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Page &
8.
This is the way the Government Secretariat
is now organised following upon the reshuffling of functions announced last month. And I stress reshuffling of functions rather than a shifting around of staff (although members of common service, as opposed to departmental,
cadres within the civil service - such as the Administrative Grade are, and should be, shifted about from time to time in furtherance of their career development or so that
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fresh minds are brought to bear on the problems of the day).
9.
Briefly, the changes announced last month involved the dismantling of the Environment Branch and the establishment of separate Secretariat branches responsible for Lands and Works, on the one hand, and Transport, on the other, together with the de-federalisation, with effect from 1st April next, of the Public Works Department into six separate departments, including the creation of a single Lands Department with territory wide responsibilities. In addition, it was decided to bring responsibility for district administration under one Secretary to be known as the Secretary for City and New Territories Administration. In effect, this post is the successor post to the post of Secretary for the New Territories, shorn of responsibility for land administration in the New Territories. The new post is supported by two posts of Regional Secretary, one for the New Territories and one for the urban areas of
Hong Kong and Kowloon. The incumbents of these two posts will head up the District Administration Scheme in the field.
At the same time, as the post of Secretary for Home Affairs was relieved of responsibility for district administration in the urban areas, it was decided that the Home Affairs Branch should absorb the Information Branch and take over responsibility for all aspects of environmental affairs temporarily located in the Administration Branch after the dismantling of the Environment Branch.
/(d)..