at 2.30 p«m. Three vehicles will be provided to take them to and from the opening ceremony.
A sketch showing the location of the new road is boxed this evening.
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/6.........
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
- 6 -
ACCa-S 10DATI0N FOR KOWLOON TSAI SQUATTERS
*********
Host of the Kowloon Tsai squatters who recently petitioned Government House and the Housing Department for re-housing and compensation have already been offered public housing or resite areas, a Housing Department spokesman said today.
The Kowloon Tsai area was affected by the June rains last year and more than 8,000 people were then offered public housing or resites. Ninety-five per cent of them accepted, but five per cent refused resites or insisted that they should be given public housing in a different area than that offered.
Some people with workshops asked to continue operating in the area rather than take public housing in spite of the fact that the area was declared dangerous. Some squatters moved into the area after the rainstorms and are now trying to claim eligibility for public housing to which they are not entitled.
Mr. David Weeks, officer in charge of clearance operations, said: "If all the people affected by the rainstorms in the area had accepted what had been offered we- would not have this problem now. It is regrettable that there will always be a small minority of people who will attempt to jump the queue for public housing and so gain an unfair advantage. Some of those associated with the present petition appear to fall into this category.71
Mr. Weeks pointed out that those who had earlier qualified for * accommodation or a resite but had refused it could still take up the offer.
/A reply .......
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
A reply to the petitioners from the Colonial Secretariat points out that the circumstances of each individual case had been carefully and thoroughly examined by senior officers of the Housing Department and that the Governor did not propose to intervene in the matter.
The reply also said it was regretted that it was not possible to make an exception in the case of those not eligible for re-housingf but would be possible to grant them space in a resite area - such offers that have already been made by the Housing Department.
• ■ ...
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WATER CUT IN HUNG HOM
*»«*****«
Water supply to a number of premises in Hung Hom will be turned off for five hours from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Thursday (July 5)•
Tliis is to enable the Waterworks Office to carry out a leakage test.
The area affected is bounded by Chatham Road, Winslow Street, Whampoa Street and Bulkeley Street.
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/8........
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
- 8 -
COMMUNITY CENTRE FOR CHAI WAN RESIDENTS
********
Chai Wan residents will soon have their own multi-purpose community centre for housing group activities and welfare services*
The new Chai Wan community centre, situated at Wan Tsui Road, will have a six-storey block, a single-storey hall and an open basketball court.
Tenders for the project are now being called and it is expected that work will begin in August.
A youth bar, changing rooms and administration offices will be located on the ground and first floors.
Rooms for practical training classes and conference purposes, will be provided on the second and third floors. They will be used for holding group activities for children, youths and adults.
A library with reading material suitable for both adults and children will be housed on the fourth floor, and on the fifth floor there will be a children’s day-nursery catering for youngsters aged between two and six whose mothers work during the day.
Apart from the roof of the high block, which is designed as a play area, the multi-purpose hall will also be available for various kinds of activities ranging from indoor sports to social gatherings.
The hall will have seating capacity for about $00 people.
On completion, the Chai Wan Community Centre will be the sixth such centre in densely-populated areas operated by the Social Welfare Department.
Others are the Wong Tai Sin Community Centre, the Kwun Tong Community Centre, the Tai Hang Tung Community Centre, the Princess Alexandra Community Centre in Tsuen Wan, and the Yuen Long Town Hall in Yuen Long.
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/9.........
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
- 9 -
NEW TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS IN KOWLOON
********
Temporary traffic re-routing and revised clearway hours will be introduced in Kowloon Tong and Mong Kok Road respectively to assist traffic flow in the two areas.
Beginning from 10 a.m. on Thursday (July 5) a number of traffic arrangements will come into effect for a period of nine weelcs in order to facilitate road improvement works in Waterloo Road between Flint Road and York Road.
Derby Road at its junction with Waterloo Road will be closed to vehicular traffic, but the section between Waterloo Road and Chester Road will be routed from one-way westbound to two-way traffic.
At the same time, Flint Road between Waterloo Road and Chester Road will be routed from one-way westbound to one-way eastbound.
From Friday morning (July 6) the clearway restriction hours in Mong Kok Road between Reclamation Street and Tong Mi Road will be from 7*30 a.m. to 10.00 aim. and from 3.00 p«m. to 7.00 p.m. At present, the effective hours are 7*30 a.m. to 9*30 a.m. and 5®00 p.m. to 7*00 p.m.
All motor vehicles, except franchised buses, will be prohibited from stopping to pick up or set down passengers and to load and unload goods during the clearway hours. .
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/10.........
Tuesday, July 3, 1973
- 10 -
CLEANLINESS MORE IMPORTANT THAN INOCULATION «****«!
The Director of Medical and Health Services, Dr, G.H. Choa, said today the public should begin to realise that "to prevent cholera it is more important to focus attention on environmental cleanliness and personal hygiene than on inoculation®”
In a second preventive statement issued at the start of the cholera season, traditionally associated with the hot weather, Dr. Choa said: "Experience since 19&1 from the usual cholera breeding grounds in Southeast Asia shows that the use of cholera vaccine alone has not been entirely successful in preventing the spread of the disease.
’Therefore the most reliable, and the safest, measures are to ensure cleanliness in the preparation and consumption of food, and good personal hygiene."
He explained that the latter meant the washing of hands before meals and after visits to the toilet, "because the cholera vibrio, or disease germ, cannot enter the human body unless it is swallowed."
Food and drink could be contaminated by dirty hands. The disease could also be transmitted by a fly carrying the germ if the insect were permitted to settle on food, he said.
In the meantime, departmental measures being taken to prevent any outbreak of cholera, and to locate possible carriers of the disease, include the testing of nightsoil and samples from all cases of diarrhoes that come to light.
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/11
Tuesday, Jul;- J, 1973
11 -
YOUTH LEADERSHIP TRAINING CAMP
**•***««
A youth leadership training canp has been organised by four Social Welfare Department Estate Community Work Offices in Northeast Kowloon.
The two-day camp will be held at the Fanling Rotary Youth Camp Site on July 26 and 27 •
”We have planned the camp for young people between 15 and 20 to develop their training in youth leadership,” said Firs. Ilabel 0, officer-in-charge of the Sau Mau Ping (Central) Estate Community Work Office, one of the sponsors. The others are the Ngau Tau Kok, Sau Mau Ping (South) and Lam Tin Estate Community Work Offices.
ltrs. 0 said that the programme will be in two parts; the first dealing with theory in principles of programme planning, group leadership techniques and the planning of social gatherings for young people.
The second half of the programme will be a party organised by participants in conjunction with the Fanling Rotary Youth Centre. This will take place at the youth centre and will be for 400 children. Mr. Pang Chi-fai, Chairman of the Fanling Rural Committee will officiate.
The training camp has been organised to take 50 young boys and girls and anyone interested in joining can contact either of the four estate community work offices. There will be a $2 charge.
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Release Time: 7*00 p.m
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
E Wednesday, July 4, 1973
... .CONTENTS.
Page No,
Six-month standstill imposed on the approval of new building plans for the Mid-Levels and Pokfulam areas pending result of detailed traffic study, .......>......*.-.•••,•«•. .te 1 l
Mr. J.W.D. Hobley is to be appointed Attorney General and Mr. G.C, Thornton as Solicitor General later this year J
New measures being considered by government to improve bus services .................................................................... 5
Improvement plans, including elevated roads and alternative routes, are being investigated to help ease traffic congestion along Nathan
Road...............................r...................••••••••••••<» 8
White paper containing specific proposals of an overall transport policy planned to be tabled in Legislative Council ••••••••••••••••• 10
Decision on the procedures for tender of the mass transit system is expected within the next few weeks ••••••........... •••••••••••• 11
Settlement reached in Gilda Factory labour dispute ................. 13
Procedures for ex-gratia increases to pensioners being examined • ••• 14
Draft legislation for the issue of special car numbers for two
Urbco official cars will shortly be submitted to the Executive Council ......................................................... 15
New safety regulations will soon be introduced to provide adequate safety standards in the construction industry ....................... 16
Unauthorised disclosures of confidential matters could be a criminal offence ............................................................. 17
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
2
Page No.
Facilities at passenger ferry piers on outlying island routes
are adequate ••«.••••......•................................ 18
Star Ferry to merge with Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf........ 20
Consultations on the retiring age of civil servants being held between government and staff associations ••••....••••• 21
Vegetable Marketing Organisation will continue to handle locally produced vegetables ••••••«...................... • 22
Consultants engaged to help expedite approval of building plans ........................................................ 23
A good teacher and a broadcaster must never "show off" • •«t• 2^
Entries for the Water Safety poster design competition will be on display at the City Hall................................ 25
Four Scottish teachers of Integrated Science have arrived in
Hong Kong..................................................... 26
Legislative Council pays tribute to Mr. H.J. Frampton, Clerk of the Council ............................................ 28
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
SIX-MONTH RESTRICTION ON NEW BUILDING PLANS
FOR MID LEVELS AND POK FU LAM
The government is to impose, from today, a six-month standstill on the approval of new building plans for the Mid-Levels and Pok Fu Lam areas pending the outcome of a detailed traffic study.
The restrictions will apply to the area of Pok Fu Lam from Mount
Davis to Wah Fu Estate and in the Mid-Levels between Caine Road-Bonham Road and the 700-foot contour bounded on the east by Glenealy and extending to the west as far as Kotewall Road and the University of Hong Kong.
The acting Director of Public Works, the Hon. A.S. Robertson, told the Legislative Council today that it was proposed to introduce legislation at the next sitting of the council which would require the Building Authority to refuse to approve new building plans submitted after today in these two areas for six months.
Modifications of leases where they were required to permit redevelopment would also not be granted.
Mr. Robertson said the measures were being taken ”in view of the serious traffic problems which would result if building continues to be unrestricted in these areas.”
'’During this six-month period, traffic engineers will carry out a thorough study of all aspects of the traffic problem to permit the government to make a decision as to the proper extent and duration of the restrictions,” he said.
/The traffic ••••.....
Wednesday, July 4, 1973 - 2 -
The traffic study will include consideration of improvements to present routes; construction of new routes; the possibilities of restriction on different types of vehicle at certain times of the day; and the use of marine transport.
Mr. Robertson added: "These measures have become necessary because of the unusually high rate of building taking place along the length of a very restricted road system, and every effort will be made to minimise their duration."
The Director said the legislation was necessary because the Buildings Ordinance, under which it had been hoped to implement the restrictions, did not adequately provide for this.
A spokesman for the Public Works Department pointed out that the sixmonth standstill would not affect the construction of a large number of new flats in the areas, for which plans had already been approved. These would inevitably generate more private car traffic highlighting the severity of the still increasing pressure on the roads in the two areas.
A total of 51000 new flats is likely to be completed in the two areas within the next two to three years.. Of these, 3,000 are already under construction, while plans for a further 2,000 have either been approved by the Buildings Ordinance Office or are now being processed.
The 3,000 flats already being built are expected to involve the provision of some 2,000 private car parking spaces. And a further 1,300 parking spaces will be provided when the flats now at the planning stage are in due course constructed.
In addition to these extra 3.-300 private cars which will be using the existing road network, the new buildings will lead to further use by other vehicles such as taxis and delivery vehicles.
Mote to Editors: Photographs of maps outlining the areas
included in the restrictions are boxed this evening.
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 3 -
MR. HOBLEY NAMED ATTORNEY GENERAL ♦ ♦ ******
It was officially announced today that Mr. J.W.D. Hobley will become the new Attorney General when Mr. D.T.E. Roberts takes up his position as Colonial Secretary later this year.
Mr. Hobley, who is 44, graduated from the University of Liverpool with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1949* He was called to the Bar in 1950 and was in private practice in Liverpool until his appointment to Hong Kong as a Crown Counsel in 1953*
He was promoted to Senior Crown Counsel in 19&2, Principal Crown Counsel in 1965 and to Solicitor General in May this year.
Mr. Hobley was seconded to the government of Bermuda as Attorney General from April 1972 until May this year. He is married with two children.
At present he is acting Attorney General.
At the same time, it was announced that Mr. G.C. Thornton would succeed Mr. Hobley as Solicitor General.
Mr. Thornton, 43, gained his M.A. (Hons.) in English from the Victoria University College in 1952 and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the same university in 1954.
He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand the same year and was in private practice there until early in 195$ when he was appointed Crown Counsel in Tanganyika (now Tanzania).
/Mr. Thornton .......
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 4 -
Mr. Thornton transferred as a Senior Assistant Legal Secretary in the East African Common Services Organisation in 1961 and to Hong Kong as a Crown Counsel in 19&5* He was promoted to Senior Crown Counsel later the same year and to Principal Crown Counsel in 1970.
He was seconded to Tanzania as Chief Parliamentary Draftsman from February 1966 to March 1968. He has acted as Solicitor General on several occasions.
Mr. Thornton is married with two children.
The promotions of both Mr. Hobley and Mr. Thornton have been approved by the-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
Note to Editors; Photographs of the two men are boxed
this evening.
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Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 5 -
MEASURES TO IMPROVE BUS SERVICES *********
The government is considering a number of measures to improve bus services, including the establishment of "bus only lanes" and confining some roads entirely to public transport at certain hours of the day.
Announcing this in the Legislative Council today, the Financial Secretary, the Hon* C.P, Haddon-Cave, said a team of consultants and government officials were now examining the necessary measures to match road and public transport capacity with future demands under the general guidance of a steering group.
,rIt is expected that these studies will provide, in the course of the next year or so, data on which comprehensive and detailed transport plans to implement agreed policies can be based," he told council.
He was replying to a question from the Hon. Hilton Cheong-Leen who wanted to know what measures were being planned over the next two to five years to expand and improve bus services in Hong Kong in view of growing road congestion.
The Financial Secretary said the improvement of bus services had been a continuing concern of the government for a number of years and was determined that efficient bus services would be provided.
Evon though the mass transit system would meet a considerable part of Hong Kong’s public transport needs in the 1980s, the bus would remain the "key to the problem of movement in the Seventies," he said.
Plans were being made, he said, to clear the way on some of the major routes to enable buses to move with less encumbrances from other traffic.
/"Consideration ••••••
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 6 -
"Consideration is being given, for instance, to the creation of bus only lanes and even some roads which will be confined entirely to public transport, at least at certain hours of the day.”
Where this was not feasible, he went on, other measures were being looked at to ban the loading and unloading of goods vehicles at certain times of the day when congestion was at its worst.
The government was also examining plans submitted recently by the two bus companies for expanding their existing fleets.
Kowloon Motor Bus had already taken action in this regard with its expansion of services in the New Territories, including an increase in the number of routes from 36 to 48 and the provision of nearly 100 additional double deck buses on these routes as well as two experimental long distance express services with no standing passengers.
In addition, proposals were being studied to improve the standard and comfort of buses in order to induce those who would otherwise use private cars or public light buses to make more use of buses.
The two bus companies were also considering introducing a higher standard of buses on certain routes at somewhat higher fares for those who wished to travel in greater comfort, he said.
The Financial Secretary emphasised that these were only examples and other possibilities to improve bus services were being considered.
,TThe main point is that, to the extent that buses are able to move more quickly and smoothly, not only are passengers able to cut down their journey times but, by making more journeys, the buses can carry more passengers thus cutting down the queueing time at bus stops and speeding up journey times still further," he said.
/Replying to .....
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
Replying to another question by Mr. Cheong-Leen, the Financial
Secretary said the two franchised bus companies and the public light buses between them carried well over three million passengers a day and managod to keep an extremely mobile population on the move.
But the government was concerned, he said, with the quality of existing services.
On many routes waiting times were unacceptably long, too many buses broke down on the roads and so contributed to congestion and a great number of buses, he said, were ’’tatty” and prone to overcrowding.
The government was also concerned with the proper role of public
light buses in Hong Kong’s evolving transport system ’’for their present role is not one which ought to be maintained indefinitely.”
In far too many instances, he said, public light buses were
performing functions which, in terms of road-use, could be performed more efficiently by franchised buses without any loss of convenience to the passenger.
He was referring, in particular to the carriage of large numbers of passengers non-stop over long routes.
”The problem is to take this trade away from public light buses and get them to provide services in areas where the enfranchised buses do not operate and other special services where their flexibility of operation provides an advantage.”
Mr. Haddon-Cave said these were difficult problems but not insurmountable.
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/8
Wednesday, July 1973
- 8 -
TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS ALONG NATHAN ROAD
**********
Various measures are in hand to help ease considerably the heavy
traffic commitment along Nathan Road — the thoroughfare on the Kowloon peninsula•
This was disclosed by the Acting Director of Public Works, the
Hon. A.S. Robertson, at the Legislative Council today when the Hon. Dr. S.Y. Chung asked whether the government had considered the desirability and feasibility of building a multi-deck road along this route.
The Director agreed that Nathan Road is indeed heavily committed for long periods of the day and he said the government is aware of the need to carry out extensive works to provide relief.
However, he said a multi-deck road is not in the current public works plans, and it would be impossible for many years because of the proposed mass transit railway line likely to be built in Nathan Road.
Incidentally, he pointed out that the mass transit works make
the problem of relieving Nathan Road traffic all the more pressing because
of the inevitable interference with traffic which will result from the construction of the railway.
Mr. Robertson also outlined the following improvement plans:
* Two elevated crossings of Nathan Road — the first one from Prince Edward Road to Lai Chi Kok Road and the other from Cheung Sha Wan Road to Boundary Street. Both should be ready by 1976.
/* Two ••••••
Wednesday, July 1975
- 9 -
* Two subsidiary routes to Nathan Road. The first is an extension of Tong Mi Road which, when completed early next year, will connect with Jordan Road, Waterloo Road, Argyle Street and Lai Chi Kok Road providing a through route from Ferry Street in Yau Ma Tei to Tai Kok Tsui.
The second one is a route parallel to Canton Road between
Salisbury Rond and Jordan Road, which is scheduled for completion by early 1975-
* A computerised traffic control system for the whole of West Kowloon. Tenders are now out and when the system is in operation in 1976 it will enable optimum use of the road system.
* The West Kowloon Corridor scheme — the major works envisaged to relieve the Nathan Road, artery. It will be in the form of an elevated road running along the waterfront which starts from Gascoigne Road to Lai Chi Kok with the now familiar ramped connections to the principal crossing roads along its length.
The first section of this road, from Gascoigne Road to Tong Hi
Road, is now out to tender and works should be finished before the end
of 1975* This section will be particularly helpful in relieving traffic
in llatiian Road.
Finally, Mr. Robertson mentioned two general points.
’’Consultants are already engaged in an updating of previous ’Long
Term Road Studies’ to ensure that our planning takes full account of the traffic needs of the next two decades... . - - -
’’Secondly, the need to carry out approved works in the shortest
possible time-is fully appreciated by the P.W.D., and we are giving this aspect of all our proposals the closest attention,” he said.
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Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 10 -
WHITE PAPER ON TRANSPORT POLICY
********
The Government plans to table in the Legislative Council a White Paper containing specific proposals of an overall transport policy.
The Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave, told the Council this afternoon that the proposals in the White Paper, a draft of which is now in an advanced state of preparation, are grouped around the following three essential elements:
* The provision of as much road capacity as is feasible in the densely populated urban areas;
* The improvement (and the rationalisation) of the public transport facilities; and
* The application of measures to make the best use of available road capacity.
The Financial Secretary, who was replying to a question by the Hon. Wilson Wang said that in addition, the government has put in hand a major study to up-date the various transport studies and statistics.
"The purpose of this study is to revise our present predictions of the demands likely to be made on different sectors of the developing transport system over time so that the content of, and the balance between, the three main elements of our overall transport policy can be appropriately determined.”
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/11 .........
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 11 -
DECISION SOON ON CONTRACT PROCEDURES FOR MASS TRANSIT
*,*»«**«
The Mass Transit Steering Group is expected to reach a decision within the next few weeks on whether the project should be dealt with on a single-contract or on a multi-contract basis.
Disclosing this to the Legislative Council this afternoon, the
Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave, stressed that whichever decision is taken, it remains the government’s firm intention that construction should commence on site during the first half of 197^•
To this end, he said every effort will be made to conclude the contractual procedures, whatever they may be, by the end of this year.
”In the case of the negotiated single-contract approach, this will require a firm decision to be made on which consortium to select, and the issue of a Letter of Intent to that consortium signifying the government’s intention to negotiate a contract, well before the end of the year.”
The Financial Secretary described the recommendations to be
made by the group as important and difficult decisions because of the need to safeguard Hong Kong’s best interests in all respects.
“The group’s recommendations must have regard not only tp securing the best possible deal for the Mass Transit Railway project itself, but also to safeguarding the government’s overall fiscal and economic policies in the future.”
He said the group had held two rounds of consultations with each of four consortia during the past four months.
/Their talks
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
Their talks aimed at eliciting from each of the consortia firn
indications (but not firn commitments) as to the credit terms they would offer, the pricing methods and procedures they would adopt, and the overnl 1 price they would be likely to charge, for a single contract to construct and equip the first four stages of the Mass Transit Railway.
In reply to a question from the Hon. James Wu on whether there would
be a general debate in the Legislative Council on the scheme before the award of contracts, Mr. Haddon—Cave assured him that there would be several opportunities for debate.
He said he had in mind debates on two pieces of legislation now being prepared as a matter of urgency at the request of the steering group.
The first one is designed to empower the government compulsorily to acquire land, including rights and easements in land and buildings, for the purposes of providing work sites, station entrances and other facilities.
The other piece of legislation is intended to provide for the
establishment of a Mass Transit Railway Corporation, which, would be set up as a statutory corporation with responsibilities for overseeing and cq-oyyH noting the design, financing, construction and equipment of the railway, and for operating and maintaining the system after completion.
Mr. HaddonwCave hoped to introduce both bills into the council before
the end of this year or, preferably, before any contract (or contracts) is awarded for the construction.
If possible, he said it is the government’s view that such contract
or contracts should be entered into by the new railway corporation rather than the government, so as to avoid any later legal complications involved in the government assigning the contract or contracts to the corporation.
0 - -
/13
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 13 -
FINAL SETTLEMENT OF GILDA DISPUTE
«**«*«***
Severance payments will be made on Friday to some 1200 redundant workers from the Gilda Fashions Ltd. factory at Tsuen Wan.
Workers’ representatives and the factory’s receiver late last night signed an agreement in the Headquarters of the Labour Relations Service of the Labour Department specifying how the severance pay will be distributed among 95 daily-rated, 992 piece-rated and 119 monthly-paid workers.
The total amount of severance pay - $390,000 - was agreed to by the workers at a conciliation meeting held last Wednesday (June 27).
. The head of the Labour Relations Service, Mr. T.F. Tsui, who chaired last night’s meeting, said that daily-rated workers will get 17 days wages at $15 a day; piece-rated workers will get 17 days at $18 a day; and monthly workers will get 25.8 days’ wages.
The money will be paid to the workers at the Tsuen Wan Office of the Labour Relations Service at noon on Friday.
Back wages owed to the workers were paid at the factory yesterday.
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/14..........
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 14 -
PROCEDURES FOR EX-GRATIA INCREASES TO PENSIONERS
*********
Existing procedures of granting ex-gratia increases to government pensioners are being examined with a view to speeding them up, the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, told the Legislative Council today.
The importance of increases to pensioners, he told council, was fully appreciated but these inevitably took time because of the complexity of the calculations and the large number of pensioners and serving officers.
He said the longstanding practice was to review pensions only after a general salary award to the public service had been made, and to arrange for the payment of any approved ex-gratia increases to pensioners after action on behalf of serving officers had been completed.
At present there are about 100,000 serving officers and 10,000 pensioners
Sir Hugh was replying to the Hon. G.M. Sayer who had asked what steps could be taken to expedite the procedure for payment of an ex-gratia increase to government pensioners after a salary revision for serving officers.
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/15..........
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 15 -
LICENCE NUMBER FOR URBAN COUNCIL
********
Draft legislation will shortly be submitted to the Executive Council to enable special car numbers to be issued to the two official cars used by the chairman and members of the Urban Council.
Revealing this in the Legislative Council today, the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, said that the numbers envisaged were UC1 and UC2, but these had not yet been issued.
The AM series, which is used solely for government vehicles, he said, was not thought appropriate for use by the chairman and members of the Urban Council and the UC prefix would clearly denote the connection of the vehicles purchased by the Urban Council with that body.
Sir Hugh was replying to a question from the Hon. Szeto Wai who asked if the government could confirm that UC1 had been issued to an official car of the Urban Council.
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Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 16 -
NEW SAFETY REGULATIONS SOON
*******
Comprehensive new regulations will shortly be introduced to provide adequate safety standards in the construction industry.
The Commissioner of Labour, the Hon. Paul K.C. Tsui, disclosed this in the Legislative Council today when moving the second reading of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1975 which paves "the way for safety regulations in respect of construction work and cargo handling.
"The increasing use of modem devices and sophisticated techniques for cargo handling, including containerisation, has brought vzith it new safety problems requiring specialised treatment,” he told council.
Last year, he said, accidents in the construction industry reported to the Labour Department involved 4,500 workers, 65 of whom diod, compared with 5,918 and 45 deaths in 1971®
"These figures emphasise the urgent need for the enactment of ’specialised’ safety regulations to meet the situation."
Mr. Tsui said he intended to submit a comprehensive sot of regulations for the council’s approval once the new bill became law.
The bill aims at doubling the maximum penalty for breaking regulations under the Ordinance from $5*000 to $10,000, and to provide an additional penalty of up to $1,000 a day for each day the offence continues.
The Commissioner said the present $5,000 fine was considered insufficient to act as a deterrent, and the increase would underline the importance the government attached to industrial safety.
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/17.........
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 17 -
UNAUTHORISED DISCLOSURES COULD BE CRIMINAL OFFENCE
*»**»»**«
All possible steps are taken to guard against unauthorised disclosure of confidential matters which might be contrary to the public’s interest, the Secretary for Home Affairs, the Hon. Jack Cater, said today.
•The government regarded this problem very seriously, he said, and civil servants were liable to disciplinary action if they leaked out restricted information.
Hr. Cater was speaking in the Legislative Council in answer to a question by the Hon. Joyce Symons who wanted to know whether the government would take effective steps to prevent the disclosure to the press of confidential matters under discussion.
He said government officers and those who had access to classified information were subject to the Official Secrets Act under which unauthorised disclosure of confidential matters could constitute a criminal offence.
Mr. Cater stressed, however, that this in no way affected the government’s attitude towards the ’’proper free flow of information of public interest to the community through the media."
He noted that relations between government departments and the media had continued to improve through more direct contact which he personally advocated and regarded as being of "great value” •
Mr. Cater assured Mrs. Symons that a thorough investigation would be made into any case she might know of in which breaches of regulations might have occurred.
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 18 -
OUTLYING FERRY PIERS ADEQUATE FOR PEAK DEMANDS
********
A careful watch is being kept to see if facilities at passenger ferry piers on all outlying island routes need to be improved.
The Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave said this at the Legislative Council today in reply to a question from the Hon. H.M.G. Forsgate who asked whether the government would take steps to improve and modernise the berthing and loading facilities at the piers.
He said that on Lamma Island, for example, attention is being paid to see whether and when a second pier will be required.
Mr. Haddon-Cave pointed out that with the exception of Cheung Chau, Tai 0 and Tung Chung, the piers on all outlying routes operated by the Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company are at present adequate for peak demand at weekends and public holidays ,>
For Cheung Chau, there is a plan to improve the pier to allow the easy berthing of triple-decker ferries-
However, he said little can be done to improve the situation at Tai 0 and Tung Chung where shallow water and continual silting restrict the piers to small vessels only.
What is being done is to actively encourage holiday-makers to go, instead, to Silvermine Bay where large ferries can berbh and load.
In particular, ho said the Yaumati Ferry Company has recently been allowed to transport up to eight coaches to Lantau on Sundays and public holidays With pre-purchased tickets, passengers alighting at Silvormine Bay can proceed to Cheung Shan
/’’Much of the
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 19 -
’’Much of the trouble at ferry piers arises from the fact that, whereas the movement of holiday-makers from Hong Kong to outlying islands is spread over many hours, they all tend to return to Hong Kong in a short period between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
’’This strains the capacity of both vessels and piers”, he said.
The Financial Secretary went on to mention in passing one ’’useful development” — the 60-seater motor launches to be made available by the Yaumati Ferry Company for recreational traffic.
The docking requirements of these vessels are minimal, he said.
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/20..........
Wednesday, July 4, 1975
- 20 -
STAR FERRY TO MERGE WITH HONG KONG AND KCWLOON WHARF
**********
The Legislative Council today adopted a motion clearing the way for a.merger between the Star Ferry Company and the Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company. • • •
The motion involved an amendment to the schedule of the Star Ferry Company (Services) Ordinance to ensure that the wharf company would remain public with its shares freely transferable, and that the majority of its directorate, management and administrative staff are British subjects.
These requirements already apply to the ferry company.
In moving the motion, the Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave, said the main intention behind these provisions was to ensure that the company would not be under the control of a single individual or of an organisation in which the Hong Kong public is not substantially interested.
"The merger will, in fact, further the intention of these requirements since the public’s shareholding in the wharf company is far wider than its shareholding in the ferry company,” ho said.
He noted that the two companies were very closely connected, having common directors and management and operating a joint subsidiary company.
After the merger, he said, the ferry company would continue to operate as at present, except that it would be a subsidiary of the wharf company. Its operations would also continue to be governed by the Star Ferry Company (Services) Ordinance.
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/21 ........
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 21 -
RETIRING AGE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS
*********
Consultations between the government and the staff associations on the question of revising the retiring age of civil servants are proceeding constructively, the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. Sir Hugh Noman-Walker, said today.
He told the Legislative Council that a great deal of goodwill and understanding had been shown during the negotiationst and he hoped that an agreement would shortly be reached.
Debate in the council on the motion concerning the retiring age of civil servants would be resumed once the consultations had concluded and after the agreement had been endorsed by the Governor*. in—Cnnnrnl t Sir Hugh said.
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/22........
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 22 -
NEW MARKETS TO HANDLE IMPORTED VEGETABLES
**********
The government believes that the wholesaling of locally produced vegetables should continue to be channelled through the Vegetable Marketing Organisation, the Financial Secretary, the Hon* C.P. Haddon-Cave, said today.
Replying to a question from the Hon.Wilfred Wong, he said the wholesaling of imported vegetables would be covered by new markets now being built or planned.
These markets, he said, would be run by a similar body as the Vegetable Marketing Organisation and would be under the Director of *
Agriculture and Fisheries in his capacity as Director of Marketing.
Mr. Haddon-Cave explained that the marketing of imported vegetables was different from that required by local producers who received a variety of services from the Vegetable Marketing Organisation which were not needed by importers.
In answer to another question from Mr. Wong, the Fj nanci al Secretary said the average daily volume of vegetables handled by the Vegetable Marketing Organisation in April was 3,^56 piculs of which 78.3 per cent were locally produced.
The corresponding figures for May and June were 3,595 piculs and 79*4 per cent, and 3^286 piculs and 81.1 per cent.
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Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 23 -
EXPEDITING APPROVAL OF PLANS
********
The Buildings Ordinance Office has engaged consultants to help consider the soil stability aspects of architects1 submissions and structural aspects of building plans in an attempt to further speed up the approval process.
This, together with the system of curtailed checking of all building plans from May 15, had increased the capacity of the office to deal with about 1,350 plans every month, the Acting Director of Public Works, the Hon. A.S. Robertson told Legislative Council this afternoon.
Originally the office could only deal with about 850 plans in a month.
Mr. Robertson said that on May 15 there were 1,850 plans outstanding, and at the end of June the number was 1,450.
However, he pointed out that these figures did not reflect failure to expedite approval of building plans, because submissions had increased considerably in the past two months.
But he anticipated that even if the figures were to increase in July and August, the number of outstanding plans at the end of the two months would still be reduced to 1,200 and 950 respectively.
Mr. Robertson said there was every prospect in the next two months of being able to deal with plans within the statutory period for approvals.
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Z24..........
T
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
HINTS FDR TEACHERS
********
Successful teaching and good broadcasting have a common factor "they must have something fright at the beginning to rivet attention".
Mr. James Hawthorne, Director of Broadcasting, said that a good teacher and a broadcaster must never "show off" and try to demonstrate that they know more than the listeners, because they can easily be switched off. "The best broadcasts and the best lessons are simple".
He was speaking today at the conference for graduands of the Northcote College of Education.
Concrete practical examples are better than a number of theories, because they enable the listeners to apply the facts to their own experience.
Mr. Hawthorne also gave valuable advice to the graduands on how to mould a disciplined class, to help the students who could not keep up with the rest of the class, and when and how to give praise.
He pointed out that the first years of teaching were crucial because it was the formative period when the young teacher finds his style and establishes , •• • r" discipline.
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/25...........
Wednesday,July 4, 1973
- 25 -
WATER SAFETY POSTER DESIGN COMPETITION
«*««****
Two-hundred-and-fifty entries for the Water Safety Poster Design Competition will be on display in the City Hall Exhibition Hal 1 tomorrow (Thursday) from 9 a«n. to 7 p«m. The judging will take place from 2 ptm, onwards.
The aim of the competition is to promote awareness of water safety among children. It is open to school children of all ages attending primary and secondary schools throughout Hong Kong,
The panel of judges includes Mr. Gwilym Rees representing the Urban Council; Mr. Mike Griffith, the Education Department; Mr. Ma Yi>kwongf the Hong Kong Life Guard Club and Mr. Carl Myatt, the South China Morning Post.
The competition is one of the many projects launched by the Urban Council in its "Let’s Swim ’73” campaign.
The first prize is $300; the second, <5200; the third, $100;
and there are four consolation prizes of $50 each. The results of the competition will be announced on July 1J.
The sponsors and organisers of the competition are the Urban Council, the Education Department, the Royal Life Saving Society (H.K.Branch) the Hong Kong Life Guard Club and the South China Morning Post.
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/26..........
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 26 -
INTEGRATED SCIENCE COURSE FOR TEACHERS «»*»*»»**
Four Scottish tutors with considerable experience in the teaching of Integrated Science have arrived in Hong Kong.
They will lecture to more than $0 science teachers, science lecturers and examination science specialists at the summer course on Intergrated Science for lower secondary forms which opens at the Hong Kong International School tomorrow (Thursday) morning.
The tutors are Mr. A.W. Jeffrey and J4r. S.T.S. Skillen, both of whom are Inspectors in the'Scottish Education Department, Mr. J. Hughes, Director, Scottish Curriculum Development Centre for Science, Mathematics and Technical Subjects, and Mr. I. Robertson, Principal Lecturer in Chemistry at Jordan Hill College of Education, Scotland.
The course, organised by the Education Department, is based on curricula used in Scotland and adopted by other countries in the world. The course will train teachers in improved techniques and, in particular, treats science as one integrated subject, thus removing artificial divisions introduced by regarding science as a collection of separate subjects.
Teachers attending the course will teach Integrated Science next September in Form 1 in 20 secondary schools taking part in the pilot scheme.
The course opening tomorrow will last until July 26. It will be opened by Mr. A.G. Brown, Assistant Director of Education (Chief Inspector of Schools)*
/In connection
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 27 -
In connection with the course, an exhibition of up-to-date science equipment will be displayed at the Hong Kong International School from July 6 to
Note to Editors: You are invited to have the opening
of the course covered. The ceremony will begin dt 9-00 a.m. on July 5 at the Hong Kong • International School, No. 6 South Bay Close, Repulse Bay, Hong Kong.
0
Wednesday, July 4, 1973
- 28 -
TRIBUTE TO CLERK OF COUNCIL
The Legislative Council today paid tribute to Mr. R.J. Frampton, dork of the Council, who will proceed on leave prior to assuming a new post#
Speaking on behalf of his Unofficial colleagues, the Senior Unofficial Member, the Hon. P.C. Woo, thanked Mr. Frampton for his valuable services and wished him well in his future career.
