City
District Officer Scheme
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that year, the Urban Council and the Heung Yee Kuk were given a summary of Mr. Dickinson's recommendations (copy attached) and were asked for their comments on it. The recommendations, which are designed to produce interim measures for early implementation, do not imply the rejection of some of the wider proposals canvassed in the Working Party's report (paragraphs 7 and 8 above). It is understood that the comments of the Urban Council and the Heung Yeo Kuk have now been received by the Hong Kong Government but we have not as yot been officially informed to this effect. The report is also being studied by those Departments of the Hong Kong Government which are most directly concerned.
21.
It would perhaps be appropriate to mention in this context the existence of the City District Officer Schono. This Scheme, which was inaugurated at the beginning of 1968, was designed to provido more contact between the liong Kong Government and the general public in the urban areas of the Colony. The City District Officers were to constitute an additional medium for the explanation of Government policies and a channel through which the grievances and the particular needs and interests of specific areas could be made known to the Government, They would, in addition, help to co-ordinate the activities of other Departments in the areas in which they operate. The Scheme is not seen as in any way a substitute for the development of a system of local administration; but clearly it could contribute greatly to the efficient working of local authorities.
22. Wo recently received from the Governor a report by the Secretary for Chinese Affaire (now the Secretary for Home Affairs) on the first year's operation of the Scheme. There is little doubt that despite the inevitable teething troubles, which were largely connected with the provision of suitable staff, the Scheme has got off to a good start and is meeting a definito need in Hong Kong. An edited version of the report has been tabled in the Legislative Council and translated into Chinese for publication.
23. The Minister has read the report with interest and wrote to the Governor in April saying that he would very much like to see
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