Plans for the registration were prepared by the Govern- ment Statistician early in the year, but owing to unavoidable delays in the procurement of equipment it was not possible for him, as Commissioner of Registration, to begin the operation until the Autumn. The Ordinance provides for the phasing of the registration, for administrative convenience, to cover persons in employment in Government Departments, persons in the employment of commercial companies, the New Territories population, the fishing population, and other persons. It was decided to concentrate at first upon completion of the registration of the population in the New Territories, some 19,000 persons in that area having already received identity cards from the Police during the summer. Over 75,000 persons in the New Territories were accordingly registered and photographed by mobile teams in 25 working days. Before the end of the year well over 120,000 persons had been registered in the Colony, and the organisation, designed to deal with a maximum of 250,000 registrations per mensem, was functioning effectively, target speeds of 400 persons registered per hour being attained and often sur- passed as the staff gained experience. Seven "Graphlex" cameras designed for such work were procured through Messrs. Eastman Kodak, Ltd., whose local staff have acted as the technical advisers in the operation. The films are developed and printed in a Government laboratory specially equipped with modern machinery for the purpose and a daily output of 10 reels of films developed (each consisting of 800 photographs), with the prints in duplicate, has been attained. A most satisfactory feature of the operation has been the excellent cooperation received from employers and from members of the public generally.
Constitution Reform
Sir Mark Young's proposals for the revision of the Constitution, now commonly known as the Young Plan, envisaged the establishment of a Municipal Council, to which would be delegated certain of the functions at present dis- charged by the Government of Hong Kong, and later the reconstitution of the Legislative Council in such a manner that an unofficial majority would be created instead of the official majority which exists at present. On 3rd June 1949 the Municipal Council Bill was published in the Gazette for information.
During 1949 public interest in constitutional amendments increased, two clubs, the Reform Club and the Chinese Reform Association, were formed, many persons expressed their views in the local Press, and finally a debate was held in the Legislative Council on the 22nd June, where a motion by an Unofficial Member was carried, all the Official Members abstaining.
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