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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
mediates in clan and family disputes, and generally provides a bridge between the New Territories Administration and the people.
The chairmen and vice-chairmen of the 27 Rural Committees, together with the unofficial New Territories Justices of the Peace and 21 Special Councillors, elected every two years, form the Full Council of the New Territories Heung Yee Kuk, whose title may be translated into English as 'Rural Consultative Council'. The Kuk serves as a forum where leaders of New Territories opinion have gathered since it was constituted in 1926 and from which (except during the period from August, 1958 to December, 1959 when official recognition of the representative status of the Kuk was withdrawn because of internal dissension) the Government has sought advice on New Territories affairs. Under the constitution established by the Heung Yee Kuk Ordinance 1959, the Kuk also has an Executive Committee which meets monthly and consists of the chairmen of Rural Committees, the unofficial New Territories Justices of the Peace and 15 ordinary members elected every two years by the Full Council. The Full Council also elects the chairman and two vice-chairmen of the Kuk through whom close and constant contact is maintained with the District Commissioner.
THE PUBLIC SERVICE
The Public Service provides the staff for all government depart- ments, sub-departments and other units of the administration, and on April 1, 1968 the total number of posts in the Public Service (or its establishment, as it is generally called) was 75,310.
This indicates that slightly less than one person in every 50 in Hong Kong is employed by the Government. There is a large propor- tion of labouring staff, and nearly 33,000 of the total establish- ment of the Public Service are labourers, semi-skilled labourers or artisans of one kind or another. The Public Service of the Hong Kong Government is somewhat unusual in that it includes the staff for certain activities which in other territories and administra- tions are carried out by people who do not belong to the Civil Service. For example, in other territories staff for hospitals, public works and utilities, urban cleansing and public health, and the police, are not always servants of the central Government. In Hong Kong, the establishment of the Medical and Health Department