Mr. Woo said Mr. Frampton had at all times during his three years of service with the Councils Branch, been efficient and courteous and he praised him for a job well done.
In a humorous vein, the Colonial Secretary, Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, said he had some ’’complaints” against Mr. Frampton, all related to today’s council meeting.
In the first place, said Sir Hugh, ”he got my questions in the wrong order. For another, he overestimated by nearly five minutes the duration of this session.
’’But apart from those two slight departures, I say goodbye to him with great sorrow. He has done it very well."
Mr. Frampton joined the Councils Branch in January 1970 after a short training period in the House of Commons in parliamentary procedures.
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Release time: 9.00 p.m,
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Thursday, July 5i 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Nam Fung Road linking Aberdeen and Happy Valley opened ......... • • 1
Consulting engineers recommend feasibility of Aberdeen tunnel project .................................................. ••••• J
Reports on the 1971 Census published ........................•••••• 4
20 secondary schools participating in pilot scheme for integrated science course ••••.......................................••••••••• 6
Settlement reached in Tsuen Wan factory labour dispute ......••••• 7
Discussion of five-year development scheme for social welfare on ’•Talking Point” programme........................................ 8
Water interruption in Hung Hom ...................................... 8
Students of Kowloon Technical School learn the basic principles of industrial safety.............................................. .. 9
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Thursday, July 5, 1973
- 1 -
NEW ROAD OPENED
*******
The Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, today opened the new Nam Fung Road which links Aberdeen with Happy Valley and Wanchai.
The road begins at the widened upper section of Deep Water Bay
Road and runs 5j100 feet along the southern foothills of Mount Nicholson before joining Wong Chuk Hang Road near the Grantham Hospital.
Costing more than $4 million, it comprises two lanes for uphill traffic and one for downhill traffic, with a six-foot wide footpath on each side of the road.
It shortens the route from 'Wong Chuk Hang Road to Deep Water Bay Road by one third of a mile and will greatly reduce the travelling time between Aberdeen and Wanchai.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sir Murray said the completion of this road should be a happy event for those who live on the southern side of Hong Kong Island.
Industry and housing are developing rapidly, but access is inadequate, and major improvement to Pokfulam Road must be slow because of topographical and land problems.
’’The right long term answer would seem to be a road tunnel between Aberdeen and Happy Valley. The plan is for a 6,000-foot long twin tube four-lane tunnel.
/’’The cost.............
Thursday, July 5, 1973
’’The cost is estimated to be $185 million at today’s prices. It vzill commence in the valley below up and run beneath where we are standing, ■ » * •
emerging on to an elevated road system on the Wanchai Road from where it would connect with the cross harbour tunnel via the Canal Road flyover, the Wanchai interchange and the Waterfront Road.
’’But this project is large and complicated and there is little prospect of its being completed before mid-1978.”
The Governor said this was far too long to wait, and in the meantime the new road would ease the traffic problems of south Hong Kong.
"It is well named; and I hope that like the auspicious south wind it will render the normally laborious journey faster and more comfortable, and thus bring great convenience and prosperity to the people of Aberdeen and Wong Chuk Hang,” he added-.
The Acting Director of Engineering Development of the Public Works Department, Mr. H.D. Stead, also addressed the gathering.
He said although Nam Fung Road is a relatively small public works project, its completion will significantly improve road communications for the southern part of the Island.
’’Considerable efforts have been made to blend the road into the surrounding countryside, I hope, successfully,” he added.
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Thursday, July 5, 1975
- 3 -
ABERDEEN TUNNEL IS FEASIBLE
*********
Consulting engineers have recommended to the government that the proposed Aberdeen tunnel road link between the north and south sides of Hong Kong Island is feasible.
A full report of the investigations has been submitted and is now under consideration. A decision on whether or not to proceed with dptailed design and preparation of contract documents is expect within the next two months.
The report lists recommended alignments, together with details of the cross section proposed end the facilities to be provided for ventilation, lighting and traffic surveillance.
It is envisaged that the tunnel would run from a point within the colonial cemetery in Happy Valley to Wong Chuk Hang near Aberdeen — a distance of about 6,000 feet. Twin tubes, 30 feet in diameter, and situated some 108 feet apart would carry a two lane carriageway in each direction.
Road connections in the north would be by means of a dual two lane elevated extension of the existing Canal Road flyover, passing along the line of Morrison Hill and Wong Nei Chong Roads to the north portal, providing rapid and convenient access to Waterfront Road and the cross-harbour tunnel.
In the onth, a grade separated interchange will link the tunnel approaches to the existing Wong Chuk Hang Road v/hich will be widened to dual three-lane carriageways.
Provision will also be made for suitable access to future fa ci 1i ti es planned for the area such as an oceanarium and a possible government stadium.
The estimated cost of the tunnel and southern approaches is about 3183 mi]lion. In addition, the elevated link in the north to the Canal Road flyover will cost some $70 million. This amount includes funds for considerable ground level improvements to the congested road junctions in the area. ----------------------------------0---------- /4.....................
Thursday, July 5, 1973
CENSUS MAIN REPORT PUBLISHED
**********
The main report of the 1971 Hong Kong Population and Housing Census has now been published by the Census and Statistics Department.
This report gives a full picture of the demographic, social and economic characteristics of the population as recorded in March 1971-
The 63 tables giving the full census results are divided into nine chapters - introduction, taking of the census, demography, marriage and fertility, education, economic, agriculture and fisheries, household and housing.
Each chapter gives a detailed analysis and commentary on the tables concerned, explaining the main points of interest, which are illustrated by short summary tables.
In his introduction, the Commissioner for Census and Statistics, Mr. K.W.J. Topley said: "The general picture which emerges from the 1971 Population and Housing Census is of a more settled, more modern and very hard working society in which women are playing a more positive role than heretofore.
"Overall, there had been a considerable improvement in living standards during the 10 years from 1961 to 1971. This appears to have been due mainly to the growth of manufacturing industry, and to developments in education, in public health and in low-rent public housing."
/Also published •••••••
Thursday, July 5, 1973
- 5 -
Also published this week are two further volumes relating to the census - the Population Projections and the Life Tables for 1971 to 1991* The former volume analyses in detail the main components of population growth - births, deaths and migration. It shows that Hong Kong’s population nay be expected to reach a figure of between 5*5 and 6.3 million by 1991•
The latter volume shows that of children born in 1971, males may expect a life of 67 years and females of 75 years; by 1991 this is expected to increase to 69 and 76 years respectively.
These two volumes will supply the basis for planning government and community services in the years ahead.
All tareo volumes are now on sale at the government publications centre at the Star Ferry Concourse.
The main report will be published in Chinese later this year.
/6 ........
Thursday, Jul; 5, 1973
NEW SCIENCE COURSE TC BE INTRODUCED
*********
An integrated science course will be introduced into 20 secondary schools at the beginning of the new academic year in September to teach science as one cohesive subject.
Ilr. A.J. Brown, Assistant Director of Education (Chief Inspector of Schools) said today that he hoped more schools would adopt the new subject next year.
He was speaking at the opening of the summer course for teachers on integrated science at the Hong Kong International School.
The course "banished the barriers" between individual science subjects such as physics and chemistry, which have been "grouped together to make more meaningful and realistic courses of study."
Mr. Brown pointed out that it was significant the introduction of the new course coincided with the expansion of secondary education, es»cially in the lower forms, thus providing a meaningful science course for students who will be leaving school on the completion of Form Three.
He said it was the second major effort in curriculum development in Hong Kong, the first being modern mathematics, which was introduced some years ago.
Tested in Scotland and other countries, the integrated science course has been modified and developed to euiu the needs of Hong Kong students, and the newly formed curriculum development committees will evaluate the scheme and make the necessary adjustments.
The four Scottish tutors who are lecturing on the course will return next year and again in 1975 to continue the training programme for teachers.
0 - -
/7
Thursday, July 5, 1973
- 7 -
LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE HELPS SETTLE WATCH DISPUTE
***********
The Labour Relations Service of the Labour Department has successfully settled the dispute involving some 150 retrenched workers of the Danemann Watch Case Factory Limited in Tsuen Wan.
The dispute arose out of the question of severance pay. It started in early June when the management gave the workers notice that their contracts of employment would be terminated.
About 120 workers came to a compromise with the management and collected their severance pay on June 30.
The remaining 28 workers yesterday reached agreement with the management at a meeting chaired by the Labour Officer in charge of the Labour Relations Service (Tsuen Wan).
Under the agreement reached, monthly-paid workers will get 30 days wages as severance pay, daily-rated workers will get 26 days pay and piece rated workers 14 days wages.
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Thursday, July 5, 1973
- 8 -
DISCUSSION PROGRAMME ON DEVELOPMENT OF WELFARE SERVICES *******
Mr. Thomas C.Y. Lee, Deputy Director of Social Welfare, is the guest speaker this weekend on the Radio Hong Kong programme ’’Talking Point” in which the $800 million development of welfare services over the next five years will be discussed.
The programme will be broadcast on the Chinese network of Radio Hong Kong at 9 p.m. on Saturday (July 7) and repeated at 2:30 p.m. the next day.
Other panelists will include Mr. Hui Yin-fat, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service; Mr. Ho Yiu-kong, President of the Wan Chai Kaifongs’ Association; Mr. Wong Shiu-cheuck, Unofficial Member of the Urban Council and Miss Pamela Wong, representing the Hong Kong Social Workers’ Association.
Chairing the discussion will be Mr. Eddie Au Yeung, Senior Programme Supervisor, Public Affairs, Radio Hong Kong.
”Talking Point” is a 45-minute programme which deals with matters of public concern.
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WATER CUT
******
Water supply to certain buildings in Hung Hom will be interrupted for five hours from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Saturday (July 7) to enable the Waterworks Office to carry out a leakage test.
The area affected is bounded by Chatham Road, Station Lane, Ma Tau Wei Road, Dyer Avenue, Dock Street, and Bulkeley Street.
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Thursday, July 5, 1973
- 9 -
SAFETY FIRST FOR STUDENTS
***«««*
About 60 students of the Kowloon Technical School today visited Hong Kong’s Industrial Safety Training Centre as part of a non Labour Department programme to promote industrial safety.
The department’s Industrial Safety Training Officer, Hr. Qian Wing-kai said the programme was aimed at instilling into the younger generation the importance of industrial safety.
’’Most of these technical students will eventually take up industrial employment” he said, ’’and it is of the utmost importance to make them aware of the industrial hazards and the precautionary measures required well in advance.”
Training officers of the centre also explained to the students, in detail, the basic principles of industrial safety. The talks were supplemented by film shows.
Similar visits are being arranged for other technical schools and institutes, and for the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups during the summer holidays.
Note to Editors: Copies of a photograph of today’s
visit will be boxed this evening.
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Release time: 7.30 p.m
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Friday, July 6, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Extensive alterations to be carried out at Stanley prison to improve security measures .................................. 1
Proposed new bill paves the way for improved TV reception in homes ...................................................
Voluntary guidance council set up by schools and welfare agencies for young people in western Kowloon ............... 8
An elevated road will be built from Prince Edward Road to Lai Chi Kok Road to improve traffic •.................. 10
Moves to relieve unnecessary work load imposed on Commissioner of Police................................................... 12
Heavier fines may be imposed on vessels for harbour obstruction ............................................................... 13
Young people need support and encouragement from society ... 14
Decline in the number of industrial disputes .................. 15
51st International Co-operative Day will be celebrated by fanners and fishermen tomorrow ••••••••••..................... *17
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 1 -
IMPROVED SECURITY MEASURES FOR STANLEY PRISON * ♦ * * * * # ♦
Extensive alterations are to be carried out to Stanley Prison to improve security and other aspects of the 36-year-old prison*
Announcing this today, a government spokesman made it clear that much work has been put in hand since the recent disturbances and that more is planned.
Improvements to security will include the provision of an internal circular road running around the perimeter. This will be separated from the prison area by a fence which will allow ready access for control purposes and provide an additional barrier against attempted escapes.
Young offenders, who will be provided with their own workshop, will be segregated from older inmates by a new fence which is to be built around their cell block.
The main gate lodge will be redesigned to ensure more efficient control over those entering and leaving the prison enclosure and to provide better facilities for visiting. A metal detector will be installed in the gate lodge to guard against the introduction of weapons and other articles.
Work is already well advanced on the conversion of accommodation to house a visiting room, which will facilitate much closer supervision of visits than has been possible in the past.
Proposed improvements to the general amenities of the prison include complete renovation of kitchen equipment, installation of separate bathing facilities for each cell block, and modification to the sewerage disposal systems.
/Included .........
Friday, July 6, 1973
2 -
Included in the overall longer term development programme for the Prisons Department is a project for an annexe to Stanley Prison,which will accommodate some’250 short-sentence prisoners who have served prison sentences before.
Completely self-contained, this annexe will segregate these prisoners from other inmates and enable them to be more effectively employed in outside work, such as cleansing duties, maintenance of roads and buildings.
He added that not all the proposals for improvement were of a structural nature. An all-out effort would be made to recruit more staff and relieve the burden on existing personnel.
It was hoped that this, in turn, would enable the administration to embark on a greatly expanded recreation programme for inmates, both at Stanley and other institutions.
He disclosed that some staff members were already undergoing training to provide a proper programme of physical education, which it was hoped to implement shortly.
Commenting on the findings of the Board of Inquiry, set up to investigate the disturbances in April, the spokesman said the report had identified the following causes:
* The introduction of a new type of violent offender, particularly in the younger age groupt
* Increasing resentment at the stricter controls to prevent traffic in unauthorised articles, including narcotics.
/♦ The heavy
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 3 -
* The heavy burden on staff, resulting from the general staff shortage.
* Overcrowding of accommodation and the general inadequacy of facilities.
"The rapidly changing pattern of crime in Hong Kong has naturally had its effect on the type of offender we are dealing with," said the spokesman. "The new type of younger offender, committed for crimes of violence, is much more aggressive and calls for a different method of approach to ensure proper discipline.
"We believe this can be more effectively organised if we segregate these offenders from the older, less aggressive inmates.
"We intend to maintain our strict search operations and other measures to guard against illicit trafficking, and already there are indications that these have had their desired effect. Any enforcement of stricter disciplines is naturally (the more) resented until it becomes part of the routine.
"Because of the shortage of staff experienced throughout the department, those prison officers at Stanley have been under severe pressure. This has meant cutting down on the time-table and has allowed little opportunity for recreation or any of the other additional amenities that night help to keep inmates usefully occupied outside normal working hours.
"With the recruitment of additional staff, we would hope to correct this situation and introduce not only more effective supervision but also better organised recreational programmes.
/"But ..........
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 4 -
"But it is the design of the prison itself which is in most need of attention. Stanley was built in 1937, and it says much for the imagination and foresight of its planners that it has been able to cope for so long with the demands made upon it.
"However, its shortcomings have become more pronounced over the years - particularly because many more prisoners have had to be housed there than was envisaged in the original plan.
"Accommodation was provided for 1,500, but the actual occupancy
now stands at about 2,700."
The spokesman said that as a result of the departmental inquiry into the causes of the disturbances expert advice had been sought from Britain on prison design and administration.
Two experts in these fields recently visited Hong Kong and some of their proposals are already being implemented, together with some emerging from the departmental inquiry.
Other proposals are being examined in greater detail, and will be implemented wherever practicable.
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/5.........
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 5 -
NEW MOVE TO IMPROVE TV RECEPTION
*******
People in Hong Kong will soon be able to improve the television reception in their homes by erecting aerial distribution systems on the roofs of the buildings in which they live.
This is the purpose of an amendment to the Telecommunication Ordinance which is published in the gazette today#
If this amending bill is passed into law it will enable single receiving aerials designed to serve all the television sets in a building to be erected on single blocks or adjoining blocks under one ownership, subject to certain safeguards in respect of public safety and technical standards, without any formal licensing procedure.
The amending legislation proposed also provides for the exemption from licensing of closed circuit television systems in private buildings such as hotels, banks and department stores.
The purpose of this section of the amending bill is to provide for internal information and security television systems in such private buildings without recourse to an unwieldy system of licensing.
Commenting on the bill a government spokesman said today that this proposed freedom from licensing is subject to such installations, both for aerial distribution systems and closed circuit television systems, complying with certain prescribed conditions.
/In the ••••••••••
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 6 -
In the case of aerial distribution systems on single buildings, it is intended that the system should be no more than an efficient extension of an existing receiving aerial. No equipment other than boost amplifiers can be inserted in the system and no interference with incoming signals will be allowed.
It is proposed that regulations now being drafted will provide cert a-in limitations on the use of closed circuit television systems.
Such -installations will, in general, be limited to single buildings and wi11 enable hotels, banks, department stores and similar organisations to install internal wired television systems for information and security functions.
Paid advertising will not be allowed to be introduced into the systems since it is not intended at this stage that additional commercial television networks, even on limited closed circuit wired systems, should operate in competition with the proposed three commercial wireless television stations.
The spokesman said that the government is also proposing the licensing of more extensive wired television reception systems to meet those circumstances when aerial distribution systems on single buildings fail to provide an adequate or economic service.
It is intended that licences for extended reception by wire, to be known as broadcast relay licences, will be issued on a non-monopolistic basis to any -in Atal 1 a tn on company capable of meeting the basic technical conditions.
/These
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 7 -
These conditions which form part of the new licences will be included in regulations which, subject to approval, will be published shortly.
Under these proposed conditions relay operators will be required to provide a simultaneous and uninterrupted service of all wireless television channels being broadcast in Hong Kong. In addition, relay operators will be permitted to relay any sound broadcasting channels.
This amending legislation and the associated regulations, will not be brought into operation until Rediffusion’s wired television service licence expires.
It will be recalled that the licence was extended earlier this year to ’bridge the gap* pending the coming on air of the first of the two new wireless television stations.
With this new legislation the government will be ready to issue licences for alternative wired television and sound distribution services as soon as the present Rediffusion wired distribution monopoly ceases.
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/8..........
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 8 -
VOLUNTARY GUIDANCE COUNCIL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
**********
Concern for young people has led to a number of schools and welfare agencies in north west Kowloon setting up a district children and youth guidance council.
The council is made up of representatives of 76 schools, social service agencies and churches in the Tai Hang Tung, Tai Hang Sai, Shek Kip Mei and Yau Yat Chuen areas.
The formation of the council followed a meeting of these organisations arranged by Miss Lilian Wong, the warden of the Social Welfare Department's community centre in Tai Hang Tung.
"The meeting was unanimous in its views that a co-ordinating body was needed to study the problems facing young people in the light of their crowded living conditions and the lack of proper family education, Miss Wong said.
’*1116 council aims to pool together expertise and resources in all four areas to find out the actual needs of young people so that it can provide solutions or long term guidance wherever and whenever possible.
:,The council hopes that by doing this it would be helping young people, and their parents as well, to fully develop their characters, potentialities and sense of social concern," she said.
It also plans to co-ordinate children and youth services within the areas and actively involve the people in solving their own problems and those of the community as a whole.
/Miss Wong .......
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 9 -
Miss Wong said this venture of community work at agency level was the first of its kind in the district.
"It was organised to get the voluntary agencies and other organisations to take the lead in the affairs of their districts," she explained.
The council and committee will use the Tai Hang Tung Community Centre as its base. Staff of the centre, including Miss Wong, will play dual roles« providing secretarial services to the council, the committee and its sub-committees as well as acting as advisors.
• - - • 0 w------
GRADUATION CEREMONY
*********
Note to Editors: The Sir Robert Black College of Education
will hold its graduation ceremony on Monday (July 9), in the Concert Hall, City Hall.
Mr. P.C. Woo, C.B.E., J.P.i Senior Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council, will address the gathering and distribute certificates and prizes at the ceremony, which begins at 4.^0 p.m.
You are invited to send a reporter and photographer to cover the event.
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/10..........
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 10 -
ANOTHER ELEVATED ROAD FOR KOWLOON
*******
A $24 million elevated road will be built from Prince Edward Road to Lai Chi Kok Road to cater for the increasing volume of east-west traffic across Kowloon Peninsula.
The 2,300-foot road will begin in Prince Edward Road near Yuen Ngai Street and end in Lai Chi Kok Road near the junction with Tong Mi Road and Poplar Street.
It will span the busy signal controlled junctions at Sai Yee Street, Nathan Road and Lai Chi Kok Road.
A spokesman for the Public Works Department said that traffic at these junctions was nearing saturation level, and the elevated road would provide smoother flow for west bound traffic.
Construction is expected to begin in September, and will take about 20 months to complete.
The 24-foot two-lane elevated road is ultimately intended for one-way operation, but in the major re-routing during the construction of the mass transit railway along Cheung Sha Wan Road, it will be used for two-way traffic.
The overall project also provides for associated alterations to adjacent ground-level roads, sewage works and a foundation for the mass transit railway.
Tung Choi Street will be developed as an alternative north bound route to Nathan Road.
/The section .........
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 11 -
Hie section of Sai Yee Street running from Prince Edward Road to Playing Field Road will be widened to 32 feet to improve traffic flow in the area.
The widening will enable more cars to be accommodated at the Sai
Yee Street/Prince Edward Road signals, and provide better access for premises adjacent to Flower Market Road.
The carriageway will be flanked by 24-foot verges comprising 9-foot wide footbridges and 15-foot wide amenity areas.
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Friday, July 6, 1973
- 12 -
LIGHTENING THE COMMISSIONER’S BURDEN
♦ * 4> ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ »
A new bill will soon be introduced to the Legislative Council seeking to relieve the Commissioner of Police from the duty of personally dealing with applications for certain permits under the Gambling Ordinance.
These applications comprise the issue of permits for the provision of amusements with prizes at licensed places of public entertainment; permission for a lottery incidental to an entertainment and not for private gain; and permission for certain societies to promote tombola.
Cited as the Gambling (Amendment) Bill 1973, it is published in today’s gazette for general information.
At present, about 350 applications for such permits are received annually and they impose an excessively high demand on the time of the Commissioner.
When the bill is passed into law, the authority to approve or reject these applications would be delegated to the officer in charge of the Police Licensing Office who is normally a police superintendent.
Another section of the bill will enable a society which is exempted from registration under the Societies Ordinance to be granted a tombola permit.
The societies which may be exempted from registration are mainly those established solely for religious, charitable, social and recreational purposes•
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/13.........
Friday, July 6, 1973
- >3 -
FINES FOR HARBOUR OBSTRUCTION
********
• A Central Magistrate has warned that he may impose heavier fines on masters of vessels who are found guilty of obstructing the fairways in Aberdeen harbour.
• The warning was given by Mr. P.M. Corfe in Central Magistracy yesterday (Thursday) when he fined a fisherman 3300 for obstructing the passage of other vessels in Aberdeen typhoon shelter on May 21. •
In passing sentence, Mr. Corfe inquired whether the Marine Department gave warnings jto the fishing population as to the seriousness of the offence and the-probable fines.
A Marine Department Officer advised Mr. Corfe that reference to these offences were issued through the news media and through the fishermen’s broadcast service of Radic Hong Kongu- ’ •
Staff of the department also gave on the spot advice and distributed appropriate literature with charts indicating areas prohibited for berthing.
In a similar case earlier this week, Mr. Corfe had drawn the defendant’s attention to the seriousness of the offence and of the problems created for the department in exercising control in Aberdeen harbour.
He pointed out that any obstruction of the fairways during the typhoon season would reduce manoeuvring space for vessels seeking shelter as well as increase fire risks.
----C--~-
/14......
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 14 -
MESSAGE FOR SUMMER YOUTH ORGANISERS
Encourage young people, support their quest for knowledge and give them all the understanding you can.
This was the message Mr. Thomas C.Y. Lee, Deputy Director of Social Welfare had today for organisers of summer youth activities when he spoke at the opening of the Yuen Long district’s programme.
’’The youth of today would not merely be satisfied with taking part in recreational activities. They have vitality, high ideals, enthusiasm and are eager to work.
’’What they want is new knowledge, new experiences, understanding of the society in which they live and the society’s concern for them.
•’What they lack is experience and they need the community’s support and encouragement in this respect,” Mr. Lee said.
He recalled that there are 15 youth recreation co-ordinating committees in Hong Kong, Kowloon, and the New Territories.
Mr. Lee said he was aware there was a large number of young people in Yuen Long district and said they had the same needs as young people elsewhere in Hong Kong.
Speaking of his department’s involvement, he said the Social Welfare Department conducts various activities directly through its 20 odd working units in various districts. It also helps voluntary youth work agencies to conduct summer programmes by providing financial assistance, counselling, co-ordinating work and training of volunteers.
Note to Editors: Copies of the full text of Mr. Lee’s
speech in Chinese are boxed this evening.
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/15..........
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 15 -
DECLINE IN NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
********
The number of industrial disputes in Hong Kong has fallen in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year.
The Deputy Commissioner of Labour, Mr. Ian Price, said today: "This downward trend in the number of disputes is particularly pleasing in view of the big increase in the number of factories and the number of industrial workers this year as against last year.”
Mr. Price said that 1,953 industrial disputes were reported to the Labour Relations Service of the Labour Department in the five months up to the end of May, compared with 2,076 in-the same period in 1972.
”0ur figures for the first quarter of this year showed that 1,104 new factories opened while 895 either closed down or moved to another site,” he said. ’’This means a net gain of some 209 factories during the period - a reversal of the previous (December) quarter, when there was a net loss of 128 factories.
’’The latest monthly figure we have - that for May - shows a net gain of 120 factories in that month alone, so the upward trend is obviously continuing.”
’’The March quarterly survey - our most recent - shows a total of 21,795 industrial undertakings, which is well-up on the figure for March last year of 19,474, and even on the December figure of 21,586.
’’The same survey showed that there are also more people employed in industry now than ever before. The March total was 616,609 as against 598,555 for the corresponding period in 1972.
/’’At the same.........
Friday, July 6, 197?
- 16 -
"At the same time there were 21,832 vacancies reported in industry." Mr. Price added: "It is worth pointing out that during this same quarter of increased employment, increased openings of factories and decreased labour disputes, the real wage index — the scale showing average income taking into account price increases - went up by three points.
"At the end of March it stood at 159 points, after remaining static at 156 points for a year."
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/17..........
Friday, July 6, 1973
- 17 -
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE DAY
«*»***«*
Note tc Editors: Over 400 members of the Local Co-operative
Movement, mainly farmers and fishermen, will be celebrating the 51st International Co-operative Day at a Chinese dinner party tomorrow (Saturday) evening starting at 7 p.m. in the Good Dates Restaurant, 86 Waterloo Road, 1st floor, Kowloon♦
Mr. J.M. Riddell-Swan, the acting Director of Agriculture and Fisheries will address the gathering and will officiate at the distribution of prizes.
At the request of the celebration committee, Radio Hong Kong ms arranged for a band and three popular singers to be present to provide entertainment.
You are invited to cover the event and join the dinner.
Copies of Mr. Riddell-Swan’s speech, in both English and Chinese, will be available at the celebration party and G.I.S. press room.
-------0---------
Release time. 7.30 p»u«
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Saturday, July 7, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No,
Another phase of the Lung Cheung Road improvement scheme to begin soon................................................................
Number of building plans approved in May almost treble that of previous month .............................................. 2
New display series featured at the City Museum..................... 3
A group of young people to be given opportunity to work on farms ... 4
Nearly 500,000 lottery tickets sold so far 5
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Saturday, July 7? 1973
- 1 -
ANOTHER PHASE IN LUNG CHEUNG ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
*********
Work on the final stage of the Fung Mo Interchange at the junction of Fung Mo Street and Lung Cheung Road in Kowloon is expected to start within the next few weeks.
The project is part of the Lung Cheung Road/Taipo Road/Ching Cheung Road improvement scheme, now underway, to provide a high quality highway linking the industrial areas of San Po Kong in the east with Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung in the west.
The works will mainly involve construction of a motorway bridge complete with a pedestrian footway, over Lung Cheung Road and a pedestrian overpass at Sha Tin Pass Road.
Construction will be supervised by a firm of consulting engineers and will take about 12 months to complete.
When completed, Fung Mo Street traffic wiil be routed along the bridge to enable uninterrupted traffic flow along Lung Cheung Road.
The pedestrian overpass at Shatin Pass Road will come into full use as a safe means for pedestrians to cross Lung Cheung Road when the Po Kong Interchange and Lung Cheung Road Extension are completed.
Lung Cheung Road will then run continuously from Shatin Pass Road to Hammer Hill Road.
- - - - 0 -------
/2..........
Saturdayf July ?, 5975
- 2 -
MORE BUILDING PLANS APPROVED
********
A total of 149 building plans was approved by the Building Authority in May this year, nearly three times the number of that for the previous month
In April only 54 were approved.
More than half of the new plans processed were for residential buildings* These included a 31-storey apartment/commercial building in Electric Road on Hong Kong Island, two blocks of 29-storey and one block of 27-storey apartment buildings in Hong Lee Road, Kowloon*
Plans for a 39-storey commercial building on Waterfront Road on the Island were also approved.
Buildings certified for occupation included 18 for domestic use, 28 for non-domestic use and 40 for combined domestic/non-domestic uses.
The total declared cost of construction amounted to over Cl6? million
In addition, the Building Authority gave permission for 67 building projects to commence work - 24 on Hong Kong Island, 14 in Kowloon and 29 in the New Territories.
- - - - 0--------
Saturday, July 7, 1973
NEW MUSEUM FEATURE
»***«»**
The City Museum and Art Gallery is introducing a new display series featuring items from its collection relating to archaeology, history or ethnography in Hong Kong.
The first item, which is now on show, is a 100-year-old British sword found by the police near Nim Wan in Lau Fau Shan last year.
The sword is a Romanesque-Hanger first used in 1855 by the privates of the Royal Corps of Transport.
The Corps was re-formed the following year into the Military Train which adopted the same sword for its privates.
It is believed that the Nim Wan sword was probably brought to Hong Kong when a battalion of the Train was sent here in i860.
Another ’’museum feature” display case which continues to introduce aspects of Chinese art and culture, this month highlights Neolithic painted pottery.
Two painted pots of the Yang Shao Culture, Ma Ch’ ang Period, and one painted dish unearthed from Chung Hom Kok on Hong Kong Island are displayed.
Both display cases are on the 10th floor of the City Hall, High Block.
A.....
Saturday, July 7, 1975
RURAL OBSERVATION TRIP
One of the programmes organised by the Youth Work Unit of the Social Welfare Department for young people this summer is a rural observation and service trip to the New Territories.
This is being held from Friday, August 3 to Tuesday, August 7 at Sui Lau Tin Village in Yuen Long.
Mr. Antonio Chu, officer-in-charge of the Youth Work Unit said the programme would include visits to village-homes and experimental farms.
"The young people will be able to take part in actual farming in the field and it is also planned to hold a variety show and fun fair for children living in the village."
Those interested in joining can obtain application forms from either the unit’s Hong Kong office at Room 908, Causeway Bay Magistracy Building (telephone 5-712467) or the Kowloon Office on the Top Floor of Nathan Road Government Offices Building (telephone 3-884111 ext. 334). Forms should be returned by July 20.
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Saturday, July 7j 1975
- 5 -
PROMOTION FOR THIRD GOVKRNblEKT LOTTERY
*********
Four popular RTV entertainers will sell government lottery tickets at a temporary ticket selling booth in Statue Square on Monday (July 9) between 5 p.m. and 6 p*m.
They are Miss Angelina Leung Siu-ling, Miss Helen Poon Bing-sheung, Miss Eileen Lo Oi-leen, and Miss Violet Lee Ying.
At the same time, two RTV comedians will give an impromptu performance to promote the sale of lottery tickets.
The winning numbers for the third government lottery this year will be drawn by the four entertainers on July 14, at the City Hall Theatre.
By 12.00 noon today a total of 491,000 tickets had been sold.
Ticket sales will close at 8 p.m. on Friday (July 13) at the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club booth at the Star Ferry Concourse and all Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry piers.
Note to Editors: You are invited to send a reported and/or
photographer to cover the event on Monday afternoon in Statue Square, next to Prince’s Building*
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Release Time: 2*30 p«m«
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Monday, July 9, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No*
Trainee teachers can apply for interest-free loans during their training period ...................................... q
Permanent refuse collection service for ocean-going vessels in Hong Kong harbour........................................ 4
Water cut for five hours in Tung Tau area....................... 5
Nev/ textile agreement with Canada.............................. 6
Three-day seminar for engineers on safety in construction work.......................................................... 2
Lady MacLehose will visit two Community Chest member agencies this week ........................................ ....... 8
Two dangerous buildings in Western district to be demolished ................................................................ 9
Farewell gifts for two retiring Highways Office staff ........ 10
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191
Monday, July 9, 1973
- 1 -
INTEREST-FREE LOANS FOR TRAINEE TEACHERS
********
Interest-free loans of up to $1,200 a year are available on application to students who train to become teachers at the three Colleges of Education.
The loans can be repaid by monthly instalments over a period not exceeding four years after completion of the two-year full-time training courses "No student should feel that his personal circumstances should stop him from completing his training," Mr. W. Fisher-Short, Assistant Director of Education (Further) said today.
He pointed out that in addition to the maximum interest-free loan, any student in real need could apply for a maintenance grant of up to $1,600 a year.
Mr. Fisher-Short said: "The amount he may receive will of course depend on individual circumstances. It is necessary for the college authorities to investigate family financial circumstances in such cases, but this is done in the strictest confidence."
All students are required to pay tuition fees of $400 a year.
Hie Assistant Director said that career prospects for the fully qualified teacher are bright.
"Hong Kong is entering a period during which secondary education will undoubtedly expand and diversify; the trained teacher has a key role to play in this expansion."
The three Colleges of Education - Northcote, Grantham and Sir Robert Black - are looking for suitable young men and women who are 18 or over to enrol for courses beginning in September this year.
/Northcote ••••••••
Monday, July 9, 1973
- 2 -
Northcote offers training through the medium of English while paying due attention to Chinese. At Grantham and Sir Robert Black both English and’Chinese are used.
Residential facilities are available for about 100 men and 100 women at Northcote but both Grantham and Sir Robert Black are non-residential at this stage.
’’However,” Mr. Fisher-Short said, ’’Sir Robert Black College anticipates having residential facilities when its new buildings at Piper’s Hill on Tai Po Road are expected to be completed in time for the September 197^ opening.”
The colleges are well equipped with facilities for teacher training in all normal school subjects at the primary and lower secondary level.
’’Students are prepared for service at both levels although all students have an opportunity to study the teaching of one or more subjects in considerable depth.
”An important element in the training offered is the further education of the student himself and the development of his personal social maturity," Mr. Fisher-$hort emphasised.
All students have available a wide range of social and cultural activities Student associations and clubs enjoy a considerable degree of autonomy and play a necessary part in the total education of the prospective teacher, he said.
Having completed their courses college graduates are free to enter any employment they wish.
"If they join government or aided schools they are immediately employed as Certificated Masters and enjoy the official scale of remuneration. Private schools, however, usually determine their own rates of salary.
/"Although ........
Monday, July 9, 1973
- 3 -
"Although the colleges do not find posts for their students it should be remembered that the Education Ordinance requires employers to give priority of employment to registered teachers over other applicants without professional training#
’’All successful college graduates are eligible to have their names entered in the official Register of Teachers," Mr. Fisher-Short said.
Young people who left school before the current academic year and who wish to enter the teaching profession can obtain application forms from the Education Department, Lee Gardens, Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong from July 30 •
Intending applicants who are still in school will be supplied with forms by their headmasters.
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Monday, July 9, 1975
- 4 -
REFUSE COLLECTION SERVICE FOR SHIPS »»******«
A permanent domestic refuse collection service for all oceangoing vessels calling at Hong Kong has been established by the Marine Mp^rtment in an effort to combat harbour pollution.
