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KNOWLEDge of the DISTRICT
'In performing the role described above, your most important asset will be an intimate knowledge of your district and the people in it.'
Directive to City District Officers.
84. Under the terms of their directive C.D.O.s are required to produce a report entitled 'The Anatomy' of their District within six months of appointment. The first four C.D.O.s completed their reports in December while the others still have some months to go. This exercise has proved a useful discipline though it has required a good deal of work. There have been different approaches to the task but the reports show that C.D.O.s and their staff have begun to acquire the knowledge of places, institutions and people which is one of the chief tools of their trade.
85. In addition to their six-monthly reports C.D.O.s have under- taken a number of useful surveys. Some have been more sophisticated than others and all have involved the use of young volunteers.
86. There is still a long way to go. By-census statistics suggest that urban districts are very much more self contained than the bustle of traffic might give one to suppose. I hope it will be possible to discover more of the peculiarities of the social and economic structure of the Districts as well as more about personalities who, though successful in their own fields and important in their own circles, have no ambitions in public life.
87. As we become more familiar with the services provided by the Government I hope it will also be possible to discover special charac- teristics and needs of the individual Districts.
88. One can never be satisfied with progress in this field and time is required to accumulate knowledge. Our policy of changing staff, as well as the changing of many areas themselves, will mean that it will be necessary constantly to devote a good deal of time simply to learning about the Districts and keeping the knowledge up to date.
THE SENIOR COUNCILS
89. A group of Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils has been holding regular monthly meetings at which two selected C.D.O.s, their C.D.C. and the Deputy S.C.A. give an account of progress and problems. All ten C.D.O.s have now met this group
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