NOTES FOR DEBATE ON THE QUEEN'S SPEECH
FRIDAY, 15TH NOVEMBER, 1963
URBAN COUNCIL: HONG KONG
Composition
Functions
Proposals for
Municipal
Council
It is understood that Mr Bottomley will urge the "strengthening
of urban government" as a basis for the development of democratic
government in Hong Kong. When Mr Healey visited the Colony in September
he was presented by the Hong Kong Civic Association with a memorandum
containing proposals of this nature (copy attached;) he undertook to
discuss it with Mr Bottomley on his return to the United Kingdom.
2. The Urban Council consists of an Official Chairman, 5 Official
members and 16 unofficial members (eight nominated by the Governor, eight
elected on a limited franchise.)
3. The Council has only limited functions, e.g. some duties in the
field of public health, sanitary services, the provision and control of
public amenities (parks, bathing beaches, etc.) and the resettlement of
squatters and the administration of resettlement estates. There is not
room in a city-state for both a central government (Legislative Council)
and a municipal government, both having extensive power. In Hong Kong
subjects such as, e.g. education, cannot be delegated to municipal
government because of the communist and Kuo-Min-Tang influence in schools.
4. Enlargement of the responsibility of urban government was a
feature of immediate post-war constitutional proposals. The establishment
of a Municipal Council (with two-thirds of its members elected) and the
progressive devolution to this Council of many of the Goverment's
functions (in the field of education, social welfare, town planning,
public works) was approved in 1949, but the scheme was later abandoned.
5. The last changes in the urban council were made in 1956, when
elected members were increased from 4 to 8 and nominated unofficial members
from 6 to 8. Further changes will have little significance unless
acco panied by a revision of the franchise and an enlargement of the Page 309 of 344 Council's responsibilities, which, as already explained, presents difficulty.
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