The free ship-to-ship.service was first introduced in July last year for a trial period of six months and met with reasonable success.
Representatives from the department’s Pollution Control Unit are boarding vessels which have been in the harbour- for .48 hours as part of a drive to publicise the service.
If these ships have any refuse to dispose of arrangements will be made for its collection.
The Director of Marine, Mr- A. Fletcher, said masters of ships, who wanted to make use of the service, did not have to wait for their vessels to be boarded, but could make appropriate arrangements through their agents or by direct contact with the Marine Department.
He reminded ship masters, owners and agents that it was an offence under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance to deposit any refuse into the harbour or in the waters of Hong Kong. The maximum penalty, on conviction, is a fine of $20,000 and imprisonment for six months.
The department’s harbour scavenging fleet is also clearing drifting timber and refuse in the central harbour area and typhoon shelters to maintain an acceptable standard of cleanliness in the waters of Hong Kong.
/The central •••••
Monday, July 9, 1973
- 3 -
The central harbour cleansing fleet was expanded to its present strength of 24 sampans and eight mechanised cargo boats in January this year.
In addition, there are six sampans and one mechanised boat servicing the waters of Aberdeen and five sampans collecting refuse in the Yau Ila Tei and Causeway Bay typhoon shelters.
An average of 30 tons of rubbish have been collected daily in waters of Hong Kong.
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WATER CUT IN TUNG TAU
**********
The water supply to certain buildings in Tung Tau Estate and the surrounding area will be turned off from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday (July 11).
This is to enable the Waterworks Office to carry out a leakage test.
The area affected is bounded by Tung Tau Tsuen Road, Tung Lung Road, Tung Fat Road and Tai Shing Street including Blocks 6 to 13 and 15, 17, 26 and 27, Tung Tau Estate.
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/6........
Monday, July 9, 1973
- 6 -
TEXTILE AGREEMENT WITH CANADA
*>***«»*
Hong Kong has entered into an agreement with Canada to continue certain export restraints on textiles into the year beginning October 1, 1973*
Announcing this today, the Director of Commerce and Industry, Mr. E.P. Ho, said the agreement followed negotiations in Hong Kong last month.
Mr. Ho said Hong Kong had been restricting certain of its textile exports to Canada for a number of years.
1’There are no new items on the list of restraints as a result of these negotiations,” he said. "Indeed, two items — cotton woven fabrics and non-terry towels — have been removed from restraint and some other improvements, including growth, have been agreed.”
Hong Kong exports of textiles to Canada in 1972 were valued at 3263.3 million.
Full details about the new arrangements will shortly be issued by the Commerce and Industry Department.
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Monday, July 9? 1973
- 7 -
SEMINAR ON CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
*******
Engineers in the construction industry will have an opportunity to discuss the question of safety in construction work at a three-day seminar jointly organised by the Labour Department’s industrial safety training centre and the civil engineering department of the University of Hong Kong.
Mr. P. Lumb, head of the Civil Engineering Department, will officially open the seminar at 9*30 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) in lecture room B of the University. Some 30 engineers, both fresh and past graduates, will attend.
Mr. Chan Wing-kai, Industrial Safety Training Officer of the Labour Department, said accidents on construction sites over the past months had remained high but the department was tackling the problem positively by involving the management in a concerted effort to reduce accidents.
The programme of the seminar, he said, would include an engineer’s role in construction safety; health hazards in civil engineering works; safety use of ’’Ramset” gun; use of explosives; and fire prevention and rescue on construction sites.
The participants will visit building sites in Kowloon and the High Tsi and water scheme. They will also tour the Industrial Safety Training Centre where machine guards and protective equipment are on display.
The executive director of the Hong Kong Productivity Centre, Mr. W.H. Newton, will give the closing address and present certificates to the participants on Thursday (July 12) at 4.30 p.m. at the Industrial Safety Training Centre in Canton Road Government Offices, 3rd floor.
Note to Editors; You are cordially invited to send a
photographer /reporter to cover the opening and closing ceremonies.
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Monday, July 9i 1973
- 8 -
LADY MACLEHOSE VISITS WELFARE AGENCIES
********
Lady MacLehose, the President of the Community Chest, will be visiting two member agencies this week.
On Wednesday (July 11) she will tour the summer camp at the Wu
Kwai Sha Youth Village at 5 p.m. The camp provides ideal facilities for family and youth group outings.
Managed by the Chinese YMCA, the camp catered for nearly 100,000 people last year.
Conference facilities are also provided in the village, forming an ideal venue for holding seminars, conferences or training programmes.
At 9 p.m. the following day (Thursday) Lady MacLehose will visit the Ruby Mow Fung Shelter which provides temporary accommodation for street sleepers and old people who have been discharged from hospitals and are awaiting permanent housing.
Similar shelters are also located in Kowloon City and Ma Tau Chung.
Lady MacLehose will be accompanied on both visits by Miss Susan Hume, Social Secretary of Government House; and Mr. Colin Morrison, Executive Director of the Chest.
Note to Editors: You are invited to send representatives
to cover the visits. On Wednesday, a YMCA launch will be waiting at 4 p.m. at the pier near the University railway station in Ma Liu Shui to take the press across to the village. . The .Ruby Mow Fung Shelter is located at 21 Hospital Road on Hong Kong Island. Editors are reminded that on Wednesday it will be impossible for the same reporters to cover another visit by Lady MacLehose to the Social Welfare Department’s summer youth camp at Kai Ham Village. This visit is due to begin at 4.15 p.m.
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Monday, July 9, 1973
- 9 -
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS IN WESTERN
********
The Building Authority today ordered the demolition of two buildings in Queen’s Road West.
They are No. 5, which has been declared dangerous, and No. 3 which is liable to become dangerous.
The Principal Government Building Surveyor said today that these four-storey pre-war buildings had been under observation for some time.
A recent inspection of No. 5 revealed that fresh movement had occurred in the party walls which could give rise to collapse.
Due to similar defects and decayed timbers there is also the risk of collapse of No. 3 when the next door property - No. 5 - is demolished.
Notices of intention to apply for closure orders in Victoria District Court at 9»3O a.m. on August 20 were posted today.
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/10........
Monday, July 9, 1973
- 10 -
RETIREMENT OF TWO PWD STAFF
*******
Two staff members of the Public Works Highways Office will be retiring shortly after a total of more than 50 years of service.
They are Mr, Mak Chun-yuen, Senior Surveying Assistant (Engineering), and Mr. Ho Ting-cheong, Inspector of Works I.
To mark their retirement, Mr. G.A.G. Sapstead, acting Principal Government Highway Engineer, will present each of them with a farewell gift on behalf of their colleagues at a ceremony to be held on Wednesday (July 11).
Mr. Mak first joined the civil service in 1948 as an assistant surveyor in the Port Works Division and has served in a number of posts. He was promoted to his present position in 19&3•
He has played an active role in promoting sports within his department and is the chairman of the Hong Kong Miniature Football Association.
Mr. Ho Ting-cheong started as a foreman in 1947 and was transferred to foreman I two years later.
He was then promoted to Inspector of Works II in 1959 and Inspector of Works I in 1968.
Note to Editors: The presentation ceremony will be held
at 4.45 p.m. in the Highways Office, Room 814A, 8th floor, Murray Building. You are invited to send a reporter and/or photographer to cover it.
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Aele.-.se time: 7»3O p.m.
PR 33 4000035
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
SUPPLEMENT
Monday, July 9, 1973
STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
********
The Director of Medical and Health Services, Dr. G.H. Choa, said this evening:
”The action taken by the midwives, health auxiliaries and inoculators as announced by them — is to last 24 hours ending at midnight tonight.
”At this moment, the time is not yet up, and reports from government maternity and port health offices are still coming in.
’’From all information available so far, government maternity and inoculation services have continued today with little evidence of disruption of routines. Members of the public who did come for inoculation were attended to, and were not required to wait unduly for service.
w "It is possible that the weather might have played some part in reducing the field activities of health auxiliaries.
IJThe Government has gone to great lengths to consider carefully al 1 the proposals which the nursing allied grades have made. Their proposals have been examined from all angles. The overall average increase has been 30 per cent.
”In negotiations of this sort, clearly there must come a time when further increases would be unfair to other grades. As I have said many times, if there is any information to show that the private sector offers better salaries and benefits than the Government, then such information vn 11. be considered, and the door is still open for further negotiations.”
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Release time: 7*30 p.m.
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House. Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No,
Comprehensive development plans formulated by Board of Education to cater for educational and social needs of secondary students •••• 1
Extensions to Shatin Treatment Works nearing completion ••••••«••••• 5
Report on action of nursing allied grades shows that some members of the public were inconvenienced ............. •••••••••••••••••••• 7
Fifth charity auction of "lucky" car numbers to be held on Saturday ..................................................................... 9
Seven buildings in Central have been declared dangerous •••••••••••• 10
Two Senior Education Officers retiring after 39 years’ service ••••• 12
Entertainment for residents of Sau Mau Ping ...................... 14
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
LONG-RANGE PLAN FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION
********
The Board of Education is making progress in formulating comprehensive proposals for the development policy of secondary education, Mr. Charles Lowe, acting Director of Education said today.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Pui Ching Middle School, he said McKinsey and Company had given invaluable advice on the way in which such a programme should be prepared.
”In fact, the department has been working extremely hard both to keep the existing system functioning as smoothly as possible and to plan for the future, not only to provide places in concrete buildings on scarce sites, but also to work out what should actually happen in classrooms, special rooms and laboratories,,T Mr. Lowe said.
He emphasised that this was a far greater problem than building the schools•
The Director added that 54,000 Form I places in government aided
and assisted schools would be available in September this year for a 12-year-old age group of some 110,400. This means accommodating 49 per cent of the age group.
In mentioning some educational achievements, Mr. Lowe referred to the new Unified Code of Aid for secondary schools which embodied a much more enlightened view of the role of the school and realised that a secondary school could no longer be aided by a code originally designed to suit the needs of primary schools.
/"Provision..........
Tuesday, July 10, 1975
- 2 -
"Provision is made for teachers* courses, more generous assistance for furniture and equipment and for libraries, while the new staffing structure greatly increases the number of promotion posts for both graduate and non-graduate teachers in these schools.
"The second five-year development programme for Special Education has been approved and is making rapid progress,1’ Mr. Lowe said.
A new secondary school standard plan for three or five-year course schools has been worked out and will be built into the new estates and new towns.
He said: ”It is a good design in no way sub-standard and will be of great benefit in enabling secondary provision to be built into estates from the very beginning as primary is now.”
The Director expressed the hope that when secondary target figures were agreed, it would be possible to aid private schools such as Pui Ching • •
and bring under subsidy the good quality private schools that had, as he put it "laboured long, hard and successfully in the hot noon-day sun”.
Everyone was aware that the present secondary system was too academic and too much geared to the needs of the minority elite who wanted a good Certificate of Education with Matriculation to follow.
Mr. Lowe pointed out: ”What we already require and will require on a much greater scale when the expansion plans are in full swing is a more practical secondary course geared to life and the needs of the pupils rather than to the Certificate of Education.”
It was vital for Hong Kong to get its future secondary education right - "suitable to the needs — educational and above all, social — of the pupils, not only for the sake of future generations but for the future development of Hong Kong”e
/It was........
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 3 -
It was also essential to devise school courses that met the aspirations of pupils and parents because if government did not do this, the private schools could and would do it, he said.
Mr. Lowe called for the fullest possible confidence, co-operation and understanding between the public, principally teachers and educationists, and the Education Department on the one hand and the Education Department and the central government on the other. Without these three requirements, lir. Lowe warned, progress could not be made.
"This has to be struggled for; it will not come about because of speeches. The press has an important responsibility here but it is all too easy for everybody in matters of education to blame everybody else (this is often the case in England) and that way disaster lies.”
The Director said he was convinced that if the types of change he mentioned were to be introduced, much more use must be made of Chinese in secondary teaching.
He asked: ”Why should junior forms have to study science, mathematics, history, geography, etc. in English? Why must virtually all subjects at the 3th form level be taught* in English?”
Answering his own questions, Mr. Lowe said: ”We all know why, but it is damaging educationally and I very much hope the combined Certificate of Education will encourage the greater use of Chinese. • We are after all in a .Chinese city.
/”Could
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 4 -
"Could not English be taught at a more senior level, by specialist teachers really confident in English, to those pupils who clearly need it, rather than spend endless hours on it all through primary and secondary.school to achieve a standard that not surprisingly is not particularly high in such a very Chinese environment and is probably low in terms of cost effectiveness?"
Mr. Lowe said he was delighted to hear of the tremendous range of activities at Pui Ching — clubs, societies, sports and games teams, participation in the anti-litter and anti-crime campaigns*
Schools, he said, should join to the full in such campaigns because they give indirectly some of the social education to which he had referred.
"It is therefore the duty of each and every school to introduce social attitudes and discourage anti-social attitudes,” the Director said.
Paying tribute to the late Bishop Hsu, Mr. Lowe said his death was a grievous and tragic blow particularly for education.
The Bishop had the ability and the judgment to see Hong Kong’s educational problems from a unique standpoint, intellectually7 humanely and morally.
He added: "Many educational problems lie ahead on which Bishop Hsu if he had been spared could have given invaluable advice. The department and indeed the Board of Education, is very receptive to the ideas and suggestions for the improvement of education and the solving of the many problems that beset education in Hong Kong."
"Criticism is indeed a good thing but must be accompanied by realistic, workable, concrete proposals for improvement."
Note to Editors: Copies of the full text of Mr. Lowe’s
speech are boxed this evening.
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Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 5 -
MORE WATER FROM SHATIN
Major extensions to the Sha Tin Treatment Works, a focal point of Hong Kong’s water supplies, are almost completed.
A spokesman for the P.W.D.’s Waterworks Office said today that the project, which is part of the Plover Cove Extension Scheme and which is costing about JJ60 million, is about to become operational. Part of the works, the settlement tanks, came into operation in May. The other section, the pumps and filters, will be contributing to the increased yield during this month.
With this stage completed, Sha Tin will be one of the world’s largest treatment and filtration plants, with an output capacity of at least 175 million gallons a day with provision for a further extension to 240 million gallons a day when the High Island Water Scheme comes into operation.
The increased capacity represents about 90 per cent of the average daily consumption of mains water in Hong Kong as it stood last year - 195-5 million gallons a day. The present average daily consumption is about 230 million gallons a day.
The extensions comprise new settlement tanks and filters, a new filtered water tank and an additional pumping station.
Extra handling and storage facilities for the chemicals needed for water treatment have also been provided, the spokesman added.
/At present,
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 6 -
At present, water for the Sha Tin Treatment Works is drawn mainly from the Plover Cove Scheme and China,.but the treatment works will also handle water from the High Island Scheme when that comes into operation.
In addition to the new plant, the extensions include modifications and improvements to the existing installations.
At the same time more than 2,000 feet of twin 60-inch main water pipe lines will be laid to improve the delivery of water from the Sha Tin Treatment Works Extension to urban areas to meet, the ever increasing demand for treated water.
The extensions are being carried out under the supervision of the Water Authority’s joint consulting engineers, Binnie and Partners and Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick, and Partners.
Note to Editors: Photographs of the Shatin Treatment Works
including the extensions, are boxed this evening.
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/7.........
Tuesday, July 10, 197J
- 7 -
REPORT GN ACTION OF ALLIED NURSING GRIDES
********
The Director of Medical and Health Services, Dr. G.H. Choat this evening stressed that all allied nursing grades disputing the pay issue should think carefully before taking further action that could affect the health and welfare of the public•
In a statement on developments yesterday after studying reports received from all government maternity clinies, chest and social hygiene clinics, and port health offices. Dr. Choa said:
:,In the New Territories, in some clinics the midwives carried out their threat not to wash babies brought in, and dressing material was not prepared. But work was normal in most rural clinics.
::In all urban maternity clinics in Kowloon and the Island, where mothers do not normally bring their babies in for washing after discharge, midwives did not prepare dressing material, but other work went on as usual.
"Inoculations ..ere administered as usual in all port health offices. There was some delay, but no one needing an inoculation for intematioral travel was unduly inconvenienced.
"Health auxiliaries’ case work was reduced in some clinics. As a result of the weather* there was not much field work, and the average number of case tracings was maintained.
/"I would •••••,
Tuesday, July 10, 197J
- 8 -
TrI would like to end this statement with a word of cantion . M ... . 4- * to government midwives, inoculators and health auxiliaries. The full results of their action yesterday show that some members of the public did experience some inconvenience. In view of this, I urge them to thin!: twice before either resorting to similar action, or accelerating it because innocent people should not be involved.
:*?he Government has gone to great lengths to consider carefully all tne proposals which the nursing allied grades have made. They have received an overall average increase of 30 per cent.
t:In negotiations of this sort, clearly there must come a time when further increases would be unfair to other grades. As I have said many times, if there is any information to show that the private sector offers better salaries and benefits than the Government, then such information will be considered, and the door is still open for further negotiations.”
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 9 -
"LUCKY" NUMBER PLATES PROVE POPULAR
**********
More than 3800,000 has so far been raised for charity through the sale of ”lucky” car numbers.
And it is hoped that the 81 million mark will be reached on Saturday (July 14) when another 30 of the special licensing plates will be offered for sale.
The auction — the fifth in the series — will be held in the City Hall theatre at 11.15 a.m. and successful bidders will be required to pay in cash or by cheque immediately after the bidding.
Potential bidders are reminded that the vehicle registration mark will be assigned only to a vehicle registered in the name of the successful bidder within 12 months from the date of the auction.
The numbers that will be put up for sale are:
119 127 136 176 177
AV 1 AV 2 AV 3 AV 8 AV 22
AV 2J AV 38 AV 88 AV 333 AV 666
AV 700 AV 777 AV 909 AV1OOO AV1234
AV1771 AV2002 AV2323 AV6789 AV6868
AV7878 AV8000 AV8888 ’ AV9339f AV9999
• •
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Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 10 -
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS IN CENTRAL
********
Five three-storey pre-war buildings in Wellington Street, Central have been declared dangerous or liable to become dangerous by the Building Authority. They are numbers 170 to 178 Wellington Street.
The Principal Government Building Surveyor said today that the buildings were inspected following a partial collapse of the roof of No. 172, which resulted in the partial closure of the top floor of this building.
’’Fractures and weaknesses in the party walls and rear main walls of Nos. 172 and 176, together with extensive decay in the structural timbers have given rise to a risk of further collapse,” he said.
Because of similar structural.weaknesses and timber decay in 170, 17^ and 178 Wellington Street there is a risk of collapse of these buildings during or after the demolition of 172 and 176.
In another statement today, the Building Authority declared 36 Lower Lascar Row and 35 Upper Lascar Row liable to become dangerous.
These four-storey pre-war buildings, together with adjoining ones, have been under investigation for a considerable time.
The adjoining buildings 38/^0 Lower Lascar Row and 35/37 Upper Lascar Row are vacant pending demolition for urban renewal purposes and are heavily shored due to movement in the walls. This movement is continuing and a recent inspection revealed that part of the main roof had collapsed.
Further progressive collapse could occur with a risk of involving the adjoining buildings.
/Notices .........
1
Tuesday, July 10, 1973 - 11 -
Notices of intention to apply for closure orders for these buildings in Victoria District Court at 9*30 a.m. on July 24 were posted today® For the Wellington Street buildings notices of intention were posted today for 170, and 174 to 178, while that for the lower floors of No. 172 were posted on July 6. The application will be made at 9»3O a.m. on August 7•
/12..........
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 12
RETIREMENT OF TWO SENIOR EDUCATION OFFICERS
*******
Two Senior Education Officers with a combined service of 39 years will be going on pre-retirement leave shortly.
They are Mr. J. Kirkwood arid Mr. D.E. Parker, who will each be presented with a gift from their colleagues. The presentations will be made by the acting Director of Education, Mr. Charles Lowe tomorrow (Wednesday).
Mr. Kirkwood took up his first appointment as an Education Officer in May 1952 and was posted to the Northcote College of Education as lecturer in physical education.
He was transferred to the Physical Education Section of the Inspectorate in September 1953 where he served until January 19&2.
Mr. Kirkwood was promoted to Senior Education Officer in 1964 and has been engaged in administrative duties in the department’s headquarters ever since.
During the past few years Mr. Kirkwood has made a significant contribution to the introduction of the Code of Aid.
Mr. Parker joined the department as an Education Officer in December 1955 and was posted to Queen Elizabeth School as a music teacher.
He was transferred to the Music Section of the Inspectorate in January 1958 and was promoted to Senior Education Officer in September 1967*
During his 18 years’ service, Mr. Parker has played an important role in the promotion of music in schools.
/He has also
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 13 -
He has also been actively associated with the Hong Kong Schools
Music and Speech Association as Secretary and for the past seven years as Chairman.
He was largely responsible for developing the annual schools music
and speech festival into one of the largest of its kind in the world, which enjoys an international reputation for organisation and high standards.
Mr. Parker is now acting Deputy Chief Inspector of Schools.
Noto to Editors:
You are invited to have the presentation
ceremony covered. The ceremony will be held at •
11.30 a.m. on July 11 in the Education Department’s Conference Room, Lee Gardens, 3rd floor, Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
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/14
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 14 -
ENTERTAINMENT NIGHTS FOR SAU MAU PING RESIDENTS ********
Two evenings of free entertainment have been arranged for people living in the Sau Mau Ping Estate in north east Kowloon.
The.first, a "movie evening” will be held tomorrow night (Wednesday) when films will be shown at three open air sites — the football pitches of Sau Mau Ping estates, south and west and at the car park of the Sau Mau Ping Central Estate Welfare Building beginning at 8 p.m.
Different films will be shown and it is expected that at least 4,000 people will attend.
The following evening, Thursday variety shows will be held in the halls of the estate welfare buildings also beginning at 8 p.m. The entertainment has been arranged by the Social Welfare Department’s community work offices in the estate welfare buildings in conjunction with other welfare agencies, schools and government departments.
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Release Time:
8.00 p.m.
PR 33 4000039
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
SUPPLEMENT 10
1973
STATEMENT BY FINANCIAL SECRETARY . .4 ***** *
Commenting on the state of the foreign exchange market in Hong Kong today, the Financial Secretary, Mr. C.P. Haddon-Cave, said that the volume of business done was less than yesterday.
The rate at which U.S. dollars were bought by the banks was virtually unchanged from yesterday at HKJ4.97125, and any comment which suggested that the Hong Kong dollar was under pressure to float or be revalued was quite unjustified.
Mr. Haddon-Cave said he was surprised that the R.M.B. had been revalued by 5 per cent in relation to the Hong Kong dollar at a time when the Hong Kong dollar was strengthening against the U.S. dollar and Sterling.
He pointed out that this latest move followed upward adjustments of the R.iftB. rate in relation to the Hong Kong dollar of one per cent on June 21 and 1)6 per cent on June 1.
These adjustments, together with the decision announced today by the Bank of China, mean that the rate for the R.Ii.B. in terms of Hong Kong dollars is now about 7)6 per cent higher than at the time of the revaluation of the Hong Kong dollar in relation to the U.S. dollar of 11 per cent on February 14 last.
Commenting on the likely effect of these exchange rate adjustments on the cost of living, the Financial Secretary said: "If importers pass on the full cost to retailers, the cost of living index will rise by about 1)6 per cent." He pointed out, however, that in the longer term the
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House. Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191 /prices ....................................................
Tuesday, July 10, 1973
- 2 -
prices of foodstuffs and basic raw materials are determined by supply and demand factors rather than purely exchange rate adjustments.
Asked whether the Hong Kong Government was considering revaluing the Hong Kong dollar as a result of the revaluation of the Fir.
Haddon-Cave said that there was no evidence to suggest that the present central rate with the U.S. dollar needed to be changed.
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Release Time: 8.30 p.n.
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Secretary for Housing will review the overall problem of housing in Hong Kong.......................................
Well organised and efficient contractors needed for local large-scale engineering projects....................,...... 2
A building in Yu Chau Street, Kowloon has been declared dangerous ........................................... t 5
New t;module;’ courses on bricklaying, plastering and tiling to be run by Morrison Hill Technical Institute ................ 4
Northcote College of Education will hold its graduation ceremony on Friday ....................................... .......... 5
Studentswishing to attend British universities should apply through Education Department ••••••........................... g
Water supply to Kowloon City will be interrupted for five hours on Friday..................................................... 7
Urban Council ward offices of North Point, Chai Wan and Yau Ma Tei moving to new premises ................................ 8
Readjustment of RMB helpful in relation to local prices of foodstuffs...................................................a 9
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
1
PROBLEMS OF HOUSING TO BE STUDIED
*******
An all-round view of housing — both public and private — will be taken by the Secretary for Housing, Mr. Ian Lightbody, when he moves into the Colonial Secretariat in September to formally take up his full duties under the new post.
Speaking to a meeting of the Lions Club of Victoria, Mr* Lightbody said the watch on developers and conditions in the private sector was a ’’pretty spasmodic” thing at present,
’’This needs to be tightened up considerably so- that our public housing plans can take full account of the potential and achievement of the private sector,” he said,,
Mr. Lightbody added that his new duties would include a complete view of housing as a whole problemt including ways and means of helping private developers to make their maximum possible contribution to the housing stock, the availability of mortgage finance to help families to buy their own flats and rent control among others.
Turning to estate management- he said that the ultimate aim was to extend the same standards of professional management as have been’applied to the former Housing Authority’s estates to the older public housing estates -formerly known as resettlement estates.
Speaking on the 10-year housing programme, Mr. Lightbody said, ”it seems clear even now that speedier building methods must come into use if we are to hit our targets.”
He said it could reasonably be assumed that the commitment to build on a large, continuing scale would provide the necessary incentive for new ideas and investment in the building contracting industry.
Mote to ’Editors: Copies of the full text of the speech
in English and Chinese are boxed this evening. ----------------------0 -------- /2..........................
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
- 2 -
SOPHISTICATED CONTRACTING FORCE NEEDED FOR HONG KONG *******
The Director of Public Works, Mr. A.S. Robertson, said tonight the disorganised and inefficient contractor would not be acceptable for the many large engineering projects now being planned by his department.
"We must have a sophisticated contracting force to achieve minimum guaranteed time schedules," he said.
Mr. Robertson, who was speaking at the Lu Pan Festival dinner of the Building Contractors1 Association, said the trend was for "the rewards" to go to the contractor with a permanent professional and technical management team, with equipment and "know-how" and with a record of successful projects completed within the time schedule.
This pattern, he said, should be welcomed "for it implies more than merely doing things more speedily, efficiently and profitably; it implies doing things better; it involves that quest for excellence which should be at the centre of all our endeavours."
The Director said that the coming year will see a great deal of building work - private building is going on at an extremely rapid rate, the public housing programme in the new towns is beginning to accelerate, a start will be made on many large road projects and the mass transit railway will get under way.
All of these projects, he said, would call for a great effort from the building industry and if the benefits were to be seen - good sound economic buildings for the community and the assurance of a fair return for contractors -the industry must rise to the demands placed on it.
/There .........
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
There must be more effort spent on the careful planning of construction works to make the most rational and intelligent use of labour. This development, he thought,could best serve the interests of labour itself for it would put a premium on skills and training.
It does not mean that industry can simply bid higher for labour, he said.
Mr. Robertson went on: ”By increasing productivity we can keep costs down and ensure a reasonable profit. Increased productivity can be achieved not only by better planning, but by the use of more equipment - large and small.
"Better planning can also save construction materials and expedite completion, again saving costs and assuring a fair return.”
- - - - o - - - -
DANGEROUS BUILDING IN KOWLOON
*******
The Building Authority today declared 15 Yu Chau Street, Kowloon, to be in a dangerous condition.
In the course of routine inspection it was found that the reinforced concrete structure of this four-storey pre-war building was badly deteriorated and beyond reasonable repair.
Because there is a risk of partial collapse, notice of intention to apply for a closure order in Kowloon District Court at 9«3O a.m. on August 22 5 was posted today.
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A...........
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
- 4 -
NEW EVENING COURSE IN BRICKLAYING, PLASTERING AND TILING
*«*$***! 'I.
The three-year part-time evening course in bricklaying, plastering and tiling will be run on a ’’module” basis at the Morrison Hill Technical Institute when classes commence next September.
’’The new system,” a spokesman for the Institute said, ”is designed to make the course more attractive to potential apprentices by removing the rigidity of the old system, in which a student is required to complete an entire three-year course before a certificate can be awarded.
’’Instead of learning at the same time all related skills required of a full craftsman trainees will, in future, be taught one skill at a time.”
With the change in the training system, there has been a significant improvement in the number of applicants seeking admission to the new classes.
The spokesman pointed out that 107 applicants took the oral test last month. Compared with the number last year, it represented an increase of ^400 per cent.
’’The decision to change the training system has been taken in the light of last year’s unsatisfactory enrolment. It also follows consultation with the Building Trades Industrial Committee of the Industrial Training Advisory Committee and the City and Guilds of London Institute which gives recognition to the course,” he said.
The flexible system of module training could still meet the needs both of the industry and the individual while allowing a new entrant freedom to rhoose the programme that suited him best.
/’’On completion.........
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
- 5 -
"On completion of a modulewhich normally lasted a year, a student should be proficient enough to start working on building sites as a semi-skilled worker.
"Those who wish to receive another year of institutional training in a related skill, thus strengthening their earning powers, are more than welcome to carry on by attending another module," the spokesman added.
Completion of Modules 1 and 2, irrespective of order, will constitute a "lead-in" to Module 3 which concerns more advanced work and prepares students for the final examination conducted jointly by the Morrison Hill Technical Institute and the City and Guilds of London Institute, -----------------------------------0 -
GRADUATION CEREMONY
*********
Note to Editors: The Northcote College of Education will
hold its graduation ceremony on Friday (July 13) afternoon in the Caritas Community Hall, Caritas House, Caine Road,
Professor S.L, Kong, Director of the School of Education of the Chinese University will address the gathering and Mrs, Kong will present the certificates and prizes. The ceremony begins at 4r.3O pom.
You are invited to send a reporter and photographer to cover the event. --------------------- 0-------
/6...........
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
- 6 -
STUDENTS GOING TO BRITAIN SHOULD FIRST
CONTACT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
***«*»**«
Students intending to go to Britain for further study are advised that the various university authorities there will not accept direct applications for first degree courses.
A spokesman for the Education Department said today that all direct applications are normally referred back to Hong Kong, resulting in unnecessary loss of valuable time on the part of the students.
He said the Overseas Students and Scholarships Section of the department should be consulted by these students for advice on the courses available and the requirements for entry to educational institutions.
,:A great many students have already approached the section for assistance in processing applications for admissions to schools, colleges and universities in Britain.*1 . ...
The section is responsible for sending students* applications for entry to British Universities to the University Central Council on Admissions (UCCA), which is the central organisation for handling applications for first degree courses.
The spokesman emphasised the need to apply for university placement one full year in advance. Such applications must reach the Overseas Students and Scholarships Section by mid-September from students wishing to enter Oxford or Cambridge Universities and by mid-November for other universities.
/The last ......
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
- 7 -
The last date for receipt of all applications by the University Central Council on Admissions is December 15, 1973 for entry in 1974.
Parents wishing to send their children to study in secondary schools in Britain should make application direct to the schools of their choice.
General information about schools, the courses offered, levels of foes and other details can be obtained from the section which has recently moved to Bonaventure House, 2nd floor, 91 Leighton Road, Hong Kong.
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WATER CUT IN KOWLOON CITY
*«****»*»«
Water supply to a number of premises in Kowloon City will be interrupted for five hours from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday (July 1J) to enable a leakage test to be carried out.
The area affected is bounded by Prince Edward Road, Nga Tsin Wai Road, Nga Tsin Long Road, Carpenter Road and Sa Po Road.
0 - -
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
- 8 -
•YARD OFFICES MOVE CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE
**«**«o
Three of the Urban Council’s 14 ward offices are moving to new premises — and nearer to the people they serve.
A spokesman for the council said today that the changes involved the ward offices at the North Point Housing Estate Office in Shu Kuk Street, Chai Wan Estate and the Housing Department Headquarters in Ma Tau Kok Road*
With effect from tomorrow (Thursday) the new addresses will be:
I lew Address New Ward Clerk Urban Councillor
Hawker Control Force Office, 20 Tong Shui Road, G/F. North Point. Mr. AU Tong (Tel. No. 5-621948) Mr. Kenneth T.C. Lo
Chai Wan Estate t Block 27, G/F., Wan Tsui Road, Chai Wan. Mr. CHEUNG Yuen-chuen (Tel. No. 5-704567) Mr. B.A. Bernacchi, O.B.E., Q.C.
Office at Yau Ma Tei Multistorey Car Park Library Mr. Philip Ho (Tel. No. >942824) Mr. H.M.G. Forsgate Dr. Wong Pun-cheuk Mr. Charles C.C. Sin
The spokesman urged people to take their complaints and problems
to these ward offices.
lie said that Urban Councillors dealt with the individual problems of more than 9,000 people last year.
/These problems ....•
Wednesday, July 11, 1973
- 9 -
These problems received the personal attention of the Councillors. Matters which did not come under the jurisdiction of the Council were similarly noted down and promptly passed to the right authority for action.
The ward system was introduced in 19&5 and was designed to give members of the public an opportunity to discuss their problems at first hand with Urban Councillors.
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READJUSTMENT OF RMB HELPFUL TO LOCAL FOOD PRICES
**
The Financial Secretary, Mr. C.P. Haddon-Cave, today described as a "realistic move” the Bank of China’s announcement of the re-adjustment of the rate between the RMB and the Hong Kong dollar.
The rate has been altered back to RMB 37»95 to HK3100.
”1 regard this as a realistic move so far as the exchange value of the Hong Kong dollar is concerned; and a helpful move in relation to local prices of foodstuffs and other imports from China,” Hr. Haddon-Cave said.
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Release Time: 7*00 P*m
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Thursday, July 12, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Multi-million dollar development programme for Sham Shui Po area involving reclamation and construction of community facilities •••••. 1
Mr. Hilton Cheong-leen calls on the public to support Urban Council ...................................................................... 3
The largest single lot of New Territories industrial land at Tuen Mun will be auctioned on July 30...................................... 5
Pleasure craft owners warned about dangers of faulty gas appliances on board ............................................................. 6
Three-day economic and public affairs project exhibition at the
Ocean Terminal .................................................. 7
The 20th social security field unit will be opened on
Saturday ............................................................. 8
Four dangerous buildings on Aplichau to be demolished ............... 9
Labour Relations Service helps settle two disputes ••••••••••••....... 10
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Thursday, July 12, 1973
- 1 -
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT FOR SHAM SHUI PO • *»«**•**
A #30 million programme is to be launched later this year to improve communication facilities in the crowded Sham Shui Po district.
The first stage of the project involves reclaiming some 30 acres of land off the Sham Shui Po waterfront along Tung Chau Street to provide more space for a combined new modem ferry and bus concourse and other community facilities.
Construction work on the 1,400-foot retaining seawall for the reclamation is expected’ to start within a few months and should be completed by September next year.
The new seawall will be 1,000 feet off the existing wall along Tung Chau Street,
When part of the reclamation is completed, a new ferry pier will be built off the new seawall about 1,100 feet north of the existing pier.
The new pier will be similar in design to the Tai Kok Tsui Ferry Pier and will be bigger and better equipped than the existing one at Sham Shui Po to cope with the increasing number of commuters.
It will be a double-deck structure with two ferry berths, incorporating upper floor waiting areas for first class passengers and separate on/off ramps for second class passengerso
Work on the new pier, which will cost an estimated 37*25 million, is expected to start in October next year for completion by January 1976. During construction work the old pier will be kept in service to maintain traffic flow until the new one is completed.
/Serving .........
Thursday, July 12, 1973
- 2 -
Serving the new pier will be a 150,000 square foot concourse which will include a bus terminus and taxi ranks with covered passenger ways.
