LAST
REF.
NO.
HKK 032/40. 51
香港SE197
CONFIDENTIAL. REGIST
التالية الكمال
2.
My
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GOVERNMENT HOUSE
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9th September 1977 puchately right.
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als.
The Heung Yee Kuk have now replied to
the Chief Secretary's letter of 13th July, and have asked me to convey their opinions to the Minister, (copy attached). The reply is couched in fairly moderate language, contains nothing new, and does not make a really serious effort to rebut any of the points made in the Chief Secretary's letter. I think its main object is to reserve the Kuk's position while returning the argument to Hong Kong from Whitehall and I suggest that it is quite unnecessary to bother the Minister with it. David Akers-Jones will, after a short spell of leave in September (during which time by coincidence the Chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk will be visiting China) meet with the Heung Yee Kuk as usual to continue his regular discussions.
2.
In my letter of 17th June I mentioned that I proposed to extend the establishment of a local organisation, which we had introduced on an experimental basis in Tsuen Wan, to other areas of the New Territories. As a result I propose to establish advisory boards in each of the districts of the New Territories, to be appointed by the Governor. These boards will always include the Chairman of the Rural Committees of the district, thus ensuring that the old organizations, on which the Kuk itself is based, will have a considerable but not exclusive voice in the new ones. The boards will advise on matters affecting the well-being of the local district, including recreational and other public facilities and the impact on the District of the Public Works Programme. The boards will be provided with funds to pay for small local works or amenities, or to promote local recreational or cultural activities, not covered by Government programmes.
3.
I propose to announce this development
in my address at the opening of Legislative Council on 5th October. In this connection, it is interesting to note that the Kuk's reply at the end of paragraph 4 says,
J.A.B. Stewart Esq., OBE Included in the briefing 10
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In Queenhill to be included in my brieting for the
oddse visit feels 28/5