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New Territories
4. The New Territories are administered by District Officers
under the District Commissioner, with the assistance of rural
committees elected by and from village representatives.
There is
also a consultative council for the whole of the New Territories
(Heung Yee Kuk); its functions are entirely advisory.
Proposals for Reorganisation
5.
In view of the spread of urban development into the Now
Territories and of pressure from the elected members of Urban Council
to extend their authority into those areas, the Governor announced
early in 1966 that he had decided to institute a re-examination
of local government generally As a first step an official
working party was set up to gather information on the pcssile
forms of local government suitable to Hong Kong and to suggest
lines of development for further study and debate.
Party's report was published early in 1967.
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The Working
6. At the same time an ad hoc committee of unofficial members
of the Urban Council produced its own report for the future
scope and operation of the Council. This report was accepted by the Urban Council in October 1966 (official members abstaining).
7. The two reports were the subject of official examination and
of public comment in Hong Kong, but developments were delayed by the communis confrontation in the Colony during the last eight
months of 1957 and it seemed clear that once the situation had
returned to normal a fresh lock at the question would be necessary in the changed circumstances. Accordingly, early in 1968 a
Secretariat Officer (W. V. Dickinson) was directed, working
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/independently