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83.
The boards will be appointed and will include both unofficials
and local officials.
The nucleus of unofficial membership will of course
be the chairmen of the local Rural Committees; where appropriate,
additional members will be appointed from other organisations making
a major contribution whether of long standing such as arts and ports
associations, or new such as the Mutual Aid Committees and Arca Committees.
I envisage the size of the boards, and of the membership drawn from
outside the traditional ranks of rural and village committees,
varying considerably according to the degree of development in the
District and the proportion of new residents to those of long standing.
84. I also wish to emphasise the distinction between the creation
of advisory and consultative machinery at district level and the central
statutory advisory role of the Heung Yes Kuk. The Kuk is responsible for advising the Government on the overall effect of the various programmes and policies in the Now Territories but quite naturally its principal responsibility and concern is the impact of the development prograrmes on the indigenous residents, particularly where these programmes affect land and property. A I have already said the Government expects that
the time is ripe for new thinking on this subject and the Secretary for
the New Territories will be developing our thinking later in the debate. 85. With regard to the standard of amenities in the urbanised areas, it should be comparable to the old urban areas of Hong Kong. Vigorous action is being taken to rectify the former situation particularly with regard to schools, medical facilities, recreation and cultural opportunities. Ι
attach great importance to the construction of Town Halls or auditoria
in the New Towns as a focus for local interest and activity. Pleng or
these have now been brought forward.
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