At present, there are no back-up facilities to the old pier and it is expected that traffic congestion in the area will be considerably reduced once the concourse comes into operation.
It is also planned to build a sewage pumphouse and temporary cargo handling area on the reclamation. Sites will also be made avail ahie for government, institutional and community facilities, including a civic centre, three secondary schools, and a multi-storey car park. About two acres will be developed as public open space.
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Thursday, July 12, 1973
- 3 -
PEOPLE URGED TO SUPPORT COUNCIL . *****♦♦♦<«
The Vice-Chairman of the Urban Council, Mr. Hilton Cheong-leen, today called on the people of Hong Kong to support the Urban Council which he described as "your very own local council”.
Hr. Cheong-leen, who was speaking at a luncheon meeting of the Tai Ping Shan Lions Club, pointed out that the council dealt with an extremely wide range of matters touching on the lives of everyone in Hong Kong.
"./e deal with almost everything from preventing mosquitoes from breeding to rat control to importing symphony orchestras."
Mr. Cheong-leen urged the Lions to "join in". They could start by putting forward their suggestions and criticisms, if any, in a constructive v/ay. He also asked them to help by urging others to join in.
He said one way in which people could hit back at the critics who accuse us of being an "apathetic lot" would be by showing genuine support for the Urban Council.
‘.By worlzing through the Council,’■ Mr. Cheong-leen said,"we can prove to these critics that we are far from being apathetic, but instead are deeply and genuinely interested in the welfare of our own community."
Hr. Cheong>-leen said that the Council was currently setting about the task of laying down a truly strong foundation upon which everything else in the future will rest.
/He explained .......
Thursday, July 12, 1973
He explained that Councillors were taking a very close, hard look at the state of the Urban Services Department. "We have left no stone unturned in our effort to try and find out where weaknesses lie, where our strength lies, what we can do, or not do, with the resources in hand."
The study will determine whether the Council has the means to introduce improvements to existing services; to enlarge their scope progressively and even to experiment with innovations in some areas.
Note to Editors: Full text of the speech will be boxed
separately.
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Thursday, July 12, 1973
5
BIG NEW TERBITORIES SITE UP FOR SALE
*******
A piece of industrial land covering about 155,000 sq. ft. in Tuen
Kun — the largest single lot so far available in the New Territories — will soon be put up for sale by auction-
The rectangular-shaped block, measuring 23^.5 ft. by 660 ft., can be developed for light industry or godown purposes.
The upset price is "6 million <.
A spokesman for the New Territories Administration said keen bidding is expected as several firms have expressed interest in the site.
The auction will take place at the Yuen Long Town Hall on July JO, beginning at 2.JO p.m.
Concessionary payment terms are available under which the purchaser can pay the premium over a period of 20 years at five per cent interest.
The purchaser can also gain possession of the site almost immediately after the sale as the land has already been formed and levelled.
The site is conveniently situated within a planned industrial area of the Tuen Hun new town, It is about J,000 ft. from Castle Peak Road and can be approached via Causeway Road in Tuen Muno
Four other lots of industrial land in Tuen Mun, ranging from 10,000 sq. ft. to 14,800 sq. ft0 will also be available for sale by auction in August and September.
In March last year, eight lots of industrial land in the area were sold by auction.
Full. particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained, and sale plans inspected, at the New Territories Administration, North Kowloon Magistracy, Taipo Road, Kowloon; and at the District Offices of Yuen Long, Tsuen Wan, Taipo, Sai Kung and Islands.
Thursday, July 12, 1975
- 6 -
"DISASTROUS RESULTS" FROM FAULTY GAS APPLIANCES ON PLEASURE CRAFT >
********
The Marine Department today warned the owners of small craft about the dangers involved in keeping on board faulty or badly fitted appliances using liquefied petroleum gas (bottled gas).
A spokesman for the department said that there had been a number of serious fires and explosions on such boats^due to leakage of bottled gas, from faulty fittings or poorly sited and improperly maintained appliances.
Owners are therefore advised to have the system expertly fitted and sited, and it should be overhauled regularly. The gas should be turned off when not in use, and a special leakage check made each time it is used.
The spokesman explained that bottled gas is heavier than air, and if allowed to leak from containers or piping it will flow to the bottom of the compartment.
In that condition, the gas forms an explosive mixture with air and can be ignited by various means, including lighted cigarette butts and sparking electrical equipment.
Also, escaped gas can be drawn into the air intake of an internal combustion engine leading to an "uncontrollable speeding up of the engine which may lead to disastrous results," he said.
Further information can be obtained from the Small Craft Licensing Section of the Marine Department.
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/7.........
Thursday, July 12, 1973
7 -
SCHOOLS HOLD ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS EXHIBITION
*********
Members of the public will be able to see how students understand current issues by attending a three-day Economic and Public Affairs Project Exhibition in the main concourse of the Ocean Terminal from Saturday (July 14)• ,rIts aim is to stimulate pupils’ awareness and interest in the needs of the community,” a spokesman for the Education Department said today.
The Northcote and Sir Robert Black Colleges of Education as well as 22 secondary and middle schools are taking part in the exhibition which will feature drawings, charts, photographs, articles and models.
The colleges and schools were invited last November to make preparations for the exhibition, with the choice of topics and the number of participating classes left to the discretion of the teachers.
The exhibits by students of the two colleges of education will show ’’Aids to learning in economic and public affairs” and ”Teaching E.P.A. through activities".
The topics chosen by the other schools include housing, transport, traffic, pollution, juvenile delinquency, trade, tourism, agriculture, fishprjp.?t adoption and the role of youth.
The cxhibition, organised by the Economic and Public Affairs Section of the Education Department, will be opened by Mr. N.M. Ho, Deputy Director of Education, at 12 noon on Saturday.
Note to Editors: You are invited to cover the opening ceremony.
The exhibition hours are as follows: July 14, 12 noon to 6 p.m.; July 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and July 16, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
-------o-------- /3.........
Thursday, July 12, 1973
- 8 -
OPENING OF 20TH SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNIT
*******
The Social Welfare Department’s 20th social security field unit will be established on Saturday (July 14> to deal with cases in the Fanling area*
This new unit will handle applications from people in Fanling, Sheung Shui, Ta Kwu L.ing and Sha Tau Kok including Kat 0 and Ap Chau*
Up to now, applications from people in thee5 areas had been dealt with by the Tai Po field unit, but because of tne increasing number of applications, it was decided to establish one at Fanlijig.
The new unit (Tel, 12-662322) will take over the offices vacated today by the Tai Po Field Unit on the ground floor of Block UA”, Mei Wan Building, Po Heung Street, Tai Po Market* Thio is a temporary arrangement until suitable premises can be found in Fanling*
The Tai Po field unit has moved to new offices on the ground floor of Gold Reserve Court, Tai Ming Lane in Tai Po Market (Tel. 12-665/iO9).
It will in future handle applications from Tai Po, Sha Tin and north Sai Kung including Tap Mun, and Ping ChaUe
- _ .. o - - - -
/9..........
Thursday, July 12, 1973
- 9 -
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS ON APLICHAU * *******
The Building Authority today ordered the demolition of four buildings in.Main Street on Aplichau.
Numbers 84 and 86 Main Street, which are two-storey pre-war buildings have been under observation since 1971 * Recently there has been signs of movement in the front and rear walls and decay of the structural timbers in the floor and roof has advanced to a significant extent*
The Principal Government Building Surveyor said it is considered that there is now a risk of collapse.
In the other buildings in Main Street — numbers 116 and 118 which are three-storey pre-war buildings — fractures have been observed in the party wall, indicating outward movement of the joint kitchen block, in addition, the timber work and steel supports to the roof of 116 have deteriorated to the extent that a collapse is possible.
Due to the defects in the reinforced concrete elements of construction, 118 is liable to become dangerous during or after the demolition of the other building.
Notices of intention to apply for closure orders for the four buildings in the Victoria District Court at 9*3$ a.m. on August 23, were posted today.
/10...........
Thursday, July 12, 1973
- 10 -• >
TWO DISPUTES SETTLED
*********
The dispute involving 320 workers of a Kwun Tong plastics factory which closed down late last month has now been settled.
It began on June 30 when the Plastics Manufacturing Corporation Ltd closed without prior notice to its workers.
After a series of five conciliation meetings arranged by the Labour Relations Service of the Labour Department at ‘Kwun Tong, the management and the workers agreed to the payment of a total of about 8150,000 to the workers.
An agreement was signed this afternoon in the San Po”Kong office of the Labour Relations Service in the presence of Labour Officer Mr. Donald Chan Sui-tung.
Under the terms of the settlement, monthly-paid workers will get a month’s pay and daily-paid workers will get seven days’ pay in lieu of notice.
The workers will also be paid pro-rata year-end bonuses, and ex-gratia payments on a sliding scale'tied totheir ’length of service.
The money will be paid over to.the workers on Saturday in the presence of officers of the Labour Relations Service at its San Po Kong office.
Another dispute was also settled-today -This one involved the sacking of 14 workers by Vianini SP, one of the najor contractors of the High Island later Scheme.
/Each of
Thursday, July 12, 1973
- 11 -
Each of the workers today received a payment of 3400 from the management in final settlement.
The dispute began on June 22 when two workers were dismissed on disciplinary grounds. Another 12 workers were dismissed the next day fcr leaving their posts without permission.
Some 670 workers later staged sit-ins at the site in protest against the dismissals, but returned to work on July 2 after a series of conciliation meetings arranged by the Labour Relations Service.
After further conciliation meetings, workers representatives agreed to the company’s offer of a 3400 ex-gratia payment to the dismissed workers.
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Release time: 7»3Q p.m.
PRH 7
CIS
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Friday, July 13, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Bill imposing temporary ban on the establishment of commodity exchanges to be introduced in Legco.......................... 1
Study on traffic problems during six-month building restriction in Mid-Levels and Pok Fu Lam a............................... J
rrLet,s Clean Our Buildings*’ — another step towards a cleaner
Hong Kong.................................................... 4
New office and workshop complex to be built at Hong Kong international airport..................................... 5
Three-week processing period required for British passport applications.......................*......................... 6
The Marine Department warns that polluting Hong Kong waters can be costly................................................ 7
Special offensive trades area in Tsuen Wan to be expanded •• 8
Restrictions on mini-buses in Pei Ho Street.................. 9
Graduation ceremony for Grantham College of Education ....... 9
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Friday, July 13, 1973
- 1 -
LEGISLATION ON COMMODITY EXCHANGES
Nov/ legislation will be introduced next week in support of the temporary ban imposed last month on the establishment of commodity exchanges dealing with certain specified commodities such as sugar, coffee, wool and tin, among others.
The bill the Commodity Exchange (Prohibition) Bill 1973, does not apply to public markets, nor to commodity exchanges that were in operation on June 20 this year, such as the daily rice auction and the Gold and Silver exchange.
But from the date the bill takes effect no new commodity exchanges dealing or trading, whether in spot or futures contracts, in any of the 20 commodities specified in the schedule, will be permitted.
The specified commodities are: barley, cocoa, coffee, copper, cotton, gold, lead, maize, oats, platinum, rice, rubber, silver, oil seeds and vegetable oils, sugar, timber, tin, wheat, wool and zinc.
The bill makes it an offence to set up an exchange dealing with these commodities. Offenders will be liable on conviction to a fine of 3500,000 and an additional fine of 350,000 may be imposed for each day the offence continues.
In announcing the temporary ban in the Legislative Council on June 20, the Financial Secretary, Mr. C.P. Haddon-Cave, said at the time that it was not the government’s intention to frustrate the development of a properly regulated commodity exchange, or possibly more than one exchange, at a later stage.
/’’The.......
Friday, July 1}, 1973
- 2 -
”The intention rather is to ensure that, if and when an exchange is established, it will operate in a well regulated and orderly manner, and in 1
accordance with internationally accepted practices and standards/1 he said.
The bill empowers senior police officers to enter and search any premises in which an illegal commodity exchange is suspected to be in operation and to seize records and documents.
Under the bill, the district court will be empowered to make an interim closure order in respect of such premises, pending the completion of proceedings against the operator of the exchange.
A court may also make a closure order in respect of such premises following the conviction of the operator.
The bill is published in today’s gazette for general information and will be introduced in the Legislative Council next week.
Friday, July 13, 1973
- 3 -
BUILDING RESTRICTIONS FOR MID-LEVELS AND POK FU LAM
**********
Temporary restrictions on new buildings in certain parts of the Mid-Levels and Pok Fu Lam areas are imposed under new legislation to be introduced in the Legislative Council on Wednesday.
If approved, the Temporary Restriction of Building Development (Pok Fu Lam and Mid-Levels) Bill 1975> will empower the Building Authority to refuse to approve plans for new buildings in these two areas for a period of six months from July 4 this year.
Modifications of leases where they are required to permit redevelopment will also not be granted.
The restrictions apply to the area of Pok Fu Lam from Mount Davis to V/ah Fu Estate and in the Mid Levels between Caine Road-Bonham Road and the 700-foot contour bounded on the east by Glenealy and extending to the west as far as Kotewall Road and the University of Hong Kong.
In the Legislative Council last week (July 4), the Director of Public Works, Mr. A.S. Robertson, said that the measures were necessary "in view of the serious traffic problems which would result if building continues to be unrestricted in these areas."
Ho said during the six-month standstill, traffic engineers would carry out a thorough study of all aspects of the traffic problems to permit the government to make a decision as to the proper extent and duration of the restrictions.
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/4..........
Friday, July 13, 1973
- 4 -
NEW LAWS TO CLEAN BUILDINGS
Toucher laws concerning the cleanliness of buildings are to be introduced in support of the ’’Let’s Clean Our Buildings” campaign which is due to start next month as a continuing government effort to improve environmental cl eanl in ess in Hong Kong.
Among others, the new measures will enable notices to be served on owners or tenants of buildings to limewash their premises, subject to certain conditions, and for unsightly posters and bills to be removed.
The measures are contained in the Public Health and Urban Services (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 1973 which is published in today’s gazette.
At present, the Director of Urban Services may only serve a notice on an owner or occupier to limewash his premises if the condition of the premises is injurious to the health of residents.
The bill widens the scope under which such a notice may be served and empowers the Director to order premises to be limewashed if they constitute a health hazard or sanitary nuisance or disfigure the amenities of any locality.
It also provides for regulations to be made so that a person, convicted for failing to comply with a notice under the regulations, will be required to pay the expenses for the necessary work carried out by the U.S.D.
Provisions are also made for the removal of posters which, by nature of their condition, are unsightly.
The bill empowers the Director to abate a nuisance on premises where the person causing it or the owner or occupier cannot be found. Provision is made for the costs to be recovered if the person is later found.
Friday, July 13, 1973
5 -
AIRPORT APRON SERVICES COMPLEX
****«**’**
A combined new office and workshop complex is to be built at Hong Kong international airport to meet the increasing demand for such facilities by ground servicing companies.
The complex will consist of a three-storey building occupying an area of about 110,000 square feet near the airport’s maintenance area on the eastern bank of the nullah.
The ground floor will be taken up by workshops and storage areas for heavy items of aircraft spares, and by open and covered parking spaces for equipment and airport servicing vehicles.
Piling work is already in progress and construction of the building is expected to start in September this year for completion in early 1975*
A spokesman for the Public Works Department said the complex would provide better accommodation for the various services which had to be performed on aircraft parked on the terminal apron.
These services included the provision of vehicles, equipment and manpower for the handling of passengers, baggage, freight and ma.il, as well as for cleaning, refurbishing, inspecting and repairing of aircraft.
Y/hen completed, the workshops and offices will be let to ground servicing companies.
Note to Editors \ Photographs of a sketch of the building are boxed today.
Friday, July 13, 1975
- 6 -
LONGER TIME TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS FOR BRITISH PASSPORTS
********
The Immigration Department announced today that due to the very heavy increase in the number of applications for British passports, the minimum period required for processing is now 14 working days — about three weeks.
The noraml period is usually 10 working days (around two weeks).
The Director of Immigration, Mr. V/.E. Collard, said that since the beginning of this financial year up until now more than 15,300 passports had been issued.
This is about 4,500 more than in the same period in 1972.
In June alone, almost 5,500 passports were issued, compared with about 3,700 in June last year; and for the first two weeks of this month the figure was over 2,000.
Mr. Collard said that people intending to travel should take into account the longer time needed to process the applications when planning their arrangements.
He explained that the big increase in applications was mainly due to a substantial rise in the number of people travelling abroad since the introduction of package tours.
The Director also reminded people that they need not go to Immigration Department headquarters to apply for passports — the applications could be lodged at any of the department’s branch offices.
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/7..........
Friday, July 13, 1973
- 7 -
POLLUTING THE HARBOUR CAN BE COSTLY
*********
The ferine Department today warned floating restaurant and other boat operators not to pollute the waters of Hong Kong.
A spokesman pointed out that many vessel owners had the habit of depositing rubbish or waste material into the harbour.
Irrespective <?f the amount of substance dumped into the harbour, they are liable to be prosecuted, he said.
A recent example was a case before Mr. P.M. Corfe in Central Court yesterday (July 12) when a floating restaurant in Aberdeen was fined 3200 for polluting Aberdeen harbour.
While imposing the fine, Mr. Corfe warned the representatives of the owners that a similar offence could incur a fine of about 32,000 to 33,000, even though the substance deposited might be, as it was in this instance, relatively small.
• • - •«, 0 -----
/S..........
Friday, July 1J, 1973
- 8 -
OFFENSIVE TRADES AREA BEING EXPANDED
*******
The Special Industry Zone near the Tsuen Wan Reclamation is to be enlarged to provide more room for the operation of offensive trades.
The area, covering about 12 acres, will be formed by excavation.
When completed late next year, about 20 undertakings, depending on their size, will be accommodated on the new site.
Offensive trades, such as tanneries, need to be separated for operation in specially allocated areas.
This helps reduce the inconvenience and annoyance to the rest of the community.
The project will also involve the construction of four new service roads and other necessary drainage facilities.
Works will begin in September, and will take about 16 months to complete.
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Friday, July 13, 1973
- 9 -
MINI-BUS ARRANGEMENTS
*******
Nev/ traffic arrangements involving public light buses rn 11 come into operation in a section of north west Kowloon on Monday (July 16).
With effect from 10 a.m. on that day public light buses will not be permitted to pick up or set down passengers in the section of Pei Ho Street between Tai Po Road and Berwick Street from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
The arrangements are intended to reduce obstruction to through traffic at the junction of Pei Ho Street with Tai Po Road.
Appropriate traffic signs will be erected to indicate the restriction.
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GRANTHAM COLLEGE SPEECH DAY
********
Note to -editors: Tae Grantham College of Education will hold
its annual speech day on Monday (July 16), in the Concert Hall, City Hall.
Dr. Yung Chi-tung, President of Chung Chi College, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, will address the gathering and Mrs. Yung will distribute the certificates and prizes. The ceremony begins at 10.30 a.m.
The Deputy Director of Education, Mr. N.M. Ho, will take the chair.
You are invited to send a reporter and photographer to cover the event.
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Release time: 7.00 p.m.
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Saturday, July 14, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Major reclamation project proposed for Western District • •• 1
Inland Revenue Department section moves to new premises 2
Urbco’s action-packed "Youth Week" starts tomorrow .......J
New bus services for New Territories start on Monday .......... 4
Two career seminars will be held for secondary school leavers ............................................................... 5
Residents of Western District get new Immigration sub-office ............................................................... 6
Aldrich Bay reclamation enters new phase •••••••••••.......... 7
Mr. Ford appointed Director of G.I.S........................... 8
Results of third Government Lotteries....................... 9
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Saturday, July 14, 1973
EIGHTY ACRES TO BE RECLAIMED IN WESTERN DISTRICT *«»*«***»*
A proposed reclamation scheme to provide about 80 acres of land in crowded Western District is expected to make a significant contribution to the development of this part of the Island.
One major aspect of the project is the inclusion of road improvement works, which should help ease to a great extent the problem of daily traffic congestion in the area.
’When completed, the reclamation will provide land for the improvement of Connaught Road West, a concourse area for a new passenger ferry pier to replace the existing Wilmer Street Pier, public cargo-handling facilities, a sewage screening plant, and land for government institutional and community purposes.
Town planners will soon begin detailed planning on how to develop this land reclaimed from the sea.
The reclamation project will be carried out in two phases.
Stage one of the work will extend from the Chiu Kwong Street refuse pier to Belcher’s Point, covering about 34.5 acres of land.
It will extend 700 feet seawards from the existing Connaught Road West seawall. A new seawall of 2,600 feet will be built.
About two million cubic yards of filling material will be required for this work.
Stage two will extend from the Chiu Kwong Street refuse pier to join up with the reclamation at present in hand in the vicinity of Sutherland Street, covering about 44.5 acres.
/It will .....
Saturday, July 14, 1973
2 -
It will also extend about 700 feet seawards with a new seawall of approximately 2,600 feet. About 2.5 million cubic yards of filling material, will be needed.
The extent of the proposed project is described in detail in two notices in the gazette.
Anyone having objections to the proposals or any claim of private right should submit such objections or claims in writing to the Director of Public Works within two months.
The notices, in both English and Chinese, can also be seen on notice boards posted on the site.
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NEW REGISTRATION OFFICE FOR I.R.D.
**********
The Inland Revenue Department’s business registration office will operate in new premises starting from Monday (July 16).
The new office is on the first floor of Caxton House, Duddell Street, Hong Kong. The reception counter and shroff’s office are located on the same floor.
Business hours will be from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p«m. on v/eekdays and from 8.30 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday .
The telephone number of the new office is 5-245305 and that for general enquiries regarding business registration matters is 5-24-5302.
Saturday, July 14, 1973
- 3 -
URBCO LAUNCHES YOUTH WEEK
**«****»».
A full programme of entertainment organised by the Urban Council for Hong Kong’s young people at the start of their summer holidays begins tomorrow (Sunday).
Called the ’’Urban Council Youth Week,” the programme contains 137 well-chosen items as a "kick-off” to an even bigger summer youth programme which will last three months.
The activities planned for the Urban Council Youth Week are based on well-established items, but include some new ones in areas where it is desirable to achieve a balanced approach.
Aside from variety and film shows, band concerts and swimming courses, there will be football, volleyball, table tennis, cycling, basketball and roller skating competitions and handball demonstrations.
The Youth Week will be officially launched tomorrow (Sunday) by Hr. Peter P.K. Ng, chairman of the Urban Council’s Entertainments and Advertising Select Committee, at a ceremony in Victoria Park.
The opening ceremony will be followed by a variety show featuring local singers and artistes, including Margaret Miller, Wong Tin-lai, and Chung Ding-dong.
Note to Editore: You are invited to have the opening ceremony
covered. It will take place at 8.30 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday) at the No. 1 football pitch in Victoria Park.
0
Saturday, July 14, 1973
- 4 -
NEW BUS SERVICES FOR N.T. RESIDENTS
********
The Commissioner for Transport, Mr. B.D. Wilson, today reminded bus travellers that the newly-approved revised bus services in the New Territories will come into effect on Monday (July 16).
He advised commuters to check details of the changes which are fully listed in a booklet issued by the K.M.B., copies of which are available from all district offices.
The changes include introduction of two double deck express services from Jordan Road Ferry to Yuen Long and Sheung Shui with flat fares of 81.50 end 81.20 respectively.
Passengers travelling to Tai Po Market and Shek Kong should board at Tai Kok Tsui Ferry.
Two new routes will also be introduced in Tai Po Market and there will be a number of changes in bus stops.
Villagers at Lo Wai will also have a new bus service from Tsuen Wan Ferry, while a new direct service to Jordan Road Ferry will be introduced for residents at Lei Muk Shu.
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/5...........
Saturday, July 14, 1973
- 5 -
CAREER SEMINAR
********
Two career talks on employment opportunities for secondary school leavers are being organised by the Wong Tai Sin Community Centre as part of this year’s summer youth programmes.
Tlie first session will deal with career opportunities for youth in government services, and will be held at the Centre on July 30, About 50 students from the Wong Tai Sin district are expected to attend.
The second talk, dealing with career opportunities in the commercial and industrial fields, will take place on August 1? with another 50 or more students attending.
Officers from the Youth Employment Advisory Service of the Labour Department will address the students on both subjects. The talks will start at 8 p.m. and will last for about two hours.
A spokesman for the organisers said the talks were intended to give young people a deeper insight of their career prospects in both government and commercial sectors.
Saturday, July 14, 1973
- 6 -
NEW IMMIGRATION SUB-OFFICE FOR WESTERN DISTRICT
*********
A new branch office of the Immigration Department will be opened at Kennedy Town on Monday (July 16) to provide services to the densely populated Western area.
The Kennedy Town Office, located on the ground floor of Luen Gay
Apartments in Davis Street, will offer all immigration facilities to the residents living in Kennedy Town, Pok Fu Lam and other parts of Western District.
With a total area of about 2,000 square feet, the air-conditioned office will house a public waiting area, working counters, a general office and rooms for the staff.
The branch office, like all the others, will handle applications for travel documents such as re-entry permits, certificates of identity,visas and passports, naturalization and registration as British subjects.
The Chairman of the Kennedy Town Kaifong Association, Mr. Chan
Ling-fung will officiate at the opening ceremony; while the Director of Immigration, Hr. W.E. Collard will personally issue the first travel document.
Note to Editors: You are invited to send a reporter and/or
photographer to cover the opening ceremony at the new branch office, Luen Gay Apartments, ground floor, No. 9 Davis Street, Kennedy Town, at 9-30 a.m. on Monday (July 16).
Saturday, July 14, 1973
- 7 -
ALDRICH BAY RECLAMATION ENTERS NE# PHASE
***««««**
Another phase of the Aldrich Bay reclamation scheme will soon get under way with the construction of a rubble mound and a seawall fronting the A Kung Ngam reclamation.
The rubble mound and seawall, measuring 490 feet and 270 feet respectively, will form part of a bigger project to reclaim the foreshore and seabed along Aldrich Bay and A Kung Ngam.
The reclamation project is intended to eliminate the unsanitary conditions there, and at the same time to provide land reouired for road and drainage improvement works, for the establishment of boat-building yards and for other development.
Construction of the rubble mound and seawall is expected to start in September, talcing about a year to complete.
w. w • - 0 ------
Saturday, July 14, 1973
- 8 -
APPOINTMENT OF G.I.S. HEAP
*********
Mr. David Ford has been appointed Director of Information Services.
Mr. Ford (J8) joined the Hong Kong Government in 1967 and served in the Colonial Secretariat until 1968 when he was appointed Chief Information Officer in the Information Services Department. He was promoted to the Deputy Director post in June 1972.
Mr. Ford is married and has four children.
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Saturday, July 14, 1973
- 9 -
THIRD GOVERNMENT LOTT.JRY DRAWN AT CITY HALL
The first prize of 3689,600 for the third government lottery this year was won by ticket No. 578616.
This and other winning numbers were drawn this morning at the City Hall Theatre by four RTV entertainers, Miss Angelina Leung Siu-lingt Miss Helen Poon Bing-sheung, Miss Eileen Lo Oi-leen, and Miss Violet Lee Ying.
The second prize of $172,400 went to ticket No. 675727.
Tickets Nos. 804051, 792303, 347159, 682427, and J11679 won tho five third prizes of 317,240 each.
Winning numbers for the 50 special prizes of 31,724 each were also drawn.
Note to Editors:
Copies of the full list of winning numbers
are boxed separately this evening.
-----0------
Eelease time: 2.30
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Monday, July 16, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No,
Commission of Inquiry calling for more assistance from the public .. 1
First time for 5$ years that no tropical cyclones over region in first half of the year . • •..........................................2
Nev/ immigration branch office opened in Kennedy Town •••••••••.••••• 4
Warning to speed boat operators to keep clear of areas where people swimming.....................•••••••••••.............•••••••••••••••• 5
Outlines of High Island reservoir taking shape; press visit arranged ........................................................... 6
Civil Aid Services annual first aid competition .................... 7
Report on future needs of elderly press conference ................. 7
Draw for fourth government lottery ................................. 8
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191
Monday, July 16, 1973
- 1 -
COMMISSION AGAIN APPEALS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE PUBLIC ***r*
The Comr.iission of Inquiry headed by Sir Alastair Blair-Kerr, is still appealing for public assistance in its investigation into the effectiveness of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and what changes, if necessary, should be made.
The Secretary to the Commission, Mr. L.A. Richardson, said today that anyone who feels he has facts or observations relevant to this second term of reference should contact the Commission.
People voluntarily offering evidence to the Commission will be given the option of being heard in open court with the public and press present, or in chambers in complete confidence.
When the Commission of Inquiry was announced on June 1J, Sir Alastair was asked to submit his report on the second term to the Governor within three months.
The report on the first term of reference, which dealt with the circumstances in which a person being investigated for alleged corruption, was able to leave Hong Kong, was submitted last week.
The full terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry are:
(a) To report on the circumstances in which a person, whose prosecution under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance was at an advanced stage of consideration, was able to leave Hong Kong.
(b) In the light of experience of the working of the
Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, and having regard also to the need to preserve basic human rights under the law, to:
(i) report on the effectiveness of the Ordinance and to suggest amendments;
(ii) to suggest any other changes in current arrangements considered necessary.
-------o--------- /2 . .......
Monday, July 16, 1973
- 2 -
NEW IMMIGRATION OFFICE OPENED
********
A new immigration branch office for people in Western District was opened today in Kennedy Town.
It is the ninth branch office of the Immigration Department and the third to be opened in the past 12 months.
At today’s formal opening, the Director of Immigration, Mr. W.E. Collard, revealed that plans were already in hand to open similar offices in Shau Kei Wan, Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long. He hoped they would be in operation before the end of this year.
”In addition, the feasibility of opening an office at Aberdeen is now being examined, and we are also preparing a long-term programme to provide facilities, as the need arises, in other parts of Hong Kong, such as the new towns at Shatin and Tuen Mun,” Mr. Collard said.
Mr. Chan Ling-fung, chairman of the Kennedy Town Kaifong Association, who performed the opening ceremony, said that from now on residents of Western District would find it much more convenient to transact immigration business than before.
The new branch office is located on the ground floor of Luen Gay Apartments at 9 Davis Street, Kennedy Town.
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Monday, July 16, 1973
- 3 -
WEATHER FOR JUNE
****♦««#**
I’or the first time in $6 years tropical cyclones were completely absent over the South China Sea and western north Pacific during the first six months of the year.
The Royal Observatory in its monthly report on the weather said it was only the fourth time on record that this had occurred, the last being in 1917. The others were in 1889 and 1897.
A spokesman for the Observatory said that for the month of June the weather was ’’near normal” but it was slightly more humid. The monthly mean relative humidity of 87 per cent was the fourth highest on record for June.
At the beginning of the month, it was mainly fine and hot apart from a few brief showers. On June 2, a trough across central China moved southwards and caused periods of rain and occasional thunderstorms during the following three days.
Tlie trough passed through Hong Kong on June 6 and prevailing wi nds changed from westerly to easterly. On June 7, the easterlies freshened and the minimum temperature of the month, 22.8°C was recorded in the early morning of June 8.
Unsettled weather persisted over Hong Kong for the following week when the trough remained almost stationary over the northern part of the South C-iina Sea.
/On June 16, ••••••
Monday, July 16, 1973
On June 16, the trough moved northwards and weakened* Winds over Hong Kong turned to south or southwest. Shower activity decreased as the trough dissipated near the south China coast and a new one formed over central China.
The warm and humid air from the southwest gave rise to another hot spell and the maximum temperature of the month, 33.1°C was recorded on June 20.
On June 25, the trough over central China started to move south and reached the south China coast the next day. The weather in Hong Kong deteriorated and 128.9 mm of rainfall were recorded at the Royal Observatory on June 27•
Hovzever the trough soon retreated to the north and dissipated over south China on June 29* It was mainly fine on the last day of the month.
Six aircraft were diverted due to adverse weather conditions during the month.
Thunderstorms or heavy rain warnings were issued on 10 occasions during the month.
The month’s figures and departures from normal were:-
Sunshine 138.9 hours; 21.0 hours below normal
Rainfall 373.7 mm ; 27.5 mm below normal
Cloudiness 80# ; 2% above normal
Relative Humidity 87% ; 3% above normal
Mean Maximum Temperature 30.o°C ; 0.2°C above normal
Mean Temperature 27.5°C ; 0.2°C above normal
Mean Minimum Temperature 25.7°C ; 0.3°C above normal
Mean Dev; Point ru Vl • 0 O° 0.8°C above normal
Total Evaporation 130*6 mm ; 28.8 mm below normal
'Maximum Temperature of 33.1°C was recorded on June 20.
Minimum Temperature of 22.8°C was recorded on June 8.
0 -
Monday, July 16, 1973
- 5 -
WARNING TO SPEED BOAT OPERATORS
********
The Marine Department today warned operators of speed boats towing water skiers to keep well clear of mooring areas and anchorages where people night be swimming*
A notice issued by the department also calls on the operators not to moor or anchor near demarcated bathing areas at controlled beaches.
It points out that inconsiderate action on the part of a small craft operator which endangers the safety of other people may incur heavy penal ties, and civil claims may be instituted when injury is caused.
Warning is also given that it is an offence to operate a speed boat and other pleasure craft without a local certificate of competence.
These may be obtained after separate examinations as a coxswain and engineer.
Pleasure craft are also required to be marked with an identification number after licensing by the Marine Department.
Details of these requirements are available from the department1s information counter at 102, Connaught Road Central, or may be obtainod by post on request.
Monday, July 16, 1973
- 6 -
VISIT TO HIGH ISLAND
*******
Note to Editors: Construction work on the High Island
project, which began last December, has now reached a stage where the outlines of the new reservoir are beginning to take shape#
To get an on-the-spot progress report, you are invited to name a reporter and/or photographer to join a visit to the High Island works area arranged by the Public Works Department’s Waterworks Office and the consultants for the scheme, Messrs# Binnie and Partners.
Transport will be available outside the reception area of Murray Building in Garden Road for departure at 8.30 a.m. on Friday, (July-20). The tour should be completed by about 11.30 a.m., allowing participants to be back in Hong Kong at about 12.30 p.m.
Could names please be given to the Duty Officer, News Division by noon on Wednesday (July 18) when the list will close.
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/7.........
Monday, July 16, 1973
-7-
C. A. S. ANNUAL first aid competition
*M»***O
A presentation of prizes to the winning teams of the Civil Aid
Services first aid competition will be held tomorrow (Tuesday) at the
C.A.S. Headquarters theatre, Caroline Hill Road, Hong Kong.
The competition, which seeks to promote a high standard of practical
knowledge in first aid among its volunteers, originated in 1953. The
late C.Y. Kwan, who was then Deputy Commissioner of C.A.S., donated the cup.
Seven teams from .Hong Kong Island and 12 from Kowloon took part
• • • in this year’s competition.
Tomorrow, four teams, two from each side of the harbour, will
compete in the final. The competition will begin at 7.35 p.m. and end
at about 9.00 p.m. Two senior Auxiliary Medical Service officers will act as judges.
Hr. P.C. Woo, Commissioner of C.A.S., will present the C.Y. Kwan Cup to the champion team.
About 100 C.A.S. officers and members are expected to attend.
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REPORT ON FUTURE NEEDS OF ELDERLY
M****t*»
Note to Editors: The chairman of the working party on the future
needs of the elderly, Mr. T.S. Heppell, Assistant Director (General) Social Welfare Department, will hold a press conference tomorrow (Tuesday) to announce details of the working party’s report and its recommendations.
The press conference will be held in the 35 mm theatre of G.I.S. at 11.15 a.m. You are invited to cover the conference.
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/8..........
Monday, July 16, 1973
- 8 -
DRAW FOR FOURTH GOVERNMENT LOTTERY
*********
Four personalities from Commercial Radio will take part in the draw for the fourth government lottery this year.
