HKC Standard March 4 1970
URBCO MEN WALK OUT IN PROTEST
By CHRIS WONG
THE 10 ELECTED MEMBERS of the Urban Council yesterday walked out of the Council meeting in protest against the Government's delay in implementing local government reforms.
i The walkout - the first in the Council's 25-year history took place 10 minutes after the monthly meeting started,
RECEIVED IN RESTRY No. 51
HKK 18/12
TRANSPORT Commissioner A.J. Shephard being greeted by his wife at Kaitak last night following his return from Japan..
SHEPHARD IS
NOT TALKING
[By PAUL STRAUSS
of
AFTER 10 days subway riding, examining and
The regulation provides that minubuses
can be impounded for seven days for each traffic violation,
While Mr. Shephard was in of prof. dr Gulissen by
investpenting. Transport | tapan all king
COMIGL
A 1. Nirplur
"gkm
Council chairman Mr. David Alexander was asked by elected Councillər Mr. Hilton Cheong-Leen to say what the Government intended to do about local government reforms.
Mr. Alexander's reply was that he has had discussions with the Colonial Secretary and the Governor but nothing definite has been worked out.
"An important subject like this will have to be referred to the Executive Council and this has not so far been done.” Mr. Cheong-Leen jumped to his feet and told the Council that all the 10 elected members were dissatisfied with the Government's prolonged negative attitude on the vital issue and have decided to walk out to register their protest.
To the surprise of the government officials and the appointed members, the elected group walked out of the Council chamber.
They did not leave but waited outside till the end of the meeting to bid farewell to an appointed councillor, Mr. Wilson Wang, who is retiring later this month.
The elected group's move caused some confusion for a dort while, but the meeting went on with the appointed members asking questions on behalf of their Vied colleagues.
A mass walkout move was planned in early 1968 but did not materialise.
Senior Elected C'onneillor, Mr. Brook Bernacchi, fold The Standard the decision to walk out in the event of a negative reply by the Government was reached unanimously by all elected members about a week ago.
Promise not kept
"We decided to take this drastic step because the Government has for too long sat on this very important public issue without doing anything about it."
He said the Governor promised in the tubulent year of 1967 that more powers would be given to the Urban Council to better serve the community, but that promise, and many others, have not been kept.
Mr. Bernacchi said the walkout was not meant to be a boycott of the Urban Council nor could it be taken to niean those members were resigning from the Council,
"We shall be doing our duty as usual and return to the next Council meeting. But we hope our action would make the Government realise that something has got to be done now," he said,
Commenting on the walkout, Mr. Alexander said he was sorry that the Councillors had taken that line of action.
"I would have thought that after my reply today, they might like to wait for a few more weeks to see if something atelinite may emne m}
**
Appointed Councillon, Mr. A. de O. Sales, said that elected members should not be condemned for what they shd.
"I think they are fustrated by the Governa int's slow action and this political gesture is Wallantat
De said th
Py muted
im.
10.
OF