CONFIDENTIAL
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7.
1
IR. WILFRED WONG raised four points:-
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(i) That more business methods should be introduced in
the Government Service. This would improve the staffing system generally by giving more scope for promotion by merit, besides helping to eliminate corruption.
(ii) That the scope of the Urban Council should be enlarged in line with councils elsewhere. He felt that the Council should take over the Fire Services Department and the Social Welfare Department. In regard to taking over other departments, such as Education and Medical, Mr. Wong thought that this should proceed more slowly as they were what might be called technical and specialized departments.
(iii) That Government should negotiate with the World Bank
to obtain funds to finance low cost housing.
(iv) That taxes should be raised to provide better social
services, such as universal primary education, and better medical facilities.
6.
9.
(ir. Bernacchi apologized for having to leave the meeting because of a Court engagement, shortly before this point).
lie
IR. M... WATSON, C.B.2. referred to the question of electoral repre- sentation1. He said that there appeared to be no general demand for an increased measure of representation. referred to the electoral roll which contained some 20,000 namos and said that this was not the potential figure of those persons entitled to vote. The aotual figure, he had been given to understand by Dr. F.F. Woo, was in the region of 100,000. The small turn-out of voters seemed to indicate either apathy, lack of interest, or opposition to the principle of electoral representation.
MR. A. de 0. SALES, 0.B.E., raised the following points:-
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(1) That there should be a more frank approach to the Unofficial
Members' work. A sympathetic appreciation of the work
of the Unofficial Members did not seem to prevail throughout the Government. He suggested that the time, goodwill and experience of the Unofficials should be used to maximum advantage for the public good.
(ii) That the scope of the Urban Council should be enlarged.
While he and his Appointed colleagues did not advocato self-government for long Mong, at the same time matters should not be allowed to stand still. The Urban Council had proved its competence in many ways and therefore its scope should be extended in a phased programme to bring it into line with city councils elsewhere.
The appointed Hembers wanted progress to be identified with Hong Kong and long long interests. He said that progress should be phased and that the advice of people who knew long hong and to whom it was their home, should be sought in this regard. lie deprecated pandering to the vociferous demands of people who had been in Hong Kong for only a short while or . om Hong Kong was a merely transitory home, but who made a great show of asling for self-government without any real backing.
(iii)
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CONFIDENTIAL