They are Miss Leung Siu-yung, Miss Yan Wai-yee, Miss Conita Chan Hoi-see and Miss Wan Fong-1 ing.
This was announced today by the Chairman of the Government Lotteries Management Committee, Mr. Kai-yin Chau, at a press conference held at the City Hall Restaurant.
Tickets for the current lottery are on sale now and the draw will take place in the City Hall Concert Hall on Saturday, August 4, at 10 a.m.
After the draw, there will be a half-hour entertainment programme given by the artistes of Commercial Radio and this will be followed by the public auction of special car numbers held by the Transport Department.
The proceeds from the sixth rlucky number’ auction in the series will again go to the Government Lotteries Fund.
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Release Time: ^>00 p«m.
PRH 7 4000091
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No,
Recommendations by working party for the improvement of services for the elderly ...................................*••••........... 1
Hastily prepared legislation on finance companies could be damaging .................................................................... 5
Hong Kong's sterling reserves very substantial ............ •••••• 7
Tests for "grooving" runway surface ............................... 8
No easy solution to traffic problem in Pok Fu Lam and Mid-Levels areas ......................................................... 9
Implications of cable television system to be studied........ 11
More residential land from the Shatin race course.................. 13
More facilities to solve overcrowding problems at ferry piers ..... 14
Bill prohibiting establishment of commodity exchanges............. 15
Action to relieve congestion in government hospitals ............. 16
Plans to provide more ambulances .......................... • • .. 17
Housing Department plans 24-hour caretaking system in housing estates ................................................................... 18
Membership of Hong Kong Training Council will soon be announced ••• 19
Additional recreational and transport facilities for the handicapped ................................................................... 20
Call for early regulations on building accidents ................. 21
Four Mils passed in Legislative Council •••••••• 22
Lady MacLehose to visit camp for handicapped children tomorrow •••• 23
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
MAJOR PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVING SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY
***»»«*
Wide ranging proposals for improving services for the elderly in Hong Kong have been recommended by a working party set up to study their future needs.
The recommendations cover welfare services, medical and health services, community facilities, housing and residential care.
The working party was made up of members of government departments and of the voluntary agencies concerned with services for the elderly.
In making public the report today, Mr. T.S. Heppell,Assistant Director (General), Social Welfare Department, the Chairman of the Working Party, said the conclusion of the study was that the right approach to services for the elderly was ’’care in the community” rather than institutional care.
"We feel that services should be aimed primarily at enabling the elderly to remain for as long as possible as members of the community at large, either living by themselves or with members of their families,” he said.
In welfare services the Working Party recommends that the first stage should be to get the disability and infirmity allowance off the ground and if the scheme works well in practice, then the qualifying age should be lowered to 70. It feels that subsequently the age limit could be further reduced to 65 but advised against doing this too rapidly.
’’The Working Party is convinced an assured income for the elderly is of fundamental importance in encouraging care in the community," Mr. Heppell said.
/Other
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
2
Other reconir.iendations it makes for improvement of welfare services include a home help service for those who are unable to look after their home properly and a meals service, either in the form of "meals on wheels" delivered to the home or "meals in a canteen."
Day care centres designed particularly for the senile elderly conducted on an experimental basis, the development on home visiting and escort services and a counselling service, are also recommended.
On medical and health services, the Working Party recommends expanding the community nursing service for elderly. This should include, if possible, an appointment scheme, a regular check up system and special provision for dental, optical, hearing and chiropodic care with free spectacles and hearing aids when necessary. This, it suggests, could be done through an organisation similar to the school medical service board.
The Working Party recommends that community facilities for the elderly be provided as part of the general public facilities, and identified four areas in which it felt more could be done — an expanded programme of old people’s clubs: better reading material for those with poor eyesight and the use of volunteers to deliver and collect newspapers and books for the elderly; more outdoor facilities, and entertainment.
On housing, Mr. Heppell said: "The Working Party believes that more emphasis should be put on the distinct nousing needs of the elderly, particularly at a time when major new developments in puolic housing are in hand and when the changing pattern of life in Hong Kong and the growing numbers of the elderly mean that there will be an increased demand for housing by the elderly."
/It recommends ........
F f <;■ ■ Wednesday, July 18, 1973
_ 7 „
. •“
It recommends that every effort should be made to allocate, within the 10 year housing, programme, a given proportion of accommodation, perhaps two per cent of the total, to the elderly.
It says that suitable housing units should be designed.for the elderly in each new and renovated estate and those to be developed in the New Territories• The elderly should not however be segregated in blocks solely designed for them.
For residential care* the Working Party recommends that more hostels of the type already provided in the Wah Fu Estate be established with the long-term aim of providing a hostel of this,kind in every public housing estate of 25>000 or more residents.
It proposes a moratorium on the establishment of new homes for the aged for a period of two years until it is possible to assess the effect of the new emphasis on care in the community on the’ demand for places in such homes.
Based on the recommendations it is estimated that the additional cost of providing infirmity allowances for those aged 70 and over will amount inn hially to $20 million a year, rising with the increased proportion of elderly in the population to $27*5 million after five years.
The cost of the phased development of new, enlarged or experimental services is put ht $1.5 million rising to 89«5 million after five years.
The Working Party feels the main responsibility for services to the elderly should rest with the government, but says this does not necessarily mean that government itself should provide all the services. The present position where both government departments and the voluntary agencies have major roles to play should continue.
/It says ........
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 4 -
It says a co-ordinating council for services to the elderly should be established and chaired by the Social Welfare Department. The council would cover both government and non—government run services with equal representation from both sides.
Mr. Heppell said a decision should be taken as soon as possible on . tnplemerting these proposals. However, the community at large should first be given an opportunity to express its views and these will be welcomed and taken carefully into account by the government.
Note to Editors: Copies of a summary of the report are
boxed today.
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Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 5 -
HASTILY.PITJPARED LEGISLATION ON FINANCE COMPANIES COULD BE DAMAGING
********
The government is "willing to contemplate" the possibility of regulating finance companies "where, and to the extent that, a case is established", the Financial Secretary, Mr. C.P. Haddon-Cave said today.
He warned, however, that caution was required since hastily prepared legislation may well be damaging to the public interest as a whole, even if certain individual interests were, in a limited sense, protected.
Replying to a question from the Hon. T.K. Ann, the Financial Secretary said research was now being made into finance companies to determine precisely what they were and their range of activities.
It had been established, he said, that more than 1,500 companies -ranging from small locally-owned establishments to finance houses wholly owned by large international banks - had registered since the beginning of 1971i with finance stated as their principal object of business.
"Thore would clearly be very great difficulties in laying down general criteria to be observed by such a diversity of institutions," he said, "particularly if we were to avoid, as we must, inhibiting the development of the range of services by our financial sector."
Nevertheless, four aspects of their operations were being considered, the Financial Secretary said.
/The first
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 6 -
The first concerned the protection if investors in securities and property from misleading advertisements and other enticements. This, he added, would he taken care of by the Protection of Investors Bill which would be introduced in council with or soon after the Securities Bill.
The second aspect concerned the misuse of shares deposited with finance companies as collateral against loan.
However, under the proposed Securities Bill, all share dealings would, in future, be transacted only by and through registered dealers and they would be required to observe certain rules and limits although licensed banks would be exempted, Mr. Haddon-Cave said.
The other aspects being considered concerned the question of competition for deposits between finance companies and the licensed banks, and the position of small depositors.
Mr. Haddon-Cave revealed that there was a tentative plan for a separate Protection of Depositors Bill designed to restrict, by amount, the minimum size of a deposit which finance companies should be permitted to accept from the general public.
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Wednesday, July 18, 1975
STERLING RESERVES STILL SUBSTANTIAL
Hong Kong’s sterling reserves are still very substantial despite
the fact that its total external reserves have fallen from the very high level reached in the middle of last year,.
The Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave, said this at the Legislative Council today in reply to a question by the Hon. P.C. Woo.
Hr. Woo asked: ”In view of the uncertainties in the world monetary situation and the expiry of the United Kingdom sterling guarantee to Hong Kong on September 24, 1973» will government state whether re-negotiations have already started as provided by the terms of the guarantee, and what is the present position?”
Mr. Haddon-Cave said deiinitive negotiations had not yet started,
but the Hong Kong Government is in close touch with the British Government.
”1 venture to say they are very well aware of our anxieties.”
He said Hong Kong had been able to benefit from the arrangement
negotiated at the end of last year for the withdrawal of part of bank-owned sterling from the Sterling Guarantee Agreement.
”We have also diversified into foreign currency assets up to the full 11 per cent permitted under the agreement.”
The Finan.cn al Secretary agreed that in view of the uncertainties of the world monetary situation, a decision about the future of the sterling agreements would indeed be helpful..
He assured members of the council that the Hong Kong Government is well
aware of the very great importance of these issues and is keeping the situation under constant review.
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/8
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 8 -
TESTS FOR ’’GROOVING" ON RUNWAY
********
A series of tests are being carried out on the airport runway to determine when the new bituminous surface will be hard enough to allow for "grooving" to further improve the surface characteristics, the acting Director of Public Works, the Hon. A.S. Robertson, said today.
Speaking in the Legislative Council, Mr. Robertson said scientific tests, carried out during wet conditions, on the runway’s new surface showed that it would presently rate as "average" according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s standards.
He was replying to a question by the Hon. Szeto Wai who wanted clarification on the runway’s safety, particularly during wet weather.
Mr. Robertson assured the council that all pilots were kept informed of runway conditions before landing or take off, and no pilot would operate in conditions which he thought to be dangerous.
He also pointed out that a bituminous runway became less slippery with age.
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/9.......
Wednesday, July 18, 1975
- 9 -
MC H;SY SOLUTION TO TRAFFIC PROBLEMS IN POK FU LAM AND MID-LEVELS **********
Traffic problems in the Pokfulam and Mid-Levels areas are not likely to improve in the near future as a result of large-scale development in the two districts, the acting Director of Public Works, the Hon. A.S. Robertson, indicated today.
Speaking in the Legislative Council during the second reading of the Temporary Restriction of Buildings Development (Pokfulam and Mid-Levels) Bill 1973» Mr. Robertson said some 3,000 flats were at present under construction in the two areas.
Another 2,000 would be built, he said, from plans submitted to the Buildings Ordinance Office before the six-month standstill on the approval of building plans for the two areas was imposed on July 4.
"Tiany of these flats have car parks and in any case the residents will all require some form of transport which will add to the traffic problems in these areas,” he said.
The Public Works Department, he went on, already had plans in hand for improving road junctions along the critical route, and a detailed study would be made during the six-month respite to determine the extent of the problem and possible solutions.
TTBut, in view of the eize of the problem and the limitations of any feasible road system, we should not be too sanguine that a solution will be easy to find or quickly achieved,” said Mr. Robertson.
/He said
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
-10-
IIe said the bill, which is in support of the six-month standstill imposed two weeks ago, had become a necessity because of the intensive rebuilding talcing place in the two areas affected.
While no building plans will be approved during the standstill period, the bill allows for approval of plans in respect of repairs to old buildings.
Speaking during the second reading of the Buildings (Amendment) Bill 1973> Mr. Robertson explained that this bill was to prevent developers from splitting up large sites into small sections and developing them without an adequate road system connecting with public roads.
The bill provides for a road layout plan to be submitted‘for approval by the Building Authority when the size of the site indicates that this is necessary to ensure that adequate access for vehicles is required.
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/11
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 11 -
IMPLICATIONS OF CABLE TV SYSTEMS TO BE STUDIED
«**«***«*
The government intends to make an early study of the implications relating to tho future introduction of advanced television cable systems and the wider use of closed circuit television in Hong Kong, the Hon. Jack Cater, Secretary for Home Affairs, said today.
In moving the second reading of the Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill 1973 in the Legislative Council, he said regulations would shortly be put to the Executive Council to provide for the licensing of more extensive forms of communal wired television and sound broadcast systems.
These broadcast relay station licences would be issued on a non-monopolistic basis to any company capable of meeting the necessary technical conditions.
f,The operators of these systems will be required to provide their subscribers with a simultaneous and uninterrupted relay service of all the authorised wireless television programmes being broadcast in Hong Kong and they will also be permitted to relay any authorised sound broadcasts, he explained.
Under the bill, aerial distribution systems and wired closed circuit television systems will be exempted from licensing requirements, subject to certain conditions.
/The bill
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 12 -
The bill will enable single receiving aerials, designed to serve all the television sets in a building, to be erected on single or on adjoining blocks under common ownership, subject to certain safeguards in respect of public safety and technical standards.
In effect, this will mean better reception in certain areas.
Mr. Cater expressed the hope that the introduction of such aerials would also help “to stop the unsightly proliferation of individual aerials on rooftops which exist at present.”
The conditions governing the scope of wired closed circuit television, he said, would permit the installation of such systems in hotels, banlcs and department stores, among others, but the operators would be prohibited from transmitting advertisements.
Closed circuit television would not be permitted for entertainment purposes except for private entertainment in peoples’ homes.
/13.........
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 13 -
MORE HOUSING LAND FROM SHATIN RACE COURSE
*********
Additional land for housing projects and recreational space will be provided by the construction of the second race course in Shatin.
The acting Secretary for the Environment, the Hon. D. Akers-Jones said today that the building of the course did not conflict with residential or industrial development in the area.
He was replying in the Legislative Council to a question from the Hon. S.Y. Chung as to whether the construction of the course had priority over housing projects.
Hill slopes used as "borrow areas" will provide additional residential land as a bonus to the 10-year reclamation and development plan for the valley, he said.
As in the Happy Valley race course, the centre of the track will form "a most useful recreational lung for the half million inhabitants of Shatin."
Hr. Akers-Jones also mentioned that the indirect benefit of surplus funds generated by the race course would be used by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club in community projects.
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Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 14 -
MORE FERRIES AND FACILITIES TO SOLVE OVERCROWDING
*******
Improved pier facilities and an enlarged fleet will help towards solving the problem of overcrowding and congestion in the passenger waiting areas at the Hong Kong and Yaumati ferry piers«
The acting Director of Public Works, the Hon. A.S. Robertson, in reply to the Hon. James Wu on steps to relieve overcrowding, said in the Legislative Council today that overcrowding usually occurs during peak hours at piers operating several services.
The ferry company is planning to construct another storey over the existing ground floor waiting rooms at the Jubilee Street, Jordan Road and outlying district ferry piers, Mr. Robertson said.
New or additional piers will be built in North Point, Kwun Tong, Hung Hora, Sham Shui Po, Shau Kei Wan and Sam Ka Tsuen. The Cheung Ch.au pier is also to be enlarged.
In another effort, he said, the company had recently introduced direct sailings and one-class vessels on outlying services during holidays, 1 owing a higher frequency of services and reducing passenger waiting time.
Plans are also in hand to introduce more vessels for both commuter and recreational services within the next 12 months.
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/15.........
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 15 -
BILL PROHIBITING COMMODITY EXCHANGES
********
A report on the possibility of establishing a commodity exchange in Hong Kong is now being prepared by a visiting British expert on the subject.
The Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave, told the
Legislative Council today that Mr. John Wilson, from the Bank of England had been in Hong Kong for the past two and a half weeks conducting preliminary enquiries, which had been wide-ranging.
Mr. Haddon-Cave made the remarks when moving the second reading of the Commodity Exchanges (Prohibition) Bill 1973 which seeks to prohibit temporarily the establishment or operation of commodity exchanges through which commodities are to be bought and sold as futures.
Various markets and exchanges in existence on June 20, this year, such as the daily rice auctions and the Gold and Silver Exchange, are excluded from the legislation.
Mr. Haddon-Cave said the present legislation ’’thus prevents the establishment and operation of commodity exchanges until such time as their desirability has been established and further legislation has been enacted for their proper regulation.”
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Wednesday, July 18, 1975
- 16 -
RELIEVING CONGESTION IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS /
**$♦«****»
Action to relieve congestion in government hospitals will be taken as soon as the government approves recommendations to this effect proposed by the Medical Development Advisory Committee.
Dr. the Hon-. G.H. Choa, Director of Medical and Health Services, said this today in the Legislative Council in reply to a question by the Hon. Hilton Cheong-leen, who had asked when the ’’visible shortage” of beds in government hospitals could be improved.
t:To relieve congestion in government hospitals,” Dr. Choa said, ”we need not only more space, but also to make sure that we make the fullest use of the space available in both government and government-assisted hospitals.
”The Medical Development Advisory Committee have examined the question of congestion in government hospitals in great detail, and recommendations on the action that is needed will be a main feature of their report.”
Dr. Choa told the Council this report was about to be submitted to the Government, and if the recommendations were accepted, they would be put into effect ”with as much urgency as is possible.”
In a reference to camp beds in the corridors of government hospitals, he explained that such additional beds sometimes had to be used because al 1 patients in need of treatment were admitted.
In bad weather, for example, they had to be kept away from windows, and when wards were full, some beds had to be moved temporarily into corridors to facilitate the treatment and special examinations of other patients in the wards. ----------------------------------0---------
/17.........
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- -7 -
MORE AMBULANCES ON THE ROADS
«***«*♦
Plans are in hand for increasing the number of ambulances and ambulance depots and stations in various parts of Hong Kong.
f
The Colonial Secretary, Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, told the Legislative Council today that at present there were 76 ambulances based at 22 strategically situated points throughout Hong Kong - including the seven main depots and stations.
He said the current approved programme called for an increase to 91 ambulances by the end of this financial year and a further increase to 107 in 197V75.
The programme also called for a further 10 ambulance depots and stations, including four in public housing estates.
Replying to a question by the Hon. Hilton Cheong-leen about minimizing the time taken for ambulances to reach the scene of an accident and to get to the hospital, Sir Hugh said that ways and means of ensuring this were always under review by the fire services and the police, including the problems presented by traffic congestion.
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/18.........
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 18 -
2^1—HOUR CARETAKER SERVICE FOR HOUSING ESTATES
*********
The Housing Department is seeking approval to create 400 new caretaker posts to provide a S^t-hour service in public housing estates.
The Secretary for Housing, the Hon. Ian Lightbody said today in the Legislative Council that an alarm or watchman system could not compare with the personal service provided by caretakers.
He was replying to a question by the Hon. Wilfred Wong concerning security equipment and measures in the estates.
Caretakers are trained to undertake emergency repairs to equipment such as water pumps and lifts, take charge of accidents or give first aid outside normal office hours, Mr. Lightbody said.
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/19.........
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 19 -
HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL
***$«**«»
The membership and terms of reference of the proposed Hong Kong Training Council will be announced very soon.
The Commissioner of Labour, the Hon. Paul Tsui, in reply to a question on the progress of the Council by Dr. the Hon. S.Y. Chung, said the government was now in touch with the prospective chairman concerning the details.
Since January the coordination of matters which were the concern of the Industrial Training Advisory Committee and which will be that of the new council, has been undertaken by the respective branches of the Labour Department, he said.
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/20 .........
Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 20 -
FACILITIES FOR HANDICAPPED
********
Special recreational facilities and additional transport services arc being planned to cater for handicapped people.
The Director of Social Welfare, the Hon. F.K. Li said today in Legislative Council that investigations are being carried out on the possibility of making facilities in buildings more accessible to the disabled community.
■ H ••
The committee responsible for the investigation, comprising representatives from the Social Welfare, Public Works and Medical and Health departments, will submit its report and recommendations within the next three months.
In the mean time, Mr. Li said, the government is designing special recreational facilities for the disabled, including those confined to wheelchairs.
Additional transport services have also been included as part of the Five Year Plan of the Social Welfare Department.
Mr. Li had been asked by the Hon. Joyce Symons when the report on the provision of special facilities for handicapped people would be published.
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Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 21 -
EARLY REGULATIONS ON BUILDING ACCIDENTS
The Hon. Szeto Wai today called for the early enactment of comprehensive regulations to reduce the high accident rate on building construction sites.
Addressing the Legislative Council in support of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1973? he pointed out that no less than 4,500 people were killed or injured in the building and construction industry last year.
’’These accidents represent almost 25 per cent of all the industrial accidents reported to the Labour Department and a 200 per cent increase over those in 1968.”
The importance of this industry to Hong Kong’s overall economy has been recognised, he said^but the serious and rapid increase in accidents calls for comprehensive legislation now.
llr. Szeto said he hoped the Commissioner of Labour would present to the Council, as soon as possible, proposals covering not only the more common accidents at worksites, but also embracing all modes of construction and all possible sources of accidents from which workmen and the public must be protected.
”Measuros of prevention and of first aid must also be stipulated.5’
He said legislation should include inspections and certification of all typos of machinery and tools to be used, and periodic examinations of deep excavations and important earthwork operations as well as their required protective measures by statutorily qualified people.
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Wednesday, July 18, 1973
22
BILLS PASSED
******
Four bills passed their committee stage and third readings in the Legislative Council this afternoon.
They v/ere the Civil Evidence Bill 1973, the Miscellaneous Amendments Bill 1973, the Agricultural Products (Marketing) (Amendment) Bill 1973 and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1973*
Six bills had their first and second readings.
They are the Gambling (Amendment) Bill 1973, the Commodity
Exchanges (Prohibition) Bill 1973, the Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill 1973, Public Health and Urban Services (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 1973, the Buildings (Amendment) Bill 1973 and the Temporary Restriction of Building Development (Pok Fu Lam and Mid-Levels) Bill 1973.
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Wednesday, July 18, 1973
- 23 -
LADY MACLEHOSE TO VISIT CAMP FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
********
Lady MacLehose is to visit handicapped children attending an Outward Bound course at Tai She Wan on High Island, Sai Kung tomorrow.
This is one of the training courses designed by the Outward Bound School of Hong Kong to build up confidence in handicapped children and develop leadership potential among them.
Lady MacLehose will first arrive at the school in Tai Mong Tsai, Sai Kung, and will be met by the Principal, Mr. V.H.B. Tucker and Mrs. Tucker.
They will then board the school launch ”Jim Hogan” for Tai She Wan where Lady MacLehose will see for herself the various activities and drills for the handicapped children at camp.
Note to Editors: You are invited to send a reporter
and/or photographer to cover Lady MacLehose’s visit.
Press representatives are requested to assemble in the Kowloon Sub-pool car park behind the Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office NOT LATER than 9*30 a.m.
Light lunch will be provided.
The Press party is expected to return to Kowloon shortly after 3 p.m.
Mr. Dennis Leung of G.I.S. will be present to assist the Press.
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Release time: 8*30 p.m.
PRH 7 4000091
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Thursday, July 19, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Hong Kong’s fresh water storage improves as a result of typhoon Dot •••••••........................................ 1
Medical and Health Department denies chlorine ’poisoning’ in Kowloon Tsai swimming pool .................................. 2
Duke of Edinburgh award scheme important in development of Hong Kong’s youth services .................................. 3
Throe-day conference on adult education opens tomorrow • •••• 4
Pleasure craft owners urged to report vessels wrecked by storm........................................................ $
Eight-hour water cut in Western district tomorrow ........... 6
Drive to encourage Ngau Tau Kok residents to donate blood •• 7
338 trade unions registered in Hong Kong..................... 8
Secretary for Housing leaves for London on holiday........... 9
Heads of Commerce and Industry Department to attend tomorrow’s ’’meet the media5’ session............................... 10
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Thursday, July 19, 1973
- 1 -t STORM BOOSTS WATER SUPPLIES *********
Hong Kong’s water storage was boosted by more than 7,500 million gallons as a result of typhoon Dot. a total of 222 mm of rain was recorded at the Royal Observatory during the storm.
All reservoirs are now virtually full with the exception of
Plover Cove which is more than half full with 31,726 million gallons, compared with 27,184 million gallons on Sunday (July 15).
As at 9 a.ra. today (Thursday), the total storage stood at 48,4OJ million gallons.
Commenting on the water situation, a spokesman for the Waterworks
Office said it was certainly healthier than before. "Supplies are adequate.1' He added that the storm had caused no serious damage at the reservoirs.
As the storm approached, he said, Waterworks staff at Lower Shing Mun Reservoir put into effect its early warning system which alerted residents living down stream of the reservoir to the possibility of flooding.
The warning system proved effective and damage and loss were prevented.
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/2..........
Thursday, July 19* 1973
- 2 -
NO CHLORINE "POISONING" AT POOL
**********
Four boys who were admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital yesterday after swimming in the Kowloon Tsai swimming pool were not suffering from chlorine poisoning.
The Medical and Health Department said today that their disorders had "nothing whatsoever to do with chlorine". All were suffering from a mild cough and slight fever.
Two of the four children have now been discharged and the other two will be discharged tomorrow.
Commenting on some reports that the children were "poisoned” by chlorine in the water, a spokesman for the Urban Council pointed out that the average chlorine content in the pool’s water for the whole yesterday was 1.2 parts per million, which was well within the safety level.
He explained that the danger level was "many times greater."
'•The level of chlorine we have in the water in al 1 our Urban Council swimming pools is normally between 1.0 and 2.0 parts per million, : the spokesman said.
"The water in these pools is examined every hour on the hour during the times when the pools are open to the public."
The spokesman said there is a constant circulation of water and the chlorine is injected into it in a gaseous form which dilutes very quickly. This further eliminates the possibility of anyone absorbing concentrated amounts of chlorine anywhere in the pool.
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75..........
Thursday, July 19, 1973
- 3 -
IMPORTANCE OF DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S AWARD SCHEME STRESSED
********
The Director of Social Welfare, Mr. F.K. Li, believes the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme has an important role to play in the ever expanding development of youth services in Hong Kong.
I4r. Li said that in recent years youth work in Hong Kong had been expanding rapidly.
’’The expansion of various youth activities is included in the Social Welfare Five Year Plan and its ultimate aim to set up a children and youth centre for every 20,000 people,” he said.
It is in this context then that the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme can assist by organising more activities for these centres. ’’The scheme’s activities are a challenge drawn up for youth.
”It encourages young people to acquire more knowledge, to develop their confidence and persistence, to make good use of their leisure time and to serve the community,” he said.
Mr. Li added that in its work the scheme contributes a great deal towards helping youth and society understand each other.
The Director was speaking at the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme presentation ceremony of Silver Awards held at the Mariner’s Club in Middle Road, Kowloon. Mrs. Li presented the certificates to the successful candidates.
Note to Editors: Copies of Mr. Li’s speech, in Chinese only,
are boxed this evening.
A..........
- - o -
Thursday, July 19, 1973
- 4 -
EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AT ADULT EDUCATION CONFERENCE
*«»«*****
Up-to-date trends and ideas in adult education will be. discussed at a three-day conference to be opened at Queen’s College by the Commissioner of Labour, Mr. Paul Tsui, tomorrow (Friday) morning.
The Acting Director of Education, Mr. Charles Lowe will take the chair.
The conference will be attended by organisers, supervisors and voluntary helpers of Adult Education and Recreation Centres, teachers of adult education courses and the Post-Primary Extension Course of the Education Department•
”It is part of in-service training and will provide ample opportunities for participants to review progress and exchange views on teaching,” a spokesman for the Education Department said today.
During the conference, lectures will be given by Mr. Hui Yin-fat, Director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Services;Mr. Mok Kim-po, Supervisor and Principal of Tun Mui Middle School; Mr. Alfred Chui, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and Mr. Raymond Chan, an Education Department Inspector in the Physical Education Section.
Apart from the lectures, there will be 19 talks and demonstrations on a variety of subjects ranging from music, folk dance, art, Chinese calligraphy, to handicraft, fashion and style, and keep fit exercises.
There will also be discussions on crime prevention and life saving.
/”The aims •••••••
Thursday, July 1% 1973
- 5
‘The aims of these activities are to stimulate the interest of participants on a wide range of healthy pastimes and to kindle their desire to pursue further in the realm of adult education!" the spokesman said. Tomorrow afternoon, the Acting Senior Education Officer (Adult Education, Liss Linda Li, will distribute medals to organisers, supervisors, head—teacacrD and teachers with 50 years service.
Note to Editorsj You are invited to cover the opening of the
Conference at 11.30 a.m. tomorrow.
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Thursday, July 19, 1973
- 6 -
PLEASURE CRAFT WRECKED IN TYPHOON
*******
Owners of pleasure craft which were wrecked in typhoon ’’Dot” should report the incident with all known details to the Director of Marine,
A spokesman for the Marine Department said today that the reporting is required under regulation 10 of the Merchant Shipping (Pleasure Vessels) ♦
Regulations. .
He said it was necessary so that the Marine Department was kept informed of any navigational hazards and also to assist in maintaining an accurate register of pleasure craft.
’’The cooperation of owners in making reports as soon as possible would be appreciated,” the spokesman added.
Failure to comply with the regulations could lead to a maximum fine of ?1,000 on conviction.
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WATER INTERRUPTION
*******
The water supply to a number of premises in Western district will be interrupted for eight hours beginning at 10 p.m. tomorrow (Friday), while a fresh water connection is made.
The area affected by the cut takes in 455 to 4-99 Queen’s Road West and 430 to 442 Connaught Road West.
- - 0 - -
/7
Thursday, July 19, 1973
- 7 -
ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO DONATE BLOOD
*******
People living in the Ngau Tau Kok district of Kowloon are to be encouraged to donate blood to the Red Cross.
The Ngau Tau Kok Estate Community Work Office of the Social Welfare Department in conjunction with the YWCA’s Ngau Tau Kok Youth Centre has arranged a special ’’blood donation day” for tomorrow (Friday) from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The hall of the Ngau Tau Kok Estate Welfare Building will be turned into a temporary blood collecting centre.
There will also be a display of photographs and charts to encourage people such as factory workers, social workers, and people living in the area to donate blood. A film will also be shown.
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/8..........
Thursday, July 19? 1973
- 8 -
TRADE UNION REGISTRATION
*********
There were 338 registered trade unions in Hong Kong at the end of June, according to the Registrar of Trade Unions, Mr. J.R. Allen.
Of these 281 were workers unions, 46 employers unions and
11 mixed unions of workers and employers.
During the first quarter of this financial year, three new unions were added to the register while three were removed.
The new unions are the Hong Kong Fire Services Department Expatriate Officers Association, the Association of Government Cartographers and the Bulldozer Drivers Union.
Removed from the register were the Hong Kong and Kowloon Roast and Preserved-Meat Employers and Workers General Association, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Rickshaw Pullers Union and the Hong Kong Air Terminal Services Ltd. Employees Association.
Four applications for registration were also in hand at the end of the quarter.
During the period under review, 25 applications for registration of alterations concerning management, welfare benefits and other matters were approved and registered.
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/9.........
Thursday, July 19, 1973
- 9 -
SECRETARY FOR HOUSING LEAVES FOR LONDON
*«,***»*
The Secretary for Housing, Mr. Ian Lightbody, is due to leave for London tonight (Thursday) for six weeks leave.
He will spend some time with his family, in Chichester and have a few weeks in France.
Whilst in London he hopes to have informal discussions with officials of the Department of Environment and the Housing Department of Greater London Council on broad housing policy matters.
During Mr. Lightbody’s absence, Mr. Donald Liao will assume the duties of Secretary for Housing. He will be a member of the Legislative Council and will also take over the chairmanship of the Housing Authority.
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/10
Thursday, July 19, 1973
10 -
MEET THE MEDIA
*«*»*$*
Note to Editors: The next session in the ’’meet the media”
series will be held tomorrow (Friday) at 12 noon in the G.I.S. J5 nun theatre, 5th floor, Beaconsfield House*
Attending the meeting will be the Director of Commerce and Industry, Mr* E.P. Ho, and the Deputy Director, Mr. J.D. McGregor.
You are invited to send a reporter and photographer to cover tomorrow’s session. Television representatives are requested to have their equipment set up before the start of the meeting.
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Release Time: 7*00 p.m*
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Friday, July 20, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
General Consumer Price Index for June rose by seven points •••••••• 1
Groen paper on transport policy to be published soon ••••••••••••*• 2
Government replies to midwives petition............................. 6
Labour Relations Service helps settle 851 disputes .................. 8
Display of Chinese calligraphy in the City Hall ................... 10
Lady HacLehose attends ,fLittle Painters1 Competitionn •••«••••••••• 11 Basketball. competition for correctional and welfare institutions •• 12 Governor stresses fight crime campaign is still on •••••••••••••••• 13
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Friday, July 20, 1973
COST OF LIVING RISES IN JUNE
*******
The General Consumer Price Index at the end of June stood at 164 points — a rise of seven points over the previous month.
The rise was due mainly to an increase of 12 points in the index for foodstuffs. The index for durable goods rose by five points.
Increases of three points each were also recorded in the indexes for miscellaneous goods and services, while the index for fuel and light and the index for clothing and footwear increased by one point each.
Movements in the indexes for other sections of commodity were insignificant.
Compared with the previous month there were increases in the average retail prices of rice, salt and fresh water fish, other fish, pork, poultry, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit.
A spokesman for the Census and Statistics Department said that the rather rapid increase in the retail price of rice in the early part of June was caused by consumers stocking up, although there was in fact no shortage-
The retail prices of vegetables and fish also increased sharply at the same time, mainly as a result of adverse weather conditions and the effects of the Dragon Boat Festival.
The increase in the index for durable goods was generally brought about by higher prices for glassware, crockery and earthenware. Household goods also rose and this resulted in an increase in the index for miscellaneous goods. The index for services went up because of higher charges for domestic service.
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Friday, July 20, 1973
2 -
GREEN PAPER ON TRANSPORT PUBLISHED SOON
*******
The people of Hong Kong will soon be given an opportunity to advise on proposals to tackle the worsening traffic problem when the government’s Green Paper on overall transport policy is published, probably within the next few weeks.
Disclosing this today, the Commissioner for Transport, lb?. B.D. Wilson said it was wiser to let the general public, particularly those directly connected with transport and the motor trade, have their say, rather than for the government to go ahead with plans that left no room for adjustment.
Addressing a luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club Kowloon Morth, Mr. Wilson explained it was not always easy to get things going as quickly as possible as planning involved various departments. ’’Inevitably, there are differences of opinion and some unfortunate delays.”
The Commissioner for Transport, he stressed, could rarely act on his own. ”In most cases, he must consult and convince colleagues in other department s.”
One field where it was ’’all plans and no progress” was mechanical inspection of vehicles, he said.
With its limited resources, the Transport Department at present was only able to inspect less than 10 per cent of the total number of vehicles each year.
/The ultimate ..,••••••
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 3 -
The ultimate object, he said, must be to inspect all vehicles to make sure they are roadworthy, “hut we cannot do more until ne got a proper large inspection centre, with all the necessary equipment and staff.*’
He added: ’’After one year of persistent endeavour, an item for a new inspection centre has not even got into the Public Works Programme and I despair of getting anywhere on this.”
The Commissioner emphasised that, coupled with adequate vehicle inspection facilities, must be legal powers — presently lacking — for suspending the licence of a vehicle found unroadworthy.
”You would hardly believe it but there are no powers to stop a vehicle from driving away if it is found with no brakes, broken suspension, bald tyres and no lights,” he told the Rotarians.
Turning to pollution caused by cars, Mr. Wilson said measures were still being worked out whereby new petrol-driven vehicles would have to conform to a manufacturing standard designed to prevent the emission of excessive exhaust fumes.
As for the existing 200,000 vehicles in Hong Kong, there was a proposal for making it an offence for a vehicle to produce exhaust fumes beyond the legal limit on smoke measuring equipment.
There was also a forward programme for the progressive installation of parking meters in places where on-road parking was acceptable and demand exceeded supply.
”The aim is to ration these parking places fairly by means of a meter fee that ensures a turnover of short term parkers and avoids frustrated motorists circling round when they just want to stop for a short while,” he said.
/Another ........
Friday, July 20, 1973
Another forward programme concerned the provision of more off-road multi-storey car parks and their careful siting so that motorists would not be attracted into congested areas.
