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PUBLIC IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BY THE USD UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, THE URBAN COUNCIL SYSTEM HAS BEEN WORKING WELL IN THE URBAN AREAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IT IS CONSIDERED THAT A SIMILAR SYSTEM SHOULD NOW SE INTRODUCED TO COVER THE REST OF HONG KONG, WHERE A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE COMMUNITY NOW RESIDES: AND AN EVEN LARGER PROPORTION WILL RESIDE AS THE YEARS GO BY.
9. I SHOULD NOTE HERE THAT, IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HEUNG YEE KUK IS A SPECIALLY APPOINTED STATUTORY BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR GIVING ADVICE ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE NEW TERRITORIES AS SUCH, AND NO CHANGE IN THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE KUK IS PROPOSED. MOREOVER, IN RECOGNITION OF THE KUK'S TRADITIONAL POSITION, IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NUMBER OF THE OFFICERS OF THE KUK SHOULD BE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF
AND THIS NEW COUNCIL. BECAUSE OF EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, BECAUSE THE URBAN COUNCIL WOULD THUS BE SO LARGE, IT IS NOT DESIRABLE NOR INTENDED TO EXTEND THE POWERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL TO THE REST OF HONG KONG.
10. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE NEW QUOTE REGIONAL UNQUOTE COUNCIL WILL BE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL IN RESPECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION AND HYGIENE SERVICES. SO FAR AS RECREATION AND CULTURAL AND AMENITIES SERVICES ARE CONCERNED, THE FUNCTIONS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE NEW QUOTE RECIONAL UNQUOTE COUNCIL WILL INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF MOST OF THOSE SERVICES NOW PROVIDED BY THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT. OUR AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT THESE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANNER.
11. WITH REGARD TO THE ACTUAL GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TWO COUNCILS THAT WOULD BE CREATED IF THESE PROPOSALS ARE IMPLEMENTED, IT IS FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW TOWN BEING BUILT AT JUNK BAY, WHICH IS VIRTUALLY AN EXTENSION OF NEW KOWLOON, SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE JURISDICTION OF THE PRESENT URBAN COUNCIL. SIMILARLY, ADMINISTRATION OF THE ISLANDS TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF HONG KONG ISLAND WOULD BE MORE CON- VENIENTLY COMBINED WITH THAT OF HONG KONG ISLAND RATHER THAN THE NORTHERN NEW TERRITORIES. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS HAS A BEARING ON THE TRADITIONAL SPHERE OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK IT WILL CLEARLY NEED CAREFUL EXAMINATION.
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