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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-9th February 1972.
[MR WANG] White Paper on the Urban Council
in this White Paper. I wish here to tender my apology to my friends, the elected members in the Urban Council, for not being able to win the support of the appointed members of that Council nor of my colleagues in this Council for their expressed desire for an elected majority. I hope they will not be too disappointed over this issue. I like to place my confidence in a bigger turn-up at the poll on future election days. When this happens, none will argue against an elected majority or indeed a fully elected membership in the Urban Council.
With my best wishes for the future success of the Urban Council, I gladly support the motion.
MR LO:-Sir, the White Paper on Urban Council under debate is supposed to be the blueprint for the future development of the Urban Council. After an introduction and some background considerations, it came to certain conclusions and arising from them a number of proposals were made.
However, after reading it, I myself am not sure as to what sort of creature the Government wants it to be. Does it want it to be a fish or a bird? In other words, does the Government want its future Urban Council to remain as an advisory body to the Urban Services Department; or does it want it to be developed into a full-fledged local government? This is the doubt that leaves in one's mind and, until this is being resolved, I suggest that there is not much point in the proposed reform.
Under paragraph 3 of the introduction it says "Government is aware that apart from considerations of administrative efficiency, there is a need to encourage the development of the community spirit and a sense of belonging". Then it went on to say that both of these aims, i.e. administrative efficiency and greater participation in the management of public affairs, have already been achieved through a network of advisory bodies.
From this one might be pardoned to assume that the Government is not interested to see the existing Urban Council being developed into a separate and well defined statutory local government, but is more interested in keeping it as an advisory body.
If that be the case, then it must be said openly so that its present Council members shall not raise questions or engage in debates on subjects which are beyond their terms of reference. At the same time they should not be asked to shoulder any financial responsibility what- soever, as this will be inconsistent with the duties of an advisory body.