’’Firm control of parking and its pricing has been shown in a number of countries to be a most effective way of regulating the number of vehicles entering congested areas,” he noted*
Referring to driving tests, the Commissioner said this had been a ’’sore topic,” but his department flatly refused to give priority except to doctors and the consular corps.
”If we started picking and choosing here, we would find it impossible to assess relative degrees of priority and it might open the door to irregularity," he added.
Some progress had been made, he went on, with a scheme for indoor simulator equipment to give driving instruction for private cars from scratch up to the intermediate level.
A trial would be conducted as soon as the equipment was received to determine its usefulness. However, the scheme would not replace actual driving experience between the intermediate and final stages, and the final test would still be conducted on the road.
Mr. Wilson made it clear that he would continue to stand firm by his action last month freezing the number of vehicles on Lantau Island, despite the reaction against the move*
"To my mind, no matter what the excuse, it is criminal folly to allow more vehicles on to roads which by common consent are highly dangerous,” he said.
/In summing .......
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 5 -
In summing up, Mr. Wilson said traffic congestion could be avoided if the right buttons were pushed and if it was recognised that human beings must put themselves in firm control of motor vehicles, not the other way around.
’’Life will be insupportable,” he stressed, ”if we allow vehicles to dictate how we are to live.”
Note to Editors: Copies of full text are boxed
today.
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/6.........
«
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 6 -
GOVERNMENT REPLIES TO MIDWIVES PETITION
M*t^****
The midwives last night were sent the government’s reply to their recent petition on-the pay dispute*
The Director of Medical and Health Services, Dr. G.H. Choa, said today that the reply had restated the government.’s view that the new pay scale approved for the midwives was, on all the evidence available to the government, a very fair one.
This scale, he said, represented an average increase of JO per cent, approximately double the average increase paid to the public service as a whole after the 1971 Salaries Commission, and had been further increased by J per cent from April 1, 1972.
The new scale was produced after thorough investigation by the Senior Civil Service Council of the duties and responsibilities of midwives and it had been exhaustively discussed in the council.
Dr. Choa went on to say that the government now had no fresh proposals to make. But he repeated ;hat he had said or a number of occasions, namely, that if the midwives wished to produce new evidence, including evidence of pay in the private sector, they could always do so through their representatives on the Staff Side of the Senior Civil Service Council.
Commenting on the decision reported to have been taken by government midwives, health auxiliaries and inoculators to perform minimal duties for 48 hours beginning next Monday, Dr. Choa said: ”1 would deplore any action arising from this decision which might have an adverse effect upon the health and welfare of the public.
/”! would .......
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 7 -
“I would hope that responsible officers in all three grades will bear in mind thoir responsibilities as public servants to the public whom they serve.
,:I would also remind them that the government itself does not accept that a trade dispute is a reasonable excuse for failure by officers to perform their duties.”
Dr. Choa concluded by repeating that the government’s new pay scalos were, in his view, very fair ones.
He emphasised that if the midwives and other officers concerned did not wish to accept the new scales, and had no further constructive new evidence to put forward, then it was entirely up to them to decide whether or not to resign from the public service and seek better paid employment elsewhere.
They could not, however, hope by means of industrial action to force the government to give them more pay than could be properly justified to the taxpayer.
0 - -
/8.........
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 8 -
LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE HELPS SETTLE 851 DISPUTES «****«*»
The Labour Relations Service of the Labour Department helped settle 851 disputes during the second quarter of this year - a success rate of 75•2 per cent.
During the three-month period, a total of 1,162 disputes were placed before the service, ranging from minor individual grievances to disputes involving large groups of workers.
"The success rate is high, considering that all cases brought to the service are accepted irrespective of the claims involved and the rights and wrongs of the parties," the head of the Labour Relations Service, Mr. T.F. Tsui, said today.
Mr. Tsui said that as a result of settlements reached, ?1,473|737 were paid to 3,150 workers as arrears of wages, payment in lieu of notice under the Employment Ordinance, or as ex-gratia severance payments.
As usual, he said, most labour problems arose out of disagreements over wage rates, changes in conditions of employment, dismissal, prolonged lay off, redundancy, insolvency of the employer, or simply mutual misunderstanding.
"In settling 26 of the 35 major labour disputes which began during the quarter, officers of the Labour Relations Service conducted a total of 72 joint meetings lasting an average of nearly three hours each, and made 27 visits to the sites of the disputes," Mr. Tsui said. • • • •
During this quarter - the first full quarter of operation of the Labour Tribunal - the service referred 221 cases involving 53& workers to the Tribunal.
/A large ..........
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 9 -
A large number of minor grievances were allowed to drop by the complainants after the initial complaint, and a number of cases which began late in the quarter were carried over into July before settlement.
During the quarter the service responded to 4,448 consultations and enquiries initiated by workers and employers.
Mr. Tsui said: "As part of our continuing effort to improve relationships between management and workers, officers of the Labour Relations Service visited 49 industrial and commercial establishments during the quarter to encourage management to introduce joint consultative arrangements, to prepare written contracts of employment, and to work out grievance procedures in order to preserve industrial harmony.
"We feel that such consultative machinery is vital to good management-employee relations, and is the best possible way of preventing disputes -which mean loss of wages to workers and loss of profits to management."
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Friday, July 20, 1975
- 10 -
CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY EXHIBITION
*********
An educational exhibition on the history of Chinese calligraphy is now on display in the City Hall.
It depicts the development and changes of calligraphy in the past 35 centuries from the Shang dynasty to the Ch*ing dynasty.
Organisied by the Urban Council, the one-week exhibition is held daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until next Wednesday (July 25) in the Exhibition Hall of the City Hall Low Block.
The great masterpieces and the mainstreams of Chinese calligraphy are shown in a pictorial account supported by short clear commentaries.
The various styles and calligraphic forms are also shown in chronological order, including the oracle bone script, the bronze inscription, the seal script, the clerical script, the draft script, the formal script and the cursive script.
The different surfaces and objects on -which these scripts were applied are also illustrated.
•----0------
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 11
LADY MACLEHOSE TO SEE WORK OF ,fLITTLE PAINTERS”
***********
The works of some 500 young painters will be the subject of a visit by Lady MacLehose to Kowloon Park tomorrow (Saturday) morning.
The artists, between the ages of eight and 14, will show off their skill by capturing in paint the scenery in different parts of the park during the ,rLittle Painters1 Competition”.
The contest marks the beginning of the summer youth programme jointly organised by the Yau Ma Tei/Tsim Sha Tsui District Youth Recreation Co-ordinating Committee and the Yau Ma Tei City District Office.
The competition aims at promoting artistic talent and fostering individual interest in painting.
Note to Editors: You are invited to have the event covered.
Lady MacLehose will arrive at Kowloon Park at 10.30 a.m. and leave at 11.15 a.m. Press representatives are requested to enter the park at the Haiphong Road entrance, where Girl Guides will be on hand to show them the competition site.
- ■----0 - - - -
/12.........
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 12 -
7 RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR CORRECTIONAL AND WELFARE INSTITUTIONS
********
A basketball competition for boys in correctional and welfare institutions has been arranged during weekends from now until the middle of August.
Teams from tho Hong Kong Juvenile Care Centre, the’Society of Boys’ Centres, the Begonia Road Boys’ Home, Castle Peak Boys’ Home, 0 Pui Shan Boys’ Home and the Kwun Tong Hostel will be playing against each other.
The matches will be played at the Ma Tau Wei Girls’ Home at 464, Ma Tau Wei Road in Kowloon every Sunday morning.
On the afternoon of the last day, August 12, there will also be exhibition matches between girls of the Hong Kong Juvenile Care Centre and the Ha Tau Wei Girls’ Home as well as staff of institutions with teams participating in the competition*
Any social worker or youth worker who is interested in watching the matches is welcomed to attend.
The competition is one of an annual series of activities sponsored by the Inter-Institution Activities Executive Committee, said Mr. Leung Kai-wah, the Executive Secretary.
Mr. Leung said the committee is responsible for organising various indoor and outdoor competitions and sporting events each year for the boys and girls under the care of the various correctional and welfare institutions.
’’The aim is to bring them together to help develop their mental and physical state while at the same time promoting mutual understanding and cooperation between the various institutions,” he said.
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/15.........
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 13 -
FIGHT VIOLENT CRIME "JUST BEGINNING"
*«**«*«
• • The Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, today stressed that the fight violent crime campaign had just begun and would not end until its aims were achieved.
Sir Murray was addressing members of the various area committees and mutual aid committees when he spent the afternoon seeing for himself the operation of the committees in the Kwun Tong district in support of the campaign
He urged the public to help themselves by helping the police.
The Governor also encouraged residents in each building in Hong Kong to form their own mutual aid committees as well as area committees.
He asked members of the committees to encourage youths of good character to join the police force to fill about 1,800 vacancies. At the same time, the government was also making every effort to recruit more regular policemen.
Sir Murray said that during the past few months the strength of the auxiliary police had doubled as a result of an intensive recruiting drive.
Commenting on reports that the campaign had already come to an end, Sir Murray said: "This is absolute nonsense. The campaign has just started and still has a thousand miles to go. Only the technique of the police in fighting crime changes
He said we could not expect to see the results of the campaign in just one month’s time, but we should reap the benefits within a year’s time.
/Prevention, ••••••••
Friday, July 20, 1973
- 14 -
Prevention, he emphasised, is the best way to fight crime*
During his visit the Governor was accompanied by Mr. J.K. Rowlands, the Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr. Peter Ng, City District Commissioner Kowloon, Mr. Jack C.K. So, City District Officer, Kwun Tong, and Nr. I.P. Hyde, District Superintendent, Kwun Tong Police Station.
The party first went to the office of the Kwun Tong Town Centre Area Committee at Yuet Wah Mansion, Yuet Wah Street, where committee members were attending a meeting in connection with the fight crime campaign.
The Governor was welcomed by the Chairman, Mr. Cheng Yuen, and other committee members, Mr. Fung Sun-ngor and the Rev. Baldwin Lau.
While he was taken on a short tour of Yuet V/ah Mansion, Sir Murray was briefed on the overall measures which are being taken by the residents to fight crime.
The party then called at Kiu Cheong Mansion at Hong Ning Road where the Governor was met by the Chairman of the Mutual Aid Committee, Nr. Lam Hang-fai, before he inspected the building to see the security measures that have been taken by the residents.
From there, Sir Murray drove to the Garden Estate, one of the low cost housing schemes managed by the Hong Kong Housing Society.
On arrival at the Methodist Centre in the Estate, the Governor was greeted by the Chairman of the Garden Estate Area Committee, Mr. Woo Koon-lam, Committee Member and Manager of the Estate, Mrs. Ho Lo Pui-ching, and other committee members.
The Governor toured one of the estate buildings and .paid a goodwill visit on Mr. and Mrs. C.K. Lam and their family in Pak Ling Lau whose two sons were once victims of robbers.
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Release Time: 8.00 p.m.
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Saturday, July 21, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No,
Architects and engineers from China express interest in the City Hall •••••••...................................... •••••• 1
Lady MacLehose sees the works of some of Hong Kong’s ’’little painters” ................................................ • ••♦. 2
’’Tremendous response” to Urban Council’s learn-to-swim campaign ..................................................... j
Water interruption in part of Western district .................... 4
Traffic arrangements to help pedestrians in Mong Kok............... 5
Pokfulam children’s summer camp 1973.............••••••••••••«••* 6
Visit to Kwai Fong Children’s Centre for press representatives.• 7
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Saturday, July 21, 197J
- 1 -
ARCHITECTS FROM CHINA EXPRESS KEEN INTEREST IN CITY HALL
********
A party of eight Chinese architects and engineers spent over two hours in the City Hall today looking with particular interest at the facilities in the concert hall and theatre*
The eight-man mission had just concluded a one-month tour of
Japan and is on its way back to Peking*
Headed by Professor Yang Ting Pao, Vice-President of the Institute of Architects of China and Vice-Chancellor of the Nanking Technological Institute, the group had expressed a desire to see the City Hall after their arrival in Hong Kong earlier this week*
The visitors were met at the City Hall this morning by the Assistant Director (Cultural) of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department, Mr* Darwin Chen.
The group asked many questions, most of them technical, during their 2-hour tour, and showed particular interest in the acoustics, lighting and seating arrangements in both the concert hall and theatre.
A spokesman for the group said that whilst in Japan, the mission visited many building sites, looked at the country’s underground railway system, and other big engineering projects*
Note to Editors; Copies of a photograph of the visit
are boxed today.
- - 0 - -
/2
Saturday, July 21, 1973
2
LADY MACLEHOSE VISITS THE ’’LITTLE PAINTERS”
*******
The heavy downpour this morning failed to dampen the artistic spirit of about 100 youngsters who were taking part in the ’’little pa-inters’ competition” in Kowloon Park.
And,equally enthusiastic was Lady MacLehose when she called on the young artists to see them at work.
Despite the rain, they were keen in showing off their talents by capturing the scenery of the park from various angles.
Lady MacLehose was delighted to see the high standard of some of the contestants who are aged between eight and 14.
But she was more surprised by the imagination of a boy who managed to paint a sun into the cloudy sky.
The children were painting xrorn the corridors of a temporary store room at the park.
Lady MacLehose was accompanied by Mrs. Helen Yu, City District Officer, Yau Ma Tei, and kaifong leaders.
The contest marks the beginning of the summer youth programme jointly organised by the Yau Ma Tei/Tsim Sha Tsui District Youth Recreation Co-ordinating Committee and the Yau Ma Tei City District Office.
The competition aims at promoting artistic talent and fostering individual interest in painting.
-------o---------
.........
Saturday, July 21, 1973
- 3 -
’’TREMENDOUS RESPONSE” TO LEARN-TO-SWIM CAMPAIGN
*******
The first series of classes in the Urban Council’s learn-to-swim scheme, which is being attended by 675 youngsters and 175 adults, is now drawing to a close.
Successful candidates will receive their proficiency awards at a special ceremony at the Kowloon Tsai swimming pool on Sunday, July 29• Attendance certificates will also be issued to all those who completed the courses.
The second series of swimming classes will be held from July 50 to September 1. Application forms may be obtained from Urban Council swimming pools or from City District offices.
Poolside enrolment at Lei Cheng Uk, Kwun Tong, Kowloon Tsai and Victoria swimming pools will take place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (July 25-25) from 5 p*m. to 8 p.me
Candidates should decide at which swimming pool they wish to take lessons and take their completed application forms with them to the pool of their choice to be enrolled for classesr Classes will be filled on a first come first served basis.
There will be beginners’, intermediate and advance classes and candidates accepted for these courses will not be required to pay anything.
An Urban Council spokesman said today that in view of the ’’tremendous response” to these courses, the council intends next year to cater for 3»000 candidates who, in addition to the regular courses, will be instructed in water survival and lifesaving, among others.
/Clubs ........
Saturday, July 21, 1973
- 4 -
Clubs and sports associations interested in assisting ip the organisation of the scheme are invited to contact Mr. Gwilym Roes, Senior Executive Officer (Recreation and Amenities) of the Urban Services Department by calling telephone 5-95625•
Note to Editors: You are invited to send your representatives
to cover the presentation of awards at Kowloon Tsai swimming pool on Sunday (July 29). The ceremony will be held between 5 p*cu and 8 p.m.
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WATER INTERRUPTION
*****
The water supply to a number of premises in Western District will be interrupted for five hours on Tuesday (July 24) from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. to alloy/ the Waterworks Office to carry out a leakage test.
The area affected is bounded by Morrison Street, Sutherland Street, Queen’s Road West, Wing Lok Street, and the south side of Des Voeux Road West.
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/5..........
Saturday, July 21, 1973
- 5 -
TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS TO HELP PEDESTRIANS
**«**««*
A series of traffic routings will be introduced in Mong Kok district with effect from 10 a.m. on Tuesday (July 24) to facilitate pedestrian movement in the area.
Vehicles travelling along Waterloo Road will be prohibited from turning left into Yim Po Fong Street.
The section of Dundas Street between Waterloo Road and Kwong V/a Street will be routed one-way westbound, while Kwong Wa Street will be opened to two-way traffic.
A spokesman for the Transport Department said the arrangements will facilitate pedestrian movement across Yim Po Fong Street near the junction with Waterloo Road, while maintaining vehicular access into the Kwong Wa Street area.
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Saturday, July 21, 1973
- 6 -
POKFULAM CHILDREN’S SUMMER CAMP 1973
*******
An 11-day summer camp has been organised for children living in the Pokfulam area on Hong Kong Island. The camp will be held at Pokfulam Government Primary School from Monday (July 23) until Friday, August 3*
Included in the programme will be talent shows and a mini-athletic meet involving all participants. There will also be smaller interest groups for activities such as singing, drawing and handicrafts.
The camp, part of the summer youth programme, is a joint effort of • • • •
the Northcote College of Education’s Social Service Group, the Telegraph
Bay Villagers’ Mutual Aid Association and the Social Welfare Department’s
Western District Community Work Office.
This is the fifth year in which they have co-operated in organising camps for children living in areas outside the city.
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/7..........
Saturday, July 21, 1973
VISIT TO KWAI FONG CHILDREN’S CENTRE
********
Note to Editors: The Chairman of the Government
Lotteries Management Committee and the Chairman of the Boys* and Girls’ Clubs Association, have organised a press visit to the BGCA’s Kwai Fong Children’s Centre on Monday (July 23)»
Four personalities from Commercial Radio, Miss Leung Siu-yung, Miss Yan Wai-yee, Miss Conita Chan Hoi-see, and Miss Wan Fong-ling, will also join the press party.
Press representatives wanting to cover the event should assemble at Queen’s Pier, Hong Kong, not later than 10.20 a.m. on Monday. Transport will be provided.
The children’s centre, located on the ground floor of Block 8, Kwai Fong Government Low Cost Housing Estate, Tsuen Wan, was opened in January this year. A grant of $16?»3OO from the Lotteries Fund has been approved as capital expenditure for the first year.
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Release Time: 2.30 P«>m.
PRH 7
gisI hmil
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Monday, July 23, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No,
Textile and wearing apparel groups dominate manufacturing industry .......•..................... •................... 1
Report on clinics from Medical and Health Department •»•••••. 3
The Governor expresses deepest sympathy to accident relatives 4
Two-day summer course on urban studies for geography teachers •••«•• 5
Lady HacLehose will call on the Hong Kong Youth Orchestra tomorrow.. 6
Libraries of Government Information Services becoming more popular,• 8
Programme of free public entertainment for August .......... 9
Further proposals on midwives salary scales ••••••......... 10
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Monday, July 23, 1975
- 1 -
REPORT ON CENSUS OF MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS
*******
More than 670,000 people were employed in the manufacturing industry, according to the report of the 1971 Census of Manufacturing Establishments published today#
In 1970, the total sales of this sector amounted to $18,049 million.
The report said that the textile and wearing apparel groups dominated the industry, accounting for 45.5 per cent of the total employment and 47.7 per cent of total sales.
However, in terms of the total number of establishments these two industry groups constituted only 37.2 per cent. The total number of establishments recorded by the census as at August 4, 1971 was 26,149.
The report said that other important industry groups included plastic products, electrical appliances, fabricated metal products, food manufacturing, and printing and publishing.
By far the biggest number of establishments, 17^962 (or 68.7 per cent of the total) were concentrated in premises in domestic buildings, but they were responsible for only 27.2 per cent of total employment, 23 per cent of total floor area and 20.4 per cent of total sales.
On the other hand, the report says that 67.3 per cent of total employment,66.9 per cent of total floor area and 75 per cent of total sales were concentrated in the 4,122 establishments (15.8 per cent of the total) housed in premises in manufacturing/industrial buildings.
/The pattern ........
Monday, July 23, 1973
The pattern of geographic concentration was not uniform in respect of establishments, employment, floor area nor sales, the report states. Establishments were concentrated in Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, Cheung Sha Wan, and San Po Kong; employment was concentrated in Cheung Sha Wan, San Po Kong and Kwun Tong; and sales were concentrated in Cheung Sha Wan, Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan.
It says that in terms of sales, over 80 per cent of the total (£14,397 million) together with a corresponding 66 per cent of total employment (443,983) was concentrated in 11 per cent (2,888) of the 26,149 establishments. Each of these 2,888 establishments sold 31 million or more worth of goods and services.
On the export side, the 1971 Census of Manufacturing Establishments reveals that only 36.3 per cent of all establishments produced for export, but they employed 76.3 per cent of the total employed and sold 81 per cent of total sales. Establishments exporting over ®1 million dominated the rest.
A spokesman for the Census and Statistics Department said today the primary object of the census was to prepare a list of establishments analysed by size, industry and location which would serve as the basis for the forthcoming Census of Industrial Production relating to 1973*
Information was collected on the type of premises; number and sex of operatives and other employees; shifts worked; floor area used for manufacturing processes and for other purposes; whether power machinery was used; and value of sales and work done, broken-down into exports and local sales, principal products sold and their relationship to total sales.
- • .s /The report.........
Monday, July 23, 1973
- 3 -
The report contains 45 analytical tables of useful information for industrialists, planners, developers, government and people interested in Hong Kong’s industry*
Copies of the 530-page report will be available in the next day ar two from the Government Publication Centre at 345 a copy.
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MEDICiiL DEPARTMEI'IT REPORTS ON CLINICS
********
A number of health auxiliaries stopped all work for two hours today from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. although they attended at their offices as usual, a spokesman for the Medical and Health Department said.
"During this period, all patients at chest and social hygiene clinics were treated. This was largely due to the fact that doctors worked to clear up the caseload, and patients co-operated by not objecting to a short wait.
"But all field activities normally carried out by the health auxiliaries were suspended for the two hours," he said.
"Government midwives also began their stated intention to perform minimal duties for 48 hours. As on the previous occasion, they did not wash babies in rural clinics. Neither did they prepare dressings or enter records of births, admissions and discharges."
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A..........
Monday, July 23, 1973
GOVERNOR EXPRESSES DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO ACCIDENT RELATIVES
***********
The Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, today expressed his sincere condolences to the relatives of those who died in yesterday’s bus accident on Lantau Island.
In a message, the Governor said both he and Lady MacLehose were much distressed to learn of the tragedy.
"Our deepest sympathy goes out to the families who have been bereaved and to those who have suffered injuries as a result of this accident."
The Governor also thanked all those who took part in rescue operations, including villagers, and commended them for their untiring efforts.
Meanwhile, an enquiry into the cause of the accident is being undertaken by the police traffic branch and the findings of this will be sent to the coroner.
-----0------
Monday, July 23, 1973
- 5 -
COURSE ON URBAN STUDIES IN GEOGRAPHY
********
More than 200 geography teachers in secondary schools will attend u two-day summer course on ’’Urban Studies in Geography” which opens at the Grantham College of Education on Wednesday (July 25)*
The course, organised by the Geography Section of the Advisory Inspectorate, Education Department, will be opened by Mr. A.G. Brown, Assistant Director of Education (Chief Inspector of Schools).
Professor A.M. Gunn of the University of British Columbia will speak on ’’Developments in Urban Studies,” Professor D.J. Dwyer of the University of Hong Kong will touch on ’’Some Problems in Urbanisation in South-East Asia,” Dr. C.S. Liang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong will deal with ’’Urban Studies in Secondary Schools" and Mr. K.N. Au of the Grantham College of Education will speak on ”Urban Studies in the American High School Geography Project.”
There will be an exhibition of geography textbooks and the latest curriculum development materials, highlighted by the ’’American High School Geography Project” which features innovations in the method of teaching geography The project is the result of a massive effort on the part of many geographers, educators and teachers after eight years of experiment and modification.
Guests invited to attend the opening ceremony include members of the Planning Committee (Curriculum Development Committee, Education Department), representatives from the United States Information Service, the Asia Foundation and the Hong Kong Geographical Association.
Note to Editors: You are invited to cover the opening of
the course at 9 a.m. on July 25 (Wednesday) at the Grantham College of Education, Gascoigne Road, Kowloon.
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Monday, July 23, 1973
- 6 -
FINAL REHEARSALS FOR YOUTH ORCHESTRA
The Hong Kong Youth Orchestra, which is preparing to take part in an international festival in Scotland next week, will have a special visitor at its rehearsals tomorrow — Lady MacLehosc.
She will call on the orchestra members nt the rehearsal room in Kowloon Park at noon to listen to their playing and to offer words of encouragement. They leave on Saturday (July 28).
On August 15. Lady MacLehose will give the 105 member orchestra -75 boys and 50 girls from various Hong Kong schools -- her personal support by attending a concert in Aberdeen- Scotland where the International Festival of Youth Orchestras will be held.
The programme for the concert comprises ”Egmont Overture” by Beethoven, ”Rondino” •• a modern work composed by David Gwilt of the Chinese University and dedicated to Lady MacLehose - ,fThe Butterfly Concerto” a Chinese violin concerto, "Ballet Suite No. 1” by Shostakovitch and "London Symphony” by Haydn.
The orchestra’s conductor is Miss M. Money, Inspector (Instrumental Music) of the Education Department.
During the two-week festival, members of the Hong Kong Youth Orchestra will be selected together with participants from Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Rumania, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States.
* • • . • J • • , /
/The best .....
Monday, July 23, 1973
The best musicians will be selected to form the 1973 International Orchestra which will perform under the baton of the famous conductor, Leopold Stokowski, in the Grand Festival Finale in the Royal Albert Hall, London, on August 19. Some violinists from the Hong Kong Youth Orchestra have already been chosen for the finale.
Note to Editors: You are invited to cover Lady MacLehose’s
attendance at tomorrow’s rehearsal at Kowloon Park, Block 58, at 12 noon.
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/8........
Monday, July 23, 1973
- 8 -
G.I.S. LIBRARIES MORE POPULAR
**********
The library facilities of Government Information Services are being used by an increasing number of people, particularly school students
The reference library contains more than 3,300 books dealing with a variety of subjects, including the laws of Hong Kong, departmental reports and official documents. It also keeps an up-to-date file of some 33 different periodicals.
In the past six months an average of 200 people — students, journalists and members of the public — have used the reference library-each month. This represents an increase of some 30 per cent over the average monthly figures for last year.
The press library meets a constant demand for quick reference to newspaper reports and government policies and plans on virtually every subject of local interest. ♦
Five-thousand press files are kept in this library and micro-film facilities are also available.
The photographic library at present contains about 460,000 black and white negatives and more than 23,000 colour transparencies.
These cover a wide variety of subjects and are distributed free of charge for publicity and press release purposes, but a standard fee is charged for reproduction of pictures for commercial use.
During the first six months of this year the library handled a total of 3,662 requests.
/The film ••••«••
Monday, July 23 ♦ 1973
- 9 -
The film library is stocked with about 250 films which can broadly be divided into three categories — films produced by the Government Information Services, films supplied by the Central Office of Information in London and films from the United Nations, provided by UNESCO in Paris.
The 16 mm films are provided with English or Cantonese sound trades and are available free on condition that they are shown at non-profit making functions.
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ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE PEOPLE
*********
A series of free entertainment programmes will be held by the Urban Council at various parks and playgrounds in the urban areas and the New Territories next month.
Altogether nine open-air variety shows, 10 film shows and five Chinese band concerts and operas will be held during the month.
The programme for variety shows will include lion dances, folk dances, acrobatic displays, magic shows, folk songs singing and mimicry.
Two films, a cartoon and a Chinese drama entitled ’The Young Patrol’ will be screened at each film show.
The shows will begin at 8 p.m. and will last for about two hours.
Between 500 and 3,000 people are expected to attend each of these functions.
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/10
Monday, July 23, 1973
- 10 -
FURTHER PROPOSALS ON MIDWIVES SALARIES
ft********
Further proposals concerning the salary scales, for midwives were put forward today at a regular meeting of the Senior Civil Service Council.
They were submitted by representatives of the Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants Association.
The official side undertook to examine the proposals and to discuss them further with the staff side at another meeting to be held soon.
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Release Time: 7*30 p.m.
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Tuesday, July 24, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
First payments made under government’s scheme to compensate victims of violent crime ....................•••••••••................. 1
Better secondary education and recreational facilities needed for youths..................................................9............. 2
Work found for 1,500 people...................................... 4
Traffic re-routing in Mong Kok to facilitate road works.......••••••• 5
A list of new jurors to be posted.........••••••••••••••............... 5
Three buildings in Shau Kei Wan declared dangerous ••••.............. 6
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Tuesday, July 24, 1973
FIRST AWARDS TO VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME
Three people — a taxi driver, an electrical technician and the
son of a woman killed in a burglary — are the first to receive awards under the government’s scheme for compensating victims of violent crimes.
Grants totalling 36,400 have been approved by the board of the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme.
The taxi driver who was seriously injured when a passenger robbed him, is to get the maximum injury grant of 33,000 and an additional grant of $1,400 to enable him and his dependants to tide themselves over during a period of adjustment.
The victim’s hue and cry following the robbery resulted in his assailant being arrested and charged.
The electrical technician is to receive 31,000 for injuries he received in foiling an attempted robbery.
A similar sum is being paid as a burial grant to the son of a widow who was killed in a house burglary.
’’These payments are the first made under the scheme and more claims for compensation are being processed,” said Mr. Stephen Chau, Principal Social Welfare Officer (Accident Compensation), and the Secretary to the Board.
However, he felt that there were more people who v/ere eligible for compensation under the scheme, but were not aware of it.
He said leaflets explaining who are eligible and the procedures for applying for compensation are available at all City District Offices, police stations, hospitals and offices of the New Territories Administration and Social Welfare Department.
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/2
Tuesday, July 24, 1975
- 2 -
NEED FOR BETTER STANDARDS IN EDUCATION
*******
The acting Director of Education, Mr. Charles Lowe, said today that the question of bi—sessionalism in schools would certainly be considered by the Board of Education.
He was referring to a recent speech on the fight orinc campaign given by the Secretary•for Home Affairs, in which Mr. Cater showed his distaste for bi-scssionalism, particularly at the secondary level.
Mr. Lowe was speaking at the joint prize-giving ceremony of Salvation Army Primary Schools at the Concert Hall of the City nail.
The Director pointed out that 81.4 per cent of primary 6 pupils moved into day secondary classes. This was a major improvement in providing secondary places for adolescents.
Agreeing with Mr. Cater’s conclusion, Mr. Lowe said: "We do need more secondary education, We do need to struggle for and to achieve better standards in education.,”
He fully agreed with Mr. Cater on the need to extend recreational opportunity for the bored, disillusioned, and the semi-employed adolescent in a dead end job.
Mr. Lowe added: ”1 have long advocated a system of district sports and recreation officers (with a professional physical education background) to ensure that the games and recreational activities which we do possess can be used on a more organised basis. The scope for inter-district competitions in a very long range of sports and recreations is indeed endless.” n
/The Education ••••••
Tuesday, July 24, 1973
- 3 -
The Education Department, he said, ”has three main functions •** to operate and improve if possible the existing system, that is the first priority, the second is immediate short-term planning for projects that cannot wait often because the situation has changed and lastly long-range planning, micro and macro planning in fact,”
He emphasised that the department was vitally interested and committed to planning for the future,
Mr, Lowe said that to ensure plans and objectives were clearly understood, joint departmental and central government planning teams must be set up if progress was to be made. But staff was in very short supply for both running the present system and planning.
Serious staff shortages were being or were about to be felt in the vital areas of teacher training, the examinations section and educational television, but the Director made it clear that the fault did not lie with the central government for not approving posts or the department for not pressing hard enough.
”The shortage of staff is government-wide and the Education Department is doing its best to improve the present system and plan sensibly for the future like all branches of government. We would like to do better,” he said.
The Development Section of the department will be providing 16 aided secondary schools after the summer holidays, the provision of one secondary school at a considerably better rate than one a month.
”The result is that 49 per cent of the 12-year-old age group will be offered government aid assisted Form I places for September 1973/’ he said.
The Director praised the Salvation Army’s invaluable contribution to education in Hong Kong.
”The first Salvation Army secondary school indeed is expected to open in September while the seven primary schools have reached a very creditable standard,” Mrc Lowe said.
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Tuesday, July 24, 1975
- 4 -
EMPLOYMENT FOUND FOR 1,500 * * * * * * * * *
Nearly 1,500 people were placed in employment by the Local Employment Service of the Labour Department during the second quarter of 1973 - an increase of 50 per cent over that of the corresponding quarter last year.
During the same period, the service registered 9»195 job-seekers and introduced 4,674 of them to prospective employers for selective interview.
The head of the Employment Division, Mr. James Yeung, said that of the 1,491 people found employment, 606 were placed in industry, 510 in commerce, 245 in government service, 28 in the public utilities and 102 in other establishments.
’’Among those who were placed in industry, 512 were apprentices who joined modern apprenticeship schemes with the help of the Apprenticeship Training Unit of the Labour Department,” he said.
Starting salaries for people helped into jobs by the service ranged from 5500 to more than 32,000 a month, with 1,572 receiving up to 3599» and 119 receiving 3600 and over.
Mr. Yeung said: "At present we have 404 vacancies on our books, varying from executives to office boys in commerce; from engineers to general workers in industry; and from artisans to messengers in the civil service.”
The Local Employment Service provides free facilities to assist employers and job-seekers alike. For the convenience of those who might have difficulty in approaching it during regular office hours, its Hong Kong Office at the New Rodney Block, Queensway (Tel. 5-270276, 5-282525 ext. 70 & 77) and Kowloon Office at the Canton Road Government Offices (Tel. 5-688151 and 5-625514) now remain open during the lunch hour from 1.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 24, 1973
- 5 -
TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS IN MONG KOK
*********
New traffic arrangements will come into effect in part of Mong Kok this week as a result of road works.
From 8 a.m. on Thursday (July 26) the section of Nelson Street between Tong Mi Road and Canton Road will be temporarily re-routed from two way to one way eastbound for a period of about six months.
Westbound traffic on this section of Nelson Street will be diverted through Canton Road, Mongkok Road and Tong Mi Road.
The temporary re-routing is necessary for drainage and road works to be carried out at the junction of Nelson Street and Tong Mi Road.
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NEW JURY LIST TO BE POSTED
*********♦
A list of new jurors will be posted at the Supreme Court for a period of 14 days from next Monday (July 30).
The Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. J.R. Oliver, said today that during this time any person can apply in writing seeking the removal or posting of his name or the name of some other person.
It will then be up to the Registrar to decide whether the list is to be altered.
The jury list will be posted on the notice board near the lift inside the south-west entrance to the Supreme Court building.
/6..........
- o - -
Tuesday, July 24, 1973
- 6 -
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS IN SHAU KEI WAN
I*********
Three pre-war buildings in Shau Kei Wan — 79, 81 and 8} Shaukiwan Main Street East — were today declared dangerous by the Building Authority.
The Principal Government Building Surveyor said that these two and three ..storey buildings were inspected following the partial roof collapse of 77 Shaukiwan Main Street East, which was subsequently closed under an emergency closure order on the 11th of this month.
lie said there is a risk of collapse as the timber work is in an advanced state of decay and there are many areas of defective brickwork which have rendered the buildings dangerous.
Notices of intention to apply for closure orders in Victoria District Court at 9*30 a.m. on August 14 were posted today.
0 - -
Release time: 7.00 p.m.
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No,
Villagers affected by the High Island water scheme will move into new homes soon • • • • •................................ q
Conversion work in progress at lower Shek Kip Mei estate ... 4
Two one-week residential training camps to promote nature conservation............................................. 5
"Discovering Nature" — seventh children’s art exhibition to be held in the City Hall •••••............................... 7
Five-day industrial safety training course for Public Works staff........................................................... g
Two lots of Crown land on outlying islands to be put up for auction ........................................................ $
Governor visits mutual aid committees on Hong Kong Island .. 10
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
NEW HOMES FOR VILLAGERS
*********
Two of the six housing blocks being built at a prime location on the reclamation in Sai Kung Town to rehouse the villagers who will have to move to make way for the construction of the High Island Reservoir, have been completed.
