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relieved of part of their day-to-day administrative work and thus concentrate on their specialised fields. It is understood that the Chinese Liaison Office will be re-inforced by an additional administrative Officer in the very near future so that its work may be intensified.
(iv) Introduction of Chinese as an official language to be used
simultaneously in fong Kong with n lish.
As announced by his Excellency the Governor in his annual budget speech on 28th February, 109, the on ong Government will continue to give Chinese and English as near an equality as is practically possible. teps taken so far in this direction include the cradual introduction of Chinese into the Government Gazette, instruction given to Government departments to re, ly to correspondence received in Chinese in the same lan, use and the increasing use of Chinese translations in Goverment documents prepared for use by members of the public. Where the New Territories is concerned, you are of course aware that all correspondence and reetings between Feung Yee Kuk and the New Territories administration are conducted in Chinese (with interpretation where necessary).
(v) Fepresentation of Heung Yee kuk on Executive and
Legislative Councils.
Members of the Executive and legisl tive Councils are not appointed on a geogra hical basis.
This does not mean
that New Territories' interests or, for that matter, the interests of any other reographical arer, are being neglected. It is understood that members of the two Councils : ve been making regular visits to the New
- Territories, particularly during the past two years and
more visits are planned. A number of questions have been asked in the Legislative Council on New Territories matters recently. In addition, members of the Kuk have, of course, access to the office of UMELCO.
(vi) Localisation of civil service
The Hong Kong Government's general recruitment policy has for some years been based on the ap, ointment wherever possible of suitable a qualified hona-fide local candidates to positions in the ublic Service; overseas recruitment is usually only undertaken when such local candidates are not available, or are available in insufficient numbers. Cnce in the service, local and overseas officers are placed on a common seniority list and progress to the higher ranks is on the basis of their merit and seniority. It follows therefore that as time goes by more local officers may be expected to proceed into the higher ranks; progress in this direction is reported in appendices to the annual Reports on the Public Service.
(vii) Land Folicy
lt is understood that the District Commissioner, New Territories, addressed a letter to the Heung Yee Kuk on
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