14
REVIEW
the Kowloon Motor Bus Company will in 1971 have a fleet with a capacity 50 per cent greater than it had in April 1969.
Public transport was of course only one of the subjects in the public mind during the year. In order to deal more effectively with complaints and representations received from the public, the office of the Unofficial Members of Executive and Legislative Councils (Umelco) was strengthened by the secondment of a staff-grade Administrative Officer to act as its Administrative Secretary. Since his appointment there has been a considerable increase in the use made of the office by members of the public and the number of complaints and representations dealt with has increased sharply.
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The Umelco Office, as well as the City District Offices and the Urban Council Ward Offices, all provide channels through which members of the public can make contact with the official machine. There is also direct contact between the public and government departments; and wide use is made of the correspondence columns of the local press for bringing complaints or suggestions to the attention of the authorities.
One hundred and five ordinances were passed into law during the year. Mention has already been made of some of this legislation, but two ordinances which passed into law were of particular interest. The first of these was the Marriage Reform Ordinance which was enacted in July, although certain provisions will not become effec- tive until after an appointed day late in 1971. The principal aim of this ordinance is to ensure that all marriages taking place in the Colony will in future be monogamous marriages, thus finally bring- ing to an end customary marriages, so-called Chinese modern mar- riages and the ancient Chinese custom of concubinage.
The second measure, the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, replaced existing ordinances with simpler and more effective proce- dures for dealing with corruption in all its forms.
In October it was announced that the term of office of the Governor, Sir David Trench, was to be extended for a further year until October 1971. Shortly afterwards, a further announcement was made that Sir David would be succeeded by Mr Murray Macle- hose, currently British Ambassador in Denmark. Mr Maclehose