They vzere handed over to the government by the building contractor today.
Work on the construction of the other four blocks is expected to be completed in October and it is intended that the villagers should havo finished moving to their new homes by the end of this year.
To assist villagers to adjust themselves to a new life, the government lias offered ex-gratia grants of property and cash allowances, apart from giving cash compensation to villagers for resuming their 1 and and property.
The basis of the ex-gratia grants for villagers is as follows:-
For the families of traditional villages (Man Yi Wan)
- one shop at Sai Kung per family
- one flat at Sai Kung per male family member
- one half flat at Sai Kung per female family member
For the families of recently established villages (Sha Tsui)
- one flat in Sai Kung per male family member
In addition, the following payments will be mado:-
/- a decoration .......
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
- 2
- a decoration allowance of 810,000 per shop or flat
- a maintenance allowance of 83i500 per person to enable families to meet immediate requirements in their new environment
- a water allowance of 31,200 per family to meet the cost of metered water (the present village supply is free as it depends on stream water)
- a removal allowance of 8500 per family together with free transportation provided by the government if required.
New facilities to replace existing amenities are also being provided for the villagers. A new village school, seven ancestral halls, a burial ground and flats for clan offices will all be available in this way.
The traditionally-owned houses of the villagers living in Sha Tsui will not be required for the water scheme as they are situated at Long Ke Village in an adjacent valley.
These villagers will, therefore, receive the same compensation but rather less in the way of ex-gratia grants. However, the opening up of new roads associated with the construction works will undoubtedly improve access to the area and it is likely that land and property values will appreciate.
In the past, access to Long Ke was only possible by boat to Sha Tsui, followed by a difficult cross-country hike. The new road will go within a few hundred yards of the village.
/Staff of ......
Wednesday, July 29, 1973
- 3 -
Staff of the District Office, Sai Kung have been operating continuously in the water scheme area since H971 and a considerable number of both informal and official meetings have been held with all individual families and representatives of particular interests.
A spokesman for the District Office said today that discussions on the removal terms with villagers affected by the High Island reservoir had not yet produced full agreement on all points.
Ilany of the villagers* requests had been agreed to by the government, while others could not be met and the villagers had been advised not to expect complete satisfaction on every one of their many points.
He expressed the hope that the villagers would appreciate the generosity of the package deal which had been arranged for them.
Tne government accepted that there was a need to provide adequately for the future of villagers required to give up their land and houses for the benefit of the community as a whole, but it is also believed that a reasonable limit to the terms should be set.
The District Officer, Sai Kung is at present conducting a series of household interviews to ensure that everyone fully understands the terms of compensation and ex-gratia grants offered and to listen to their individual family problems.
He has also expressed his willingness to hold further general meetings with their representatives to explain and discuss the removal terms if required.
bote to editors: Photographs of the new housing blocks are boxed
this evening.
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
- 4 -
SHEK KIP MEI CONVERSION BEGETS
******
Conversion and renovation work has begun bn six blocks of the lower Shek Kip Mei Estate which were vacated under the first phase of the Shek Kip Mei rehousing scheme*
On completion, in about eight months, these blocks will provide much larger self-contained living units with their own water supply, kitchen, lavatory and private balcony which are lacking in all present Shek Kip Mei blocks.
Another 15 blocks in the estate will be progressively converted as the rehousing project continues®
Eight other blocks will be demolished to make way for a large commercial centre and a link road.
In the mean time, the second phase of the rehousing scheme, which began in May, is progressing smoothly. Of the 800 families of blocks 3 and 4 affected, more than three quarters have taken up flats in the upper Pak Tin Estate.
All 25 shopkeepers involved have applied for shop premises in the new estate and the letting of these is now under way.
The current phase of the rehousing operation is expected to be completed by the end of next month by which time about one quarter of the 62,000 Shek Kip Mei tenants will have moved to better housing in upper Pak Tin Estateo
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/5 --------
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
- 5 -
TRAINING CAMPS FOR CONSERVATION LEADERS
*«***««
More young people are being trained in practical conservation work in an effort to foster a greater understanding of local environmental problems and of positive measures to protect Hong Kong’s natural Asset.? „
A spokesman for the Agriculture and Fisheries Department says many people have an earnest desire to help protect Hong Kong’s flora and fauna. ’’Unfortunately, they are handicapped by a lack of understanding of the complexity of the problems involved and of the practical measures which they can take to be helpful.”
To assist in meeting this need, the department, in conjunction with the Education Department, is conducting two one-week residential training camps at the Shing Mun Forest Office for 40 members of conservancy clubs from 14 secondary schools.
The first camp started last Monday. The second will be held from July 30 to August 4.
The training programme includes conservation principles, basic understanding of the countryside and its uses, practical conservation work, an introduction to legislation pertaining to conservation, and leadership training.
Mornings are devoted to lectures and visits. In the afternoons, the campers are given an opportunity to learn practical skills in conservation work, such as the repairing of soil erosion, path maintenance and the prevention and suppression of hill fires. Film shows and group discussions are arranged in the evenings.
/During ........
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
During their training, the campers are supervised by volunteers, mostly serving teachers, from the Youth Environmental Action Groups.
********
Note to Editors:
Press representatives are welcome to
visit the camp. Arrangements for press visits may be made by contacting either of the following three officers of the Agriculture and Fisheries Department: Mr. K.C. lu and Mr. K.K. Yeung on telephone No. 3-688111 Ext. 44 and 42, respectively; or Mr. John Young telephone No. 12-200529*
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/7
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
- 7 -
CHILDREN'S ART EXHIBITION OPENS THIS WEEK
*#****»«
The works of some of Hong Kong’s most talented young artists will be on display later this week when the Seventh Children’s Art Exhibition is officially launched by Lady MacLehose.
The exhibition, presented by the Urban Council at the City Museum and Art Gallery, will consist of 265 pictures and craftwork selected from 6,500 entries from JOO local schools. I
It is held every two years and is intended as a regular survey of art education in Hong Kong.
The theme for this exhibition is "discovering nature", which places emphasis on the exploration of natural forms and natural materials.
About 50 per cent of the exhibits are in connection with the expression of the theme, protraying natural scenery, plant forms, or wild life.
Tomorrow (Thursday) evening, Lady MacLehose will officially open the exhibition and present 10 prizes which have been awarded to individual children for their outstanding work. She will also present prizes to schools which have the best results in the exhibition.
The Seventh Children’s Art Exhibition will be open to the public from Friday (July 27) until September 2.
Note to Editors: You are invited to send a reporter and
photographer to cover the official opening and presentation of prizes by Lady MacLehose at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) in the City Museum and Art Gallery.
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/8.........
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
- 8 -
INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING COURSE
*******
The Labour Department’s Industrial Safety Training Centre is running a five-day course on basic industrial accident prevention this week, as part of its continued efforts to promote safety in industry.
The course is being attended by 33 foremen and apprentice-engineers from the Public Works Department and from public utility companies.
Mr. Chan Wing-kai, Industrial Safety Training Officer of the Labour Department, said today the course dealt with the basic concept of industrial safety, with particular reference to electrical, chemical, mechanical and dust hazards.
It also touched on fire prevention, manual lifting and handling, and the use of protective clothing and devices.
The Director of Water Supplies, Mr. W.T. Knight, will give the closing address and present certificates to the participants on lYiday (July 27).
Note to Editors: You are invited to send photographer/
reporters to cover the closing ceremony. It will be held at 4.30 p.m. in the Industrial Safety Training Centre, 3rd floor,Canton Road Government Offices.
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/9..........
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
- 9 -
MORE CROWN LAND TO BE AUCTIONED
*******
Additional Crown land on two outlying islands will be put up for sale at a public auction next month.
The two lots are for private residential development. One is located on Peng Chau at Wai Tsai Peak and measures 4,000 square feet.
The other is at Nam Tam on Cheung Chau and covers an area of 7,000 square feet.
The auction will be held on August 1} at 2.J0 p.m. in the District Office, Islands, 4th floor,International Building, 141 Des Voeux Road, Central•
Four days later, August 17, two industrial lots at Chaiwan will be put up for auction in the City Hall at 2.30 p.m.
Both lots are located south of Chaiwan Road. The first has an area of 11,170 square feet, and the second measures 21,510 square feet.
Full particulars of the private residential lots can be obtained from the New Territories Administration and the District Offices of Yuen Long, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Sai Kung and Islands.
Conditions of sale and particulars of the industrial lots are available at the Public Enquiry Sub-office, Central Government Offices (West Wing) and the Crown Lands and Survey Office, Kowloon 'Government Offices.
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/10.........
Wednesday, July 25, 1975
- 10 -
GOVERNOR VISITS FOUR MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES
********
Tiie Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, spent this afternoon (Wednesday) visiting Mutual Aid Committees in Central, Wanchai and Chai Wan,
The Committees were formed recently to promote the Fight Violent Crime Campaign, as well as improve building cleanliness and management.
The Governor was accompanied by the City District Commissioner (Hong Kong), Mr. David Wong* He first visited the Morning Light Apartment in Macdonnell Road where he was introduced to members of the Mutual Aid Committee by the City District Officer (Central), Mr, Stephen Ho.
Together they toured the five-storey building in which the women residents have taken the initiative and formed a Mutual Aid Committee. They feel that with their husbands at work it is up to them to attend to building security and cleanliness.
Sir Murray then went to Top View Mansion, 10 Canal Road West, where security measures undertaken include the installation of a burglar alarm system.
At Chai Wan the Governor visited Mun Wah Building - the first private tenement housing block built in the district and completed in 1971• A Mutual Aid Committee has been formed in the building and a security system installed. Mr. T.H. Barma, City District Officer (Eastern), was on hand to escort the Governor.
/It was ............
Wednesday, July 25, 1973
- 11 -
It was on this visit that some residents staged a ’’realistic robbery” to demonstrate the effectiveness of their alarm system.
Sir Murray’s last call was to Block 19 of the Chai Wan Estate, where residents have extended temporary lighting to the corridors in the building.
This measure has been adopted as a result of recommendations by the Area Committee, which felt that the common parts of the building were inadequately lit.
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Release Time: 7«3O P»m»
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Thursday, July 26, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No*
Government accepts recommendations of Commission of Inquiry
headed by Sir Alastair Blair-Kerr • • • •....................... 1
Governor commends police officers for bringing Godber case to light.............................................................. 4
Tung V/ah Eastern Hospital becomes a district hospital ............ 6
Postmaster-General will meet the press tomorrow ................... 7
Murray Road multi-storey car park to open on Monday................ 8
Lady ilacLehose opens children’s art exhibition ................. 9
New procedures for renewing hawker licences..................... 11
Full-time and part-time courses offered by Morrison Hill Technical Institute .................................................... 12
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Thursday, July 26, 197J
- 1 -
GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS COMMISSION’S RECOMMENDATIONS
**«*«*»«
The Government has accepted the recommendations made by Sir Alastair Blair-Kerr in the report of the first part of his commission which is published today.
Sir Alastair’s first recommendation proposes an amendment to Section 10 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. This would abolish the requirement that the Attorney General must inform a suspect that a prosecution against him for an offence under this section was being considered. In addition, Sir Alastair has recommended that it should no longer be necessary for a suspect to be given the opportunity to make representations before a decision to prosecute is taken.
”It is very important,” Sir Alastair states in the report, ’’that we should retain a provision to the effect that no prosecution be instituted without the consent of the Attorney General; but I strongly recommend that this community does not continue to tie the hands of its Attorney General, and its police force, by permitting section 10(2), in its present form, to remain on the statute book.”
The Commission’s second recommendation proposed that ’’consideration be given to the desirability of introducing legislation empowering the authorities to compel a person suspected of an offence under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance to surrender his travel documents to the Police upon an order being made to this effect.”
/A spokesman .••••
Thursday, July 26, 1975
- 2 -
A spokesman said that a bill giving effect to both these recommendations would be published in the Gazette tomorrow (Friday) and all three readings taken at the Legislative Council next Wednesday.
The Commission also recommended that the Government should consider tightening security arrangements at Kai Tak. ’’The problem is already being examined by the Airport Security Committee,” u Government spokesman said. ’’Some immediate measures to tighten security at the airport have already been taken and longer-term measures are being considered,” he added.
Commenting on the commission’s findings which suggest that more could and should have been done to minimise the risk of Godber’s departure, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Charles Sutcliffe, said, ’’One should not consider the reasons for the decisions taken at this time without taking into account the background to the enactment of this section of the ordinance. Section 10 was widely criticised in Hong Kong, and in Britain, for being ’an invasion of privacy’ and ’an infringement of human rights’ • The Attorney General, when introducing the Bill, accepted that it constituted 'sone infringement of traditional liberty and privacy’.,” ”l7e, in the police force,” said Mr. Sutcliffe, ”have been left in no doubt, following consistent advice from our legal advisers, that the letter and indeed the spirit of these sections of the law - which. protected the rights of the individual concerned - were to be scrupulously observed. We were, not unnaturally, particularly sensitive on this point, and this influenced the decisions we took on measures which might have reduced the possibility of Godber’s departure,” the Commissioner added.
/”The measures ••••••
Thursday, July 26, 1973
I.
- 3 -
”The measures suggested by Sir Alastair to minimise the risk of Godber’s departure were not overlooked. Each one of them was carefully considered,” said the Commissioner, "and although, as Mr. Dawson said in evidence before the Commission, we wanted to arrest Godber as soon as there was evidence to justify this, we regarded this eeven-day period in the Attorney General’s letter as a sort of moratorium during which our hands were tied."
"Nevertheless, in the light of Sir Alastair’s comments, and with the benefit of hind sight, I now accept that perhaps more might have been done to reduce the chance of Godber leaving Hong Kong," Mr. Sutcliffe concluded.
0
Thursday, July 26, 1973
- 4 -
GOVERNOR COI1IENDS POLICE OFFICERS FOR BRINGING GODBER CASE TO LIGHT
******
The Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, this evening commended Senior Police Officers and the Anti-Corruption Branch for their work in bringing the Godber case to light*
"It is a thousand pities that Godber got away, but I would not wish it to be forgotten that unless the Police had taken determined action to produce evidence against Godber this case would never have been uncovered,” Sir Hurray said.
’’From the moment that the Commissioner of Police received information concerning Godber, Mr. Sutcliffe, Mr. Dawson and the Anti-Corruption Branch have pursued the case against him with vigour and expertise. I fully support Sir Alastair’s view that there can be no doubt of the determination of the Police to bring this case to trial,” tne Governor said.
’’Since Godber’s departure the Police have continued their efforts; they, and the Legal Department, are doing everything they possibly can to uncover evidence which will enable us to bring Godber back to Hong Kong. I appeal to anyone with such evidence to serve the community by coming forward,” the Governor concluded.
In the Commission’s report Sir Alastair rules out any possibility that senior police officers connived at Godber’s departure. Commenting on this allegation, which had appeared in some newspapers, and on the suggestion that Godber’s disappearance from Hong Kong had been ’’fixed”, Sir Alastair said there was not a scrap of evidence to suggest that anybody assisted Godber to leave Hong Kong by any positive act.
/’’All the
Thursday, July 26, 1973
- 5 -
"All the evidence indicates that he did not seek, nor was he given, nor did he need, any active assistance," Sir Alastair said.
He added that he was "totally unable to subscribe to the view" that Godbor was assisted, in a negative way, by a planned failure of the authorities to take measures which perhaps, in retrospect, could or should have been taken.
"Never for a moment during this enquiry did I have any reason to doubt the honesty and integrity of the senior officers involved in this case," Sir Alastair said. "There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the intention was to arrest Godber and bring him before the court before the end of June."
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/6..........
Thursday, July 26, 1973
- 6 -
NEW ROLE FOR TUNG WAH EASTERN HOSPITAL
*******
The Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, in So Kon Po, from today becomes a district hospital serving residents in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island*
The hospital remains under the administrative control of the board of directors of the Tung Wah group of hospitals, but will admit acute cases from the casualty section of the Tang Shiu Kin Hospital, and specialist clinics at the Violet Peel Polyclinic in Wan Chai.
In addition, it will admit acute cases from specialist clinics at the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital itself. The new arrangements provide ‘for co-operation between the Tung Wah Eastern and the Queen Ilary hospitals so that acute cases can be referred for admission from one to the other, both for the convenience of the patients, and to reduce over-crowding in either hospital.
At a ceremony this morning to mark the new role of the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, the Director of Medical and Health Services, Dr. G.H. Choa, said its designation as a district hospital serving the eastern portion of • , •••••• the Island marked a further stage in plans to provide Hong Kong with more hospital beds for acute cases.
By admitting cases from the casualty section of the Tang Shiu Kin Hospital, most of whom up to now have been sent to the Queen Mary Hospital, some of the congestion at Queen Mary will be immediately relieved.
Renovations to enable the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital to assume its new role have taken one year to complete. The cost is 5750,000, wet entirely by the government.
/The hospital........
Thursday, July 261 1973
The hospital now has 330 beds, two major operating theatres, one minor theatre, two air-conditioned X-ray rooms, an expanded laboratory, and an enlarged kitchen. Its range of services covers medical, surgical, obstetrical, specialist and gynaecological.
The Tung Wah group of hospitals, to which it remains attached, receives an annual government subvention. In the last financial year, this totalled 352,255,214,
P.M.G, TO MEET THE MEDIA
»*»**»«*«**
ote to ..-d 11or s; Another ”Meet the Media” session will be held
tomorrow (Friday) at 12 noon in the G.I.S. theatre, Beaconsfield House, 5th floor.
. Attending the meeting will be the Postmaster-General, Mr. M. Addi, the Controller of Posts (Systems), Hr. C.L. Owens, and the Assistant Controller of Posts, i-ir. Leung Hing Fai.
j.ou arc invited to have the meeting covered. Television crows are advised to arrive early so that t.iey will have ample time to set up their equipment.
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Thursday, July 26, 1973
- 8'-
. MURRAY ROAD MULTI-STOREY CAR- PARK OPENS ON MONDAY’
**4>*#*iH • - • • • •
Tb6 new Murray Road multi-storey car park with provision for 900 parking spaces will open on Monday (July 30).
.The•'Commissioner for Transport said today that parking facilities would be available’on floors one to eight with the exception of 28 spaces on the eighth floor. • •
The use of the car park will be limited to private cars, goods » v • • w * * *
vehicles of an unladen weight not exceeding two tons, public cars and private and public light buses. • • •
Motorists entering or leaving the building do so by the slip road parallel to Cotton Tree Drive.
Vehicles from North Point and Wancbai can enter via Harcourt Road and the slip road under Cotton Tree Drive, whil’e vehicles from Central District can travel via Chater Road, Murray Road and Queensway, turning left into the slip road.
Appropriate traffic signs will be erected to guide motorists.
With the opening of the multi-storey car park, the existing temporary ano occupying a section of land bounded by Harcourt Road, Hurray Road, Queensway and Cotton Tree Drive will be closed to all parking from midnight on Saturday (July 28).
The Commissioner pointed out that a large portion of this land had been sold for redevelopment and would be handed over to the owners on August 1.
Thursday, July 26, 1973
- 9 -
LADY MACLEHOSE OPENS ABT EXHIBITION
**«*#***»
The Seventh Children’s Art Exhibition presented by the Urban Council in the City Museum and Art Gallery was officially opened by Lady MacLehose this evening.
The exhibition will be open to public viewing as from tomorrow unti 1 September 2 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily, except on Thursday and Sunday mornings•
On display are a total of 265 pictures and three-dimensional craftworks of natural sceneries, selected from 6,500 entries submitted by children from 300 schools.
In her opening address, Lady MacLehose commended the Urban Council for organising the exhibition and said the central theme — ’’Discovering Nature51 ■ was well chosen and timely when the whole world was beginning to see its various environmental problems.
"Our children here are brought up in the concrete jungle of the city among the speed and bustle of traffic, and they may gradually become insensitive to the beauty of nature,” she said.
In choosing the theme, she added, the Urban Council had shown its concern with Hong Kong’s environment.
In his speech, the Chairman of the Urban Council, Mr. A. de 0 Sales, said the exhibition had two purposes — to emphasise the importance of art education in Hong Kong, and to attract young people to the City Hall so that they could learn to accept it as their cultural centre.
/Lady MacLehose ........
Thursday, July 26, 1973
- 10 -
Lady MacLehose presented 10 prizes to students who created the most distinguished works. Prizes were also presented to schools with the most outstanding resutls in the exhibition.
Note to Editors: Copies of the full text of Lady MacLehose’s
speech and that of Mr. A. de 0. Sales, in both English and Chinese, are boxed this evening.
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/11
Thursday, July 26, 1973
- 11 -
NEW PROCEDURES FOR RENEWING HAWKER LICENCES
«*'***»**
The Urban Council has revised its procedures for renewing hawker licences.
Under the new system, fixed pitch licences, including cooked food stalls, and itinerant hawker licences are renewable two months prior to their expiry date, and up to four months after their expiry.
A spokesman for the Urban Council said today that the period of grace for four months was to cater for such eventualities as illness or absence from Hong Kong.
"However," he stressed, "anyone who trades with an expired licence is liable to prosecution."
The spokesman urged hawkers to pay particular attention to the changes and comply with the deadlines applicable to the renewal of their licences.
Licences can be renewed between 9 a.m. and J p.m. on weekdays at the Hawker Record Offices in the Causeway Bay Magistracy; and the Urban Services Department, Sai Yee Street Depot, Kowloon.
Note to Editors: Copies of letters to the hawkers are boxed
separately.
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/12.........
Thursday, July 26, 197J
- 12 -
TECHNICAL INSTITUTE’S DAY COURSE
********
Fifteen full-time, one block release and 14 part-time day-release courses are being offered by the Morrison Hill Technical Institute for the 1973-7^ session beginning on September 5.
New students can apply for enrolment from tomorrow (Friday).
Application forms a're available from the Institute, 6 Oi Kwan Road, V/anchai.
Forms for full-time courses are also available from al1 City District Offices in Hong Kong and Kowloon and the Tsuen Wan District Office in the New Territories.
Completed forms should be returned to the Institute by August 18.
For block-release and part-time day-release courses, applicants should be engaged in work appropriate to the course for which they apply. They must be sponsored, and forms must be signed by their employers.
Tae tuition fee for full-time craft level courses and the junior clerks course is v120 a year while the fee for full-time courses at post-secondary level is 3400 a year, payable in 10 monthly instalments.
In addition there is a welfare fee of 315 a year and some additional expenditure on books, overalls and equipment.
Tiie fees for part-time day-release’ course's are 380 a year and 360 for the half-year (nominal) block release course. Both rates will be subject to review Students are advised that applications for part-time evening courses closed on I-lay 15 •
An announcement will be made in early September for the enrolment of new students for part-time evening short courses.
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Release time: 7.30 p.m.
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Friday, July 27, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
"Box junctions” will be introduced to relieve traffic congestion .................................................... 1
Mr. I.R. Price to be new Commissioner of Labour................. 3
Work will begin soon on the second phase of Kwai Shing estate................................................... • 4
Speedpost service introduced catering for commercial and industrial sectors............................................... 6
Ching Cheung Road to be extended................................. 8
1972-73 Legco session ends on August 1 •••••••••................. 9
Urban Council to provide improved facilities for off-street hawker bazaars ................................................. 10
New fire station in Yau Tong opened tomorrow ................... 11
Temporary closure of two flyovers in Mid-levels ••••••.......... 12
Fourteen prisons officers to receive letters of commendation. 1?
Prevention of Bribery bill published ......................... 14
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Friday, July 27, 1973
NEW TRAFFIC SYSTEM TO COMBAT CONGESTION *******
A nevz road system will be introduced by the government in a determined effort to try to sort out serious traffic congestion at a number of major intersections•
The system, known as box junctions, will be gradually introduced by the Transport Department following approval by the Governor in Council of certain amendments to the Road Traffic (Roads and Signs) Regulations*
These box junctions will be clearly identifiable by broad yellow criss-cross lines painted on the carriageway and warning traffic signs at the approaches.
In future it will be an offence for a motorist, without reasonable excuse, to drive his vehicle into the box junction unless there is a clear passageway for him to drive right through.
’’This means,” a government spokesman said today, ’’that even if the traffic lights are green, a motorist will be liable to prosecution if he drives into the box area and finds himself stranded in the middle of the junction when the lights change, because of a queue of vehicles in front of him.”
Explaining further, he said a motorist should not enter the box junction when the lights are green unless he is positive he can clear the junction before the lights change.
The aim of the new system is to prevent light-controlled and other road junctions becoming completely blocked with vehicles unable to move in any direction.
/Two other ..........
Friday, July 27, 1973
Two other amendments to the regulations have also been approved to reduce road danger.
With immediate effect it will be an offence for a motorist to al1nw any part of his vehicle to cross over continuous double white lines painted on the road surface.
However, there will be certain exceptions, such as conforming with
a direction given by a traffic sign or a uniformed police officer, or when it is necessary to avoid accidents.
In places where the double white line is continuous on one side,
but broken on the other, a motorist commits an offence if he crosses the continuous white line nearest to him. But he is permitted to cross over the broken white line, when it is nearest to him, provided it is safe to do so.
The other amendment closes loopholes which existed under the old
regulations dealing with certain powers of the Commissioner for Transport to prohibit specified vehicles from driving in designated zones, and restricting vehicles from picking up and setting down passengers or loading and unloading goods in certain zones at specified times.
A number of minor amendments to the Road Traffic (Registration and
Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations have also been approved. Up until now the law has required a licence disc to be displayed on a vehicle but has not specified that the disc must be a valid one. This has been put right.
The Commissioner for Transport is empowered by another amendment to
issue permits authorising the use of unregistered vehicles (including trailers) within construction sites and the precincts of Hong Kong airport.
ft
0 - -
Friday, July 27, 1973
- 3 -
MR. I.R. PRICE TC BE NEU COliMISSIONER OF LABOUR
*******
The Deputy Commissioner of Labour, Mr. I.R. Price, is to succeed
Mr. Paul K.C, Tsui as the Commissioner of Labour, who will be going on leave prior to retirement on September 1.
The promotion has been approved by the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs*
Mr. Price, aged 53i joined the Malayan civil service as an administrative officer in 19^7 after seven years of war service in France, Burma and Malaya.
Almost all his service from 19^7 until 1961 was with the Department of Labour and his last appointment was Commissioner for Labour in Malaya.
He retired in 19&1 under the terms of the Malayanisation scheme and became Executive Director of the Coffee Growers’ Association in Kenya.
In 1965 he joined the Labour Department in Hong Kong as a Senior Labour Officer. He was promoted to Assistant Commissioner in 1968 and to Deputy Commissioner in 1971.
Mr. Price was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Decoration (T.D.) in 1957 and was appointed an Official Justice of the Peace in 1971. He is married with no children.
Mr. Price has attended the last two conferences of the International Labour Organisation in Geneva as a technical adviser to the British government delegation.
Note to Editors: Copies of a photograph of Mr. Price
are boxed today.
A.............
- - 0 - -
Friday, July 27, 1973
MORE PEOPLE TO BE HOUSED AT KWAI SHING
*********
Homes for another 24,000 people are to be provided in the next phase of the Kwai Shing Estate in the New Territories — one of the largest to be built by the Public Works Department.
Work on the second stage of the estate will start in September this year and should be completed by mid-1976.
This stage will cost an estimated 344 million and involves the construction of another five multi-storey domestic blocks, ranging from seven to 22 storeys in height, and two primary estate schools.
It will comprise some 5,300 self-contained units, each with individual Izitchen and toilet facilities.
The second stage has been designed to form the commercial centre of the estate with most of the department stores, restaurants, cafos, modular markets, and a post office concentrated in one block.
Access to and from the shopping centre will be facilitated by a number of covered walkways and high-capacity lifts which will also link domestic bloclcs on different levels.
Accommodation will also be provided for welfare agencies and group activities, open and covered parking spaces, sitting out areas and recreation grounds, and bus terminal facilities.
Included in the scheme are two primary estate schools. These will be in addition to the four schools already provided in Stage I and another planned in Stage III.
/The first ......
Friday, July 27, 1973
- 5 -
The first stage of the estate was completed last year and provides accommodation for some 38,000 people in nine multi-storey blocks. The third and final stage of the estate will provide housing for another 15,000.
When fully completed, it will have a population of some 77?000.
Tenders for construction of the second stage are invited in a notice published in today’s gazette. The closing date is noon on Friday, August 24.
Note to Editors:
Copies of a photograph of a model of the
estate are boxed this evening
Friday, July 27, 1973
- 6 -
POST OFFICE INTRODUCES SPECIAL SERVICE FOR COMMERCIAL
AND INDUSTRIAL SECTION
* * * * ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The Post Office will introduce a new faster postal service from September especially for the commercial and industrial sector in Hong Kong.
Known as speedpost, it is a door to door international package collection and delivery service. Times of collection and delivery are specified and agreed to by the customer, utilising predetermined flights and the integrity and resources of the distant Postal Administration.
Initially the service will operate between Hong Kong and most places in the United Kingdom.
However, plans are in hand to extend it to certain parts of the United States, to be followed by service to other countries when agreement has been reached with the Postal Administrations concerned.
Speedpost is designed to meet the needs of the modern age where there is a requirement for information and data to be conveyed regularly and urgently.
Those who will benefit from the advantages of the new service will include banks, insurance companies, department stores, shipping lines, importers and exporters.
The charges for the service are negotiated individually with each customer depending on weight, destination, frequency and timings of collection and delivery, and they are arranged on the basis of a contract.
/As a .......
Friday, July 27, 1973
As a guide, the following is the basis on which the charges are calculated.
•For collection from an accessible point in Hong Kong or Kowloon, 8100 will be charged for the first pound, and 815 a pound thereafter for delivery to a place in Britain.
ixie main feature of speedpcet is-its speed and reliability* In fact, a parcel collected in Hong Kong at 6 p*m« can be delivered in central London around noon the following day.
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/3.........
Friday, July 27, 1975
- 8 -
CHING CHEUNG ROAD EXTENSION
**********
Ching Cheung Road in Kowloon is to be extended by about 4,500 feet as part of the Kowloon foothills road corridor scheme which will link the industrial towns of Kwai Chung and Kwun Tong via a super highway by 1975-
At present, it is being widened to a dual two-lane carriageway and work is expected to start within the next few weeks on extending the road from its junction with Castle Peak Road, round Lai Chi Kok Bay, to join Kwai Chung Road near the western end of the Lai Chi Kok Bay bridge.
The project will cost an estimated 521 million.
The new Ching Cheung Road will also have dual two-lane carriageways with continuous pedestrian footways. Part of the road will consist of an overpass over Lai Wan Road, while another section will run on an embankment across the \iead of Lai Chi Kok Bay.
The present grade-separated interchange joining Ching Cheung Road with Castle Peak Road will be modified to allow for the continuation of all present traffic movements together with uninterrupted traffic flow on the new route.
At the other end of the new road, a section of Kwai Chung Road itself will be widened to provide a collector-distributor road on each side.
When completed the new road will form the westernmost □action of the Kowloon foothills road corridor now under construction.
/The road
Friday, July 27, 1973
The road extension project will take about 26 months to complete.
The work lias been designed by a firm of Consulting Engineers, Maunsell Consultants Asia, on behalf of the Public Works Department and they will also supervise the construction.
Tenders for the project are invited in a notice published in today’s gazette.
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1972-73 LEGCO SESSION ENDS ON AUGUST 1
***«»*»**»
The current session of the Legislative Council will end after the next meeting on Wednesday (August 1).
A notice to this effect is published in today’s gazette.
The 1973-74 session is due to be opened by the Governor, Sir
Murray liacLehose, on October 17-
During the current session 75 bills have so far been passed? compared with a total of 84 for the entire 1971-72 session.
The most significant change in the proceedings of the Legislative Council for some years came about in the present session with the introduction of simultaneous interpretation.
Kot only did this enable members to speak in either English or Cantonese; it opened up the meetings to more people interested in listening to the proceedings from the public gallery.
During the year, the membership of the council increased to its present total of 30 members — the largest in the council’s history.
0 - -
/10
Friday, July 27, 1973
- 10 -j
PROPER FACILITIES FOR HAWKERS «$«*«**
A 2300,000 plan to provide proper facilities in off-street hawker
bazaars has been approved by the Urban Council*
Ihe purpose of the new council policy is to enable stallholders to trade in clean and hygienic surroundings and, as one Councillor put it, ”to trade with dignity#”
First to benefit from this scheme are eight bazaars, all with a
life expectancy of one year or more,
'•’They will be provided with water, electricity, proper drainage and other facilities essential to their trade in spite of their temporary
nature,” an Urban Council spokesman said.
The bazaars are at Tai Kok Tsui, Kwun Chung Street, Hamner Hill
Road, Yee On Street, Shui Wo Street, Hip Wo Street, Hing Wah and Wong Nei Chong Streets.
Work on the Shui Wo Street bazaar, one of the biggest bazaars in Kwun Tong, will start soon and is expected to be completed in early 197^* It is noted that in many cases, hawkers need water to wash their stalls and the space around it as well as for their goods.
The Council has also noted that many stalls which use oil lamps, or tap electricity illegally from nearby houses, are fire risks and that proper installation of electric wiring will help eliminate this hazard.
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/11 .........
Friday, July 27, 1973
- 11 -
OPENING OF NEW FIRE STATION
********
The new satellite fire station at Yau Tong in Kowloon will be officially opened tomorrow (Saturday) by the newly-appointed Secretary for Security, Mr. G.P. Lloyd.
The 11-storey station is the ninth of its type built under the Fire Services Department’s expansion programme to provide increased fire cover to rapidly developing areas.
The Yau Tong fire station provides covered parking spaces for four fire appliances on the ground floor, while the upper floors are reserved for living quarters.
Located at the junction of Ko Fai Road and Cha Kwo Ling Road, it will be responsible for most of the major industrial and commercial concerns in the area including Lei Yue Mun, Cha Kwo Ling and Yau Tong.
Also attending tomorrow’s ceremony will be Mr. F.M. Watson, the acting Director of Fire Services.
Note to Editors: You are welcome to cover the opening
ceremony which will begin at 10.JO a.m.
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/12...........
Friday, July 27, 1973
- 12 -
TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF FLYOVERS
*********
Temporary traffic arrangements will be imposed on two flyovers in the mid-levels area on Sunday (July 29) to facilitate resurfacing work.
The one-way flyover connecting Cotton Tree Drive to Upper Albert Road will be closed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
All vehicles, including bus route No. 4 express and tunnel bus route No. 103, will be diverted via Kennedy Road and then onto the Kennedy Road/Upper Albert Road flyover.
From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., the two-way Kennedy Road/Upper Albert Road flyover will be open to one-way westbound traffic only.
Traffic from Upper Albert Road going to Kennedy Road will travel by the slip road to Garden Road and then via the slip road, adjacent to the Lower Peal: Tram concourse, to Cotton Tree Drive and Kennedy Road.
Appropriate traffic signs will be posted to guide motorists.
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/V...........
Friday, July 27, 1973
- 13 -
PRISONS OFFICERS RECEIVE LETTERS OF COMMENDATION
The Commissioner of Prisons, Mr. T.G. Garner will present letters of commendation and appreciation to 14 prisons officers for their outstanding service in coping with the disturbances at the Stanley Prison on April 20 this year.
The presentation will take place tomorrow (Saturday) at 12.00 noon at the Staff Training Institute, Stanley.
Of the 14 recipients7 four will receive the Governor’s commendation. The rest will be presented with letters of appreciation from the Colonial Secretary.
Note to Editors: You are invited to send a reporter and/or
photographer to cover the ceremony, Transport will be provided. A Prisons Department vehicle will leave Queen’s Pier, Edinburgh Place at 10.45 a.m. for Stanley. G.I.S. representatives and a Prisons Depart mt ison officer will ce on hand to assist the press.
