IN SPITE OF THE FORTUITOUS HARBOUR BARRIER:
ALTHOUGH ADEQUATE
REASONS MIGHT CONCEIVABLY DEVELOP FOR SPLITTING INTO TWO COUNCILS
LATER.
(B) THE FORMATION OF ANY LOCAL COUNCILS (MORE FORMALLY CONSTITUTED THAN THE EXISTING RURAL COMMITTEES) IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THOUGH ATTRACTIVE IN THEORY, WILL BE A SLOW AND DIFFICULT BUSINESS DUE TO THE STRONG DESIRE OF THE ORIGINAL NEW TERRITORIES
PEOPLE TO HANG ON TO THE POSITION AND INFLUENCE
THEY HAVE THROUGH THE RURAL COMMITTEES AND THE HEUNG YEE KUK, AND THEIR DETERMINATION TO EXCLUDE THE VERY LARGE (AND INCREASING) NUMBER OF NEW SETTLERS IN THE TOWNS. AT PRESENT, EXPRESSED NEW TERRITORIES OPINION IS AGAINST THE FORMATION OF SUCH COUNCILS.
(IV) UNDER A SYSTEM OF A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF LOCAL COUNCILS, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND LEADERS: OR INDEED PEOPLE WITH THE TIME OR INTEREST TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN A NUMBER OF ALMOST PURELY WORKING CLASS AREAS, BEARING IN MIND THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT ALL INTERESTED IN THIS KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY HERE IS VERY FEW SEMICOLON AND THOSE WITH ANY CAPACITY TO CARRY OUT THESE RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT USING THEM TO PERSONAL ADVANTAGE EVEN FEWER.
(V) MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL HAVE ADVOCATED (WITHOUT I THINK TOO MUCH REAL CONVICTION) A SYSTEN OF A NUMBER OF SMALL DISTRICT COUNCILS BUT UNDER LINE NEXT WORD ONLY ON THE PREMISE THAT THEY WOULD BE SUBORDINATE TO A SINGLE CENTRAL URBAN COUNCIL. FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, THIS IS NOT A WORKABLE SOLUTION.
(VI) FINALLY THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY TOO RADICAL AN APPROACH WOULD BE UNWISE AT THIS TIME:-
(A) WHATEVER VIEWS ARE AIRED TO THE CONTRARY, ORDINARY PEOPLE HERE JUST HAVE NO PARTICULAR DESIRE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOVERNMENT(AS OPPOSED TO A MERE DESIRE TO BE CONSULTED, WHICH WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SATISFY). THEY HAVE NO FAITH IN BALLOT-BOXES OR THE EFFICACY OF ELECTIONS AS A PROCESS OF CHOOSING LEADERS SEMICOLON AND THEY FEAR THE POLITICAL COMPLICATIONS THAT MIGHT ENSUE FROM TOO MUCH RECOURSE TO ELECTORAL PROCESSES -- PARTICULARLY SINCE THE EVENTS OF 1967. THEIR LACK OF INTEREST IN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND ITS AFFAIRS ARISES NOT,
/AS
CONFIDENT. TAT.
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