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/14
Friday, July 27, 1973
- 14 -
PREVENTION OF BRIBERY BILL ***********
A bill giving effect to two of the recommendations in the Commission of Inquiry’s report was published in the gazette today for general information.
Under the bill, it will no longer be necessary for the Attorney General to give a person an opportunity to make representations before consenting to the institution of a prosecution against him for an offence against section 10 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The bill also introduces a new section into the ordinance which empowers a magistrate, on application by the Director of the Anti-Corruption Office, to issue a written notice requiring a person, who is the subject of investigation under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, to surrender his travel documents.
If the person does not surrender them immediately the notice is served, he may be arrested and taken before a magistrate.
It is expected that all three readings of the bill will be taken at the Legislative Council on Wednesday.
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n.qprse 7.30 p.m.
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Saturday, July 28, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Secretary for Security says fire prevention is a community responsibility • •....................................... 1
Top priority will be given to applications for legal aid from victims of the recent bus accident on Lantau Island .. J
Youth leaders entertained by the Governor and Lady MacLehose ................................................ ... 4
Proficiency awards for first learn-to-swim participants,,,, 5
New traffic arrangements in Yuen Long and Yau Yat Tsuen ... 6
Water cut in Tsim Sha Tsui ................................. 6
Thirty—seven members of Compensation Boards appointed by Governor..................................... ••••••••••• 7
There will be an issue of Daily Information Bulletin on Sunday ..................................................... 8
Promotion for fourth government lottery.............. 9
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Saturday, July 28, 1973
1
FIRE PREVENTION A COM!-UNITY RESPONSIBILITY ♦ * »r*»***«t
The Secretary for Security, Mr. P.G. Lloyd, today (Saturday) emphasised that fire prevention was the responsibility of every member of the community.
Speaking at the opening of the new Yau Tong ’satellite’ fire station in Kowloon, he said fires were not a natural phenomenon. "They result from human failings. Carelessness, selfishness and disregard for the safety of others are the principal causes."
In Hong Kong, he added, the dangers were so much greater because of its crowded, multi-storey environment. Everyone was therefore duty bound to ensure that fire hazards were cleared, employees instructed in fire drill and children educated to the risks and measures to be taken in the event of fire.
Hr. Lloyd noted that fire losses in Hong Kong, like in other cities, had grown "enormously" over the past few years, but he was convinced that the losses would have been far greater had it not oeen for the expertise and professionalism of the Fire Services which he described as "one of the finest in the world."
"It trains officers from other fire brigades overseas as well as many civilian bodies, and its training school at Pat Heung in the New Territories is certainly the best in Asia," he said.
Mr. Lloyd said the new satellite fire station at Yau Tong was typical of the government’s new approach t- the problem of fire control in densely populated urban areas.
/"This approach
4
Saturday, July 28, 1973
- 2 -
T!This approach has been adopted because of the need for rapid access to the scene of a blaze despite the complexities of traffic congestion.,r
By siting satellite stations around the perimeter of large residential and industrial developments, he explained, prompt response from different directions could be ensured.
More such stations, as well as large divisional stations, were either being planned or already in the building programme, he added.
The Yau Tong fire station is the ninth of its type built under the Fire Services Department’s expansion programme to provide increased fire cover to rapidly developing areas.
It provides covered parking spaces for four fire appliances on the ground floor, while the upper floors are reserved for living quarters.
Located at the junction of Ko Fai Road and Cha Kwo Ling Road, it will be responsible for most of the major industrial and commercial concerns in the area including Lei Yue Mun, Cha Kwo Ling and Yau Tong.
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/3.........
Saturday, July 28, 1973
- 3 -
LEGAL AID FOR LANTAU BUS ACCIDENT VICTIMS
*******
The Legal Aid Department will give top priority to processing applications for legal aid in connection with possible claims for compensation by or on behalf of victims of the recent tragic Lantau bus disaster, the acting Director of Legal Aid, Mr. T.L. von Pokorny said today.
Applications for legal aid should be made by completing the necessary forms obtainable from the Legal Aid Department offices at Victoria District Court Building, Battery Path, or at the branch office, Rooms 702-705 DfAguilar Place, 7th floor, DfAguilar Street, Central, or at any City District Office.
Applicants for legal aid would be required to attend for interview by professional officers of the Department.
If for any reason, it was impracticable ffor an applicant to attend personally for interview he could authorise in writing some relative or other responsible person to apply on his behalf.
Mr. Pokorny added that legal aid would be granted to all those who were financially eligible to receive it and who could show that they had reasonable grounds for bringing proceedings to claim compensation.
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Saturday, July 28, 1973
- -
GOVERNOR AND LADY MACLEHOSE ENTERTAIN
SUMMER YOUTH LEADERS
*******
Twenty-one young people who have been busily working in connection with the summer youth programme took time off yesterday (Friday) to be guests of the Governor and Lady MacLehose.
Their unusual day out included lunch and swimming at the Governor’s Fanling Lodge, and a three-hour walk through the scenic and unspoilt recreational areas of Sha Tau Kok peninsula.
The outing was specially arranged to enable Sir Murray to personally thank the group for their contribution to the welfare of thousands of youngsters in Hong Kong through the summer youth activities.
The group, representing a wide cross-section of young people aged between 16 and 21, included university students, voluntary workers, school students, and boy scouts and girl guides.
Their own ’’summer programme” began at the Kowloon Public Pier yesterday morning when they travelled in a coach to Fanling Lodge, whore they were greeted by Sir Murray and Lady MacLehose.
After being treated to lunch they spent some time in the swimming pool at tiie Governor’s Lodge.
Accompanied by Sir Murray and Lady MacLehose, they later set off for the Sha Tau Kok peninsula for the afternoon walk.
Some of the party had not been to this part of the New Territories before; they commented afterwards on the fact that people living in urban areas are indeed fortunate to have such good country for weekend walking.
The informal and friendly atmosphere, the fresh air in the countryside and a bright sky after days of rain made it a perfeet and enjoyable day for every member of the party.
•.O'tQ. A°. Editors: Copies of a photograph on the outing are boxed this evening.
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Saturday, July 28, 197J
- 5 -
PRESENTATION OF PROFICIENCY AWARDS
********
The Urban Council’s first series of learn-to-swim courses has now ended and a presentation of proficiency awards will be held at Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool tomorrow (Sunday).
Mr. Peter P.K. Ng, Chairman of the Entertainment and Advertising Select Committee of the Urban Council, will present the awards to successful candidates.
Attendance certificates will also be issued to all those who completed the courses.
The presentation will be followed by a demonstration of four swimming strokes — the crawl, breast stroke, back stroke and butterfly. A commentary on each will be given by an inspector of the Education Department.
The highlight of the day will be a freestyle relay race. Eight teams from the beginners swimming course from the Lei Cheng Uk, Kwun Tong, Kowloon Tsai and Victoria Park swimming pools will participate.
Prizes will be presented to the winning teams after the competition.
Note to Editors: You are invited to cover the ceremony.
It will begin at 6 p.m.
/6..........
Saturday, July 28, 1973
6 -
NEW TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS IN YUEN LONG «**♦***♦* / / 1
In order to make way for a temporary hawker bazaar, the section of Pau Cheung Street south of Fuk Tak Street in Yuen Long will be closed to all vehicular traffic for about four months as from 10 a.m. on July 30 (Monday)•
The closed section will be used to accommodate hawkers during the construction of a new market at Pau Cheung Street.
New traffic arrangements will also be introduced in Yau Yat Tsuen to improve traffic flow in the area.
Starting from 10 a.m. on July 31, Tseuk Kiu Street will be re-routed one way from Fa Po Street to Tat Chee Avenue and Fa Po Street will be re-routed one-way from Tat Chee Avenue'to Tseuk Kiu Street.
Traffic signs will be posted to guide motorists.
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WATER CUT
**««**'....
Water supply to a number of premises in Tsim Sha Tsui district will be interrupted from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Tuesday (July 31) to allow a leakage test to be carried out.
The area affected is bounded by Austin Road, Chatham Road, Austin Avenue, Hillwood Road and a section of Nathan Road betvzeen Haiphong Road and Austin Road.
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Saturday, July 28, 1973
MEMBERS OF COMPENSATION BOARDS APPOINTED
The government has announced the formal appointment by the Governor of J7 members of the Criminal and Lav/ Enforcement Injuries Compensation Boards for two years with effect from June 19, 1973.
The members, all unofficials, represent a wide variety of professions and include lawyers, doctors, social workers, businessmen and community leaders.
Also announced were the appointments of Mr. Oswald Cheung as
Chairman of the Boards and Mr. W.I. Cheung as acting Chairman during his absence.
The Boards have actually been functioning since June 1 when the scheme to compensate victims of crimes of violence was implemented.
The Boards are responsible for the administration of the scheme and are served by s secretariat at the Social Welfare Department. Members will take turns to serve on the Boards to consider claims for compensation. They will also hear appeals.
Commenting on the composition of the Boards, Mr. Stephen Chau, Principal Social Welfare Officer (Accident Compensation) said: "It is the pride of Hong Kong to have such a big but effective group to serve the community on an entirely voluntary basis.
’T?his is unique when compared with similar schemes in other countries,” he said.
Hr. Chau, who is also the Secretary to the Boards, revealed that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board has been meeting weekly to consider ^claims %
/He emphasised ••••••
Saturday, July 28, 1973
- 8 -
He emphasised- the need for more people to be aware and make use of the compensation scheme.
The scheme is non-means tested which means that anyone, rich or poor, can claim compensation for any personal injuries, disability or fatality resulting from a violent crime, preventing a crime or the use of weapon by a law enforcement officer in the execution of his duty.
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SUNDAY D.I.B.
**********
Note to Editors: There will be an issue of the Daily Information
Bulletin tomorrow (Sunday). Copies will be available for collection at the G.I.S. Press room, 6th floor, Beaconsfield House, at 2.30 p.m.
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/9.........
Saturday, July 28 , 1973
- 9 -
PROMOTION FOR FOURTH GOVERNMENT LOTTERY
**********
Four well-known personalities from Commercial Radio will sell government lottery tickets at a temporary ticket selling booth in Statue Square on Monday (July 30) between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
They are Miss Leung Siu-yung, Miss Yan Wai-yee, Miss Conita Chan Hoi-see and Miss Wan Fong-ling.
At the same time, another four oeoedians of Commercial Radio will give a performance on an open-air stage next to the selling booth to help promote the sale of lottery ticket*.
The winning numbers for the fourth government lottery this year will be drawn by the four personalities on August 4, at the City Hall Concert Hall.
By 12.00 noon today a total of 500,000 tickets had been sold. Sales will close at 9*00 p.m. on Friday (August 3) at the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club ticket booth at the Star Ferry Concourse and all Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry piers.
Note to Editors: You are invited to send a reporter and/or
photographer to cover the event on Monday afternoon at Statue Square, next to the Prince’s Building.
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Release, 'time: 2.30 p.m.
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Sunday, July 29, 1973
LOCAL PIHLAi4THR0PIST DONATES 85 MILLION TO COMMUNITY PROJECTS *«*****»»«
A prominent Chinese resident in Hong Kong has donated 35 million to the government and collected another $500,000 from his friends, for the purpose of helping various medical and social projects.
Half of the amount, 82.5 million, will be contributed to the building fund of a centre for the Hong Kong Council of Social Service which will also house the Federation of Medical Societies, the World Health Foundation and other organisations.
The $500,000 from the donor’s friends is to meet the cost of an assembly nail in the building, to be named after Lady Trench, wife of the former Governor, Sir David Trench.
Two medical projects will receive 81 million and $1.5 mi 11 -i nn respectively, namely a .specialist clinic situated in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island, and a Dental Centre which is now under consideration by the government.
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Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Sunday, July 29, 1973
- 2 -
ABERDEEN RECLAMATION SCHEME
*********
The government intends to reclaim an area of about 10 acres of foreshore and seabed off Ap Lei Chau along the Aberdeen Channel.
This will form part of the Aberdeen reclamation scheme which involves the proposed reclamation of M acres of land along Aberdeen harbour and Aberdeen Channel in accordance with an outline zoning plan for the district.
On completion, the reclamation will provide 26 sites for some of those existing boat yards which will be displaced when later stages of the Aberdeen reclamation scheme are implemented. A timber yard will also be provided.
The extent of the area to be reclaimed off Ap Lei Chau is described in detail in a notification published in yesterday’s Gazette which calls upon any person who wishes to object or claim any private right to do so in the manner stated in the notification.
The notification, both in English and Chinese, can also be seen on notice boards posted on the site.
0 - -
Release time: 2.^0 p.m
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Monday, July JO, 197 J
CONTENTS
Page No.
Record trade figures achieved in June ............... 1
Urban Council assures public that water at local beaches is safe for swimming ••••••........................................ j
Water cut in Happy Valley ................................. • 4
One fatal case of measles reported in June ............... 5
Refund date for 1J-cent receipt stamps extended ••••••••••••• 6
Road in High Island works area to be closed.................. 7
Urban Council ward offices moved »•••••••••••••«•••••........ 8
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong.Tel: 5-233191
Monday, July JO, 197 J
HIGHEST TRADE FIGURES EVER RECORDED
**********
The highest monthly trade figures ever recorded in Hong Kong were achieved in June, according to provisional trade statistics published today by the Census and Statistics' Department,
Domestic exports were valued at S1,6J7 million — an increase of 2J.7 per cent or <5J1J million over June last year.
Imports, valued at 32,j82 million, also increased by 2J.7 per cent or .J4J7 million, while re-exports jumped by 4j.6 per cent or 3*162 million to a total value of 3J17 million.
For the first six months of thi'^year XJanuary to June) there have been increases over the same period in 1972 of 17 per cent for domestic exports, J8.8 per cent for re-exports., and 19*9 per cent for imports.
Commenting on the latest figures, Mr. M.D. Sargant, Assistant Director of Commerce and Industry said that even discounting the effect of inflationary movements and currency uncertainties, they illustrate the resilience and strength of the economy.
4’They are a tribute to the enterprise and hard work of our industrialists, merchants and workers,” he added.
Details of the provisional trade statistics for June are:
/MERCHANDISE: ......
Monday, July JO, 197J
- 2 -
MERCHANDISE: Domestic Exports : 31,637 million
Imports : 32, 382 million
• Re-exports : 3 517 million
COMPARATIVE FIGURES June 1973 June 1972 Increase or decrease
i Mn. 5 Mn. 3 Mn. %
Domestic Exports 1.637 1,324 + 313 + 23.7
Imports 2,382 1,925 + 457 + 23.7
Re-exports 517 355 + 162 + 45.6
AprilwJune - 1?73 April-June - 1972 Increase or decrease
3 Mn. 3 Mn. I Mn. %
Domestic Exports 4,408 3,676 + 732 + 19.9
Imports 6,656 5,534 +1,122 + 20.3
Re-exports 1.350 945 + 405 + 42.9
Jan.-June -1973 Jan.-June 1972 Increase or decrease
3 Mn. i Mn. 3 Mn. %
Domestic Exports 8,177 6,987 +1,190 + 17.0
Imports 12,364 10,308 +2,055 + 19.9
Re-exports 2,527 1,820 + 707 + 38.8
Monday, July 30, 1973
- 3 -
BEACHES SAFE FOR SWIMMING
*»«#»*****
The Urban Council today assured bathers that the water at Hong Kong’s beaches, including Shek 0, was not dangerous to swim in, although it was desirable to have a lower*coliform count.
The Chairman of the Council’s Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, Dr. Denny Huang, said: ’’Coliform is hot a disease-causing bacteria and there is no accepted United Nations safety level that we know about.”
Dr. Huang, who was commenting on newspaper reports of ’’pollution” at Hong Kong’s beaches explained that some countries did set down so-called safety levels, while others did not.
In the United Kingdom, for instance, there was no such level because it was most difficult and impractical to have one.
However, Dr. Huang said that Hong Kong’s sewage should be properly treated before being discharged into the sea. The present system was certainly not in keeping with a modern city.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Director (Hygiene) of the Urban Services Department, Dr. S.W. Fung, pointed out that there was sharp fluctuation in the coliform count in the water at the beaches due mainly to tidal currents and constant movement in the water.
He said that if the count was constantly at a high level, or the water stagnant, then it might be a different matter , as in the case of Lai Chi Kok Beach which the authorities have closed.
/He said
Monday, July 30, 1973
- 4 -
He said that samples of water were taken from the beaches fortnightly and examined in government laboratories.
He confirmed that coliform organisms do not cause any one specific disease such as typhoid, cholera or polio.
A committee, EPCOM, was looking into the question of pollution at Hong Kong’s beaches and elsewhere, and studying ways of reducing, the sources of pollution.
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WATER CUT IN HAPPY VALLEY
Water supply to a number of premises in Happy Valley on Hong Kong Island will be interrupted for five hours on Wednesday (August 1) starting from 1 a.m.
The temporary interruption is to enable the Waterworks Office to carry out night leakage tests.
The area affected is bounded by the east side of Shan Kwong Road, Wongneichong Road, Blue Pool Road, Holly Road, Hawthorn Road, Sing Woo Road, and Tsui Man Street, including Mui Hing Street and Kwai Fong Street.
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/5........
Monday, July JO, 197 J
- 5 -
HEALTH REPORT FOR JUNE
**********
Sixty-seven cases of measles, and one death, were reported during June, according to the monthly health statistics released today by the Medical and Health Department.
The fatality brought the number of deaths caused by measles so far this year to five, one for every month since February.
•"Although the rate of incidence of measles remains relatively low, the five fatal cases in the last five months illustrate the need for early immunisation of susceptible children," a spokesman said. "Free inoculations are available at all maternal and child health centres."
Notifications of infectious diseases during June totalled 895« with 97 deaths. Tuberculosis accounted for 94 of the latter, cArehospnnal meningitis for one, and typhoid fever for the other.
Reports of bacillary dysentery fell from 48 in May to 2J, chickenpox from 26 to 11, and amoebiasis from five to three.
There were no reports of either diphtheria or poliomyelitis, and no appreciable variation occurred in the notifications of other infectious diseases.
Hong Kong remained free from cholera and other quarantinable diseases during the month.
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/6..........
Monday, July 50, 1973
- 6 -
REFUND DATE EXTENDED
*««*«*«
The deadline for claims for refunds in respect of unused 15 cent receipt stamps is being extended until September 29.
Claims may now be made for cash refunds in respect of unmarked stamps of face value not exceeding $300 at the G.P»O., Kowloon Central and Tsim Sha Tsui post offices from Wednesday (August 1).
Refunds exceeding $300 may only be obtained on application to the Accounts Division, Post Office Headquarters, G.P,O., Pedder Street, Hong Kong
Claims should similarly be addressed to the Accounts Division, Post Office Headquarters in all cases where stamps have been chopped or overprinted by the holder for the purposes of security or identification.
The refund resulted from recent amendments to the Stamp Ordinance, which included the abolition of 15-cent stamp duty on receipts.
- ~ - 0--------
/7........
Monday, July 30, 1973
- 7 -
ROAD IN HIGH ISLAND WORKS AREA TO BE CLOSED
Another access road in connection with the High Island Water Scheme will be closed to all vehicular traffic with effect from Wednesday (August 1).
The affected road is the access road to Intake HNn which lies to the north-west of Sai Kung town.
Residents in the Sai Kung and Tai Po districts wishing to use the road may apply for permits from the Transport Department through their respective district offices.
All other drivers should apply direct to the Transport Department headquarters at Blake Block, Queensway, Hong Kong.
The district offices of Sai Kung and Tai Po will be authorised to issue permits valid for one day only to motorists requiring occasional access to premises via the restricted road.
Three roads in the New Territories were closed last December in connection with the works of the High Island Water Scheme.
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/8..........
Monday, July 30, 1973
WARD OFFICES MOVE TO NEW ADDRESSES
********
The Urban Council’s two ward offices at Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong have moved.
The new premises are situated nearby, but are larger and better able to cope with the increasing number of callers from two of Kowloon’s most crowded districts.
A spokesman for the Urban Council today reminded people that the ward offices were there to help them.
Residents with questions and problems are urged to discuss them at first hand with the councillors, the spokesman added.
’’Ward clerks, who are on the telephone, will make arrangements for such meetings.”
The following are the new addresses, the ward clerks and their telephone numbers and the councillors attending them:
New Address New Ward -Clerk Urban Councillor
Lok Fu Estate, ** Mr. Chiu Hung-fun Mrs. E. Elliott
(Tel. 3-376611)
Block 13, Room G/F, Kowloon
San Po Kong Govt. Offices
Building, Room 330, 3/F,
Mr. Ng Yau-shing - ('Tel. 3-253151)
Mr. Alex S.C. Wu
Kowloon.
Kwun Tong Health Office, Kwun Tong Govt. Branch
Mr. Chow Joe-in
(Tel. 3-891927)
Mr. Ambrose K.C. Qioi
Mr. Wong Shiu-cheuck, M.B.E,
Offices Building, Tung Yan Street, 5/F, Kowloon.
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Release Time: 7*00 p.m
PRH 7
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN
Tuesday, July J1, 1973
CONTENTS
Page No.
Queen honours firemen, police inspector and civilian for gallantry in last year’s Kotewall Road house collapse..................... 1
Report on 1C^-year medical development programme being studied*. 4
Second manpower survey of printing industry.......*......••••♦» 5
Concerted efforts of both employers and workers needed to achieve
industrial safety • ••...................• •••*............. * 6
Craftsmen have to be re—trained to keep pace with industrial development ................................................. 7
Minimum educational standards necessary when a ppi yi ng for registration as pharmacist...........• * . ................... 9
Urbco Secretary retiring after 25 years in government service*. 10
Four-day training course for potential youth leaders........... 11
New mobile registration vans to serve the New Territories..... 12
Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191
Tuesday, July J1, 1973
EMBARGO Note to Editors: The following announcement is being
made simultaneously in London tonight. Publication is permitted in Hong Kong newspapers tomorrow (Wednesday) morning but no news agencies or overseas radio transmissions of the announcement may carry the information without the embargo qualification.
The news may be broadcast from 7 a.m. onwards over the local radio and TV stations tomorrow.
On no account should the recipients be contacted for interviews or for information relative to his career or be approached in any way in connection with the award before this has been publicly announced.
QUEEN HONOURS FIREMEN, POLICE INSPECTOR AND CIVILIAN FOR GALLANTRY
IN LAST YEAR’S KOTE7/ALL ROAD HOUSE COLLAPSE
***********♦
Nine fire officers, a senior police inspector and a civilian engineer have been honoured by Her Majesty the Queen for gallantry while tailing part in rescue operations at the scene of the Kotewall Road house collapse in June last year.
The firemen were involved in digging a tunnel in an attempt to free a person trapped under hundreds of tons of debris on June 19.
During the rescue operation, it was only possible to work in teams of two with hand equipment to dig an unshored tunnel of about two feet in diameter and about JO feet in length.
/Throughout
Tuesday, July 31, 1973
- 2 -
Throughout there was an imminent danger of possible earth movement and further landslides.
The rescue teams were only able to continue for short periods at a time due to the immense physical exertion. The whole operation lasted 13 hours during which all of them were exposed to extreme danger.
Awarded the George Medal was Mr. Leung Shiu-kay, Station Fire Officer, who spent a total of seven-and-a-half hours in tunnelling work, despite grave personal danger. He displayed courage of a very high order with complete, disregard to his own personal safety.
Mr. A.S. Conway, Divisional Officer, and Mr. Ng Kam-hung, Principal Fireman, have been awarded the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry.
It was Mr. Conway who located the trapped person and organised the initial tunnelling for his rescue. He worked continuously for six—and—a— half hours until he was ordered to rest by his superior. His exemplary conduct was an inspiration to all those engaged in the rescue.
Mr. Ng displayed courage and gallantry throughout the five hours he spent tunnelling despite the grave risks involved.
Her Majesty has also approved the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct to six other firemen involved in the operation.
They are: Mr. Cheung Shu-shing, Divisional Officer, i-ir. J.D. Moran Assistant Divisional Officer, Mr. Tsui Hin-kwing, Station Officer, Kong Kim, Principal Fireman, Mr. Hung Sui-to and Mr. Li Chuon, both firemen.
All displayed groat courage and worked for considerable lengths of timo to help make the tunnel possible.
The Queen’s Commendation also goes to Senior Inspector G.S. Shirra, and Mr. T.A. Berrecloth, a civil engineer.
Insp. Shirra was off-duty at home in Park Road near the Kotewall Road disaster site at about 9 p.m. when he heard sirens and noises outside.
/After • ........
Tuesday, July 31, 1973
- 3 -
After learning of the house collapse, he rushed to the scene where, together with firemen, he rescued a Chinese woman who was trapped under concrete and rubble.
At this time, he heard a European boy shouting for help nearby. The boy was trapped under a mass of debris and Insp. Shirra promptly sent for assistance and rescue equipment.
The boy was eventually extricated after more than two hours of effort by the inspector and other rescue workers.
Mr. Berrecloth, a civil engineer not in government service, has previous experience of rescue work.
He went to the scene voluntarily on the evening of June 18 soon after he heard about the Kotewall Road disaster at 9 p*m*
Undeterred by the obvious unstable state of the ruins and the threat of further landslides, he searched around in the debris trying to locate likely places to gain access to survivors.
He was instrumental in locating two women and in assisting firemen in getting them out alive.
Like the others, he acted courageously with complete disregard for his own safety for six hours at the scene.
Judge T.L. Yang, who chaired the subsequent Commission of Inquiry into the disaster, commented after hearing Mr. Berrecloth’s evidence: ”He is a gentleman who merits very high commendation.*.....I hope the
authorities concerned will make public recognition of this heroic deed on the part of Mr. Berrecloth.”
Note to Editors: Copies of photographs of the recipients are
distributed separately in the G.I.S. press boxes this (Tuesday) evening.
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I
Tuesday, July J1, 1973
- 4 -
REPORT ON FUTURE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT BEING STUDIED
********
The report of the Medical Development Advisory Committee on the improvement and expansion of medical and health services in Hong Kong over the next 10 years has been completed, and is now being studied by the government.
The chairman, Dr. Sir Albert Rodrigues, signed and submitted the report to the Governor before the July 31 deadline set by Sir Murray MacLehose himself when he appointed the committee at the end of March this year.
The committee’s terms of reference are: ”To keep under continuous review and to advise on the development and phased implementation of medical and health services in Hong Kong, having regard to all factors which would determine the prbgress of expansion — including financial, the rate of building construction, the availability of qualified staff, and the principles of subvention.”
Commenting on the report, Sir Albert said today: ’’Submission of the report embodying our proposals is not the end of the committee’s work. We have adhered to our deadline, but many aspects of medical and health development in the next decade upon which we have touched will have to be reviewed, and if necessary revised, as time goes on.”
The recommendations take account of immediate and future requirements of the community on matters affecting medical and health. Full details will be published in a few weeks for public information and comment.
The report itself is expected to be tabled early in the next session of the Legislative Council beginning on October 17» ------------------------------------0---------
/5........
Tuesday, July 3% 1973
- 5 -
SECOND MANPOWER SURVEY OF PRINTING INDUSTRY
*«***«»
A major survey of Hong Kong’s printing industry will be carried out between August 15 to September 11.
The survey - the second of its kind - will be conducted by the Printing Industrial Committee of the Industrial Training Advisory Committee, with the assistance of the Labour Department and the Census and Statistics Department.
Questionnaires and explanatory letters in both English and Chinese were sent today to the 473 establishments selected by random stratified sampling.
•The information which employers are requested to supply includes: the number of workers presently employed; the number of workers currently undqr training; the number of existing vacancies; and a forecast of the number of workers required by 1974.
Survey Interviewing Officers of the Census and Statistics Department will visit each of the establishments concerned during the period of the survey to help employers to complete the questionnairea
The Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Au-Yeung Man-fcak, emphasised that the information collected would be handled in strict confidence and would be published only in the form of statistical summaries without reference to any individual establishment.
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/6..........
Tuesday, July 51, 1975
- 6 -
EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS URGED TO STRIVE FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY *******
Three workers were killed and 366 injured last month in accidents on construction sites, according to figures released today by the Labour Department,
The Industrial Safety Training Officer of the Labour Department, Mr, Chan Wing-kai, said that nearly half the victims were injured when tripping over objects, being struck by falling objects or falling from heights, "This is unfortunately the usual pattern of accidents in the construction industry," he said,
Mr, Chan said that in a bid to reduce the present soaring number of accidents in the construction industry, the government was about to introduce legislation to prescribe strict safety measures on construction sites. However, legislation alone could not solve the problem, he added.
What was required was the concerted effort of both managements and workers to work towards the goal of industrial safety.
He said many accidents could have been avoided had managements resorted to some basic precautionary measures,
Workers, on the other hand, should also play an active role in the promotion of industrial safety. They should be aware not only of the need to protect themselves, but of the need to protect other workers in the vicinity, Mr, Chan said*
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/7..........
Tuesday, July J1, 1973
RE-TRAINING FOR TRAINED CRAFTSMEN
*******
The need for trained craftsmen to be retrained to keep pace with industrial development and changing modern techniques was stressed today by the Deputy Director of Education (Technical), Mr. Andrew J. Kingwell.
Speaking at the Kwun Tong Vocational Training Centre graduation ceremony, Mr. Kingwell said: "Many of you who are graduates today will find it necessary to be retrained several times before you retire.”
He added: ’’Even if by some magic you have at any tine learnt all there is to know about your particular trade, this state will not last for long in the rapidly changing society in which you live.”
Referring to the expansion programme for post-primary education in Hong Kong, the Deputy Director said that perhaps one of the most important aspects was planning for technical education.
’’The number and proportion of secondary technical schools will be A
increased and a new curriculum devised so that the graduates of these secondary technical schools will be able to follow higher studies on equal terms with graduates from grammar schools and will be able to pursue successfully careers in a modern industrial society,” he said..
”There will also be three-year technical courses in pre-vocational schools and for those who wish and have the ability to continue their education on a full-time basis, bridging courses are being planned in the new technical institutes,”.
/Mong Kong .......
Tuesday, July J1, 197?
- 8 -
Hong Kong now had one technical institute at Morrison Hill but by 1975 it was planned to open simultaneously one at Kwai Chung and one in Kwun Tong. "Moro are to follow and Hong Kong’s new Polytechnic is being suitably expanded to provide a wide variety of courses at a higher level," he added.
Mr. Kingwell mentioned that when the technical institute in Kwun Tong was opened there would be opportunities for today’s graduates to continue • • their studies in a variety of courses.
He reminded the graduates that they were fortunate in receiving their initial training at the Kwun Tong Vocational Training Centre which was held in high esteem both in Hong Kong and in the world at large.
Nearly 1,000 visitors from overseas and more than JOO students from 21 different schools had visited the Centre during the year. ’ *< * ' *
Mr. Kingwell urged the graduates to maintain the Centre’s good name and prestige, ”a good name and prestige which you must cherish, cherish by your own action and courtesies.”
Mote to Editors: Copies of the full text of Mr. Kingwell»s
speech in both English and Chinese are boxed separately this evening.*
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/9........
Tuesday, July 31, 1973
- 9 -
MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PHARMACY STUDENTS
»«***«* ...
Students returning from overseas studies who wish to apply for registration as a pharmacist in Hong Kong may have to undergo re-assessment of certain subjects they studied prior to taking up the study of pharmacy.
This applies only to pharmacy graduates from territories which have not entered into reciprocal agreements with the United Kingdom or Hong Kong.
The minimum educational standard for registration required by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board is a grade "C", or its equivalent, in English language, chemistry and mathematics, and either physics or biology.
A "B” grade in general science or additional general science will be regarded as an equivalent to a ”C” grade in chemistry and either physics or biology.
As is the present case, the students may also be required to undertake further practical training and then take an examination in subjects specifically related to the practice of pharmacy.
Any student requiring further details may contact the Secretary of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board through the Medical and Health Department or on telephone No: 5-793757.
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/10..........
Tuesday, July 31, 1973
- 10 -
URBCO SECRETARY RETIRING
*******
Mr. J.A.M. Tinson, Secretary of the Urban Council is retiring from government service shortly.
To mark the occasion, Mr. D.R.W. Alexander, Director of Urban
Services Department will present him with a memento on behalf of friends
and colleagues at a ceremony to be held in the Urban Council Chamber at
4 p.m. on Thursday (August 2).
Mr. Tinson joined the government as a clerk in 1948. He was transferred to the Executive Grade in 1950, and in July 1967, was promoted to his present rank of Chief Executive Officer.
During his long career, he has served in the Commerce & Industry
Department, Radio Hong Kong, Registration of Persons Office and the Hong
Kong Housing Authority, and in certain instances outside the executive grade as Trade Officer and Commissioner of Registration.
He has been Secretary of the Urban Council since 1965, apart from
a short break in 1971 when he acted as Assistant Director (Cleansing) of the Urban Services Department. Mr. Tinson has played an important part over the years in the Council’s deliberations and achievements.
More recently, he helped prepare the new legislation and administrative procedures which paved the way for the Urban Council to become financially autonomous.
Note to Editors: You are invited to send a reporter
and/or photographer to cover the presentation ceremony at 4 p.m. on Thursday in the Urban Council Chamber on the 12th floor of Central Government Offices, West Wing.
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/11 ........
Tuesday, July J1, 1973
- 11 -
YOUTH LEADERSHIP TRAINING COURSE
**********
A course has been organised for young people in Tsz Wan Shan later this week to develop their potentials as youth leaders.
The Youth Leadership Training Course is a joint effort between the Tsz Wan Shan Estate Community Work Office of the Social Welfare- • Department and the Fanling Rotary Youth Centre.
It will be held between August 1 and 4.
,;The course is designed for potential and existing group leaders to develop their knowledge, skills and interests so that they can fulfil the needs of developing youth groups in the district,” said Mrs. Siu Law Gook-fong, officer-in-charge of the Tsz Wan Shan Estate Community Work Office.
The course will be in two parts. The first will deal with the theory of leadership. Development of technique and skills in organising recreational activities, programme planning in out-door and in-door activities, and value of voluntary services and the qualities of volunteers will also be covered.
The second part of the programme will consist of a practical exercise and a social held at the Fanling Youth Centre on Saturday, August 4. l:The course is aimed at providing guidelines to young people on good leadership,” Mrs. Siu explained. ”It is hoped that participants will be able to apply what they have learned at the course to help us carry out the various voluntary services for their community.”
The course will be opened to young people and students aged 15 and above living in the Tsz Wan Shan District. There will be a 3? charge. Application forms are obtainable at the office of the Tsz Wan Shan Estate Welfare Building in Hong Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan Estate, Kowloon.
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/12
Tuesday, July 31, 1973
- 12
NEV/ REGISTRATION VAN * ♦ * ♦ * * ♦
A new mobile van for the registration of identity cards will be ready for service later this year, the Commissioner of Registration of Persons, Mr. J.V.G. Mitchell, disclosed today.
He said the new vehicle — in the form of a trailer complex attached to a landrover — is virtually a self-contained mobile office.
Costing about S50>000, it will be fitted with a camera and air-conditioning. x
The trailer is capable of handling as many as 300 registrations a day and will replace the existing 13-year-old mobile van now serving various areas in the New Territories.
The new trailer, a bigger complex measuring 14 feet long, feet wide and 9 feet high, is now being assembled in a private garage.
The Commissioner said the trailer complex could be left at the site after a day's work and the landrover could return to town with the staff.
Mr. Mitchell said another similar van will be ready early next year for service in the more remote urban areas of Kowloon.
A third one, if approved, will serve Hong Kong Island.
He said the mobile registration vans have proved to be very useful in remote areas, specially for juveniles registering for adult identity cards.
During the past financial year, he said the two existing vans had dealt with a total of 3^838 registrations and issued 31»188 cards.
Note to Editors: A photograph showing the trailer attached
to a landrover will be boxed this evening.
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Release time: 7*30 p.m.