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of its functions. Power should be delegated, and there is no reason why the Hong Kong Government should not delegate power, not only to this Council but to the many Government departments so that they too may function more efficiently than is the case at present. I commend Sir, the study of the principle of subsidiarity to you and through you to those who wield power in the Colonial Secretariat.
Sir, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN ended his speech with a quotation from President Coolidge. It challenges the appointed members. The last time he ended his speech with his doggerel, I had the honour of replying in kind. May I now end my speech with a quotation from President Wilson, if I remember the words. I quote: "The history of liberty is the history of the limitation of Governmental power, not the increase of it".
Concentration of power in a single government department, as is the concentration of power in a man, is contrary to the interests of the citizen, and in Hong Kong Sir, I think it is a step in the right direction for more power to devolve to this Council, because then this Council, constituted as it is to-day, would be able to safeguard the public interest more effectually.
I support the motion.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, I rise to exercise my right as mover of the motion.
I was interested, Mr. Chairman, to learn of your humility in regard to your reply to your son. As to your loyalty in this Council, I would ask you Sir to assure your son, that the members of this Council hold you in greater respect and honour than your own son.
You Sir, have thought it fit to quote from a writer who was living in 1895, and I quite agree with Mr. SALES that if the thinking in the upper echelons of Government service to-day is that of 1895, which is 70 years behind 1966, then all I can say is that we still have a long uphill fight ahead, but it is not going to deter us.
CHAIRMAN:---Sir, on a point of explanation, this was my own quotation and had nothing to do with any other Government servant.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Do I assume Sir, I do not intend to question you because question time is over- -(Laughter) that in making this quotation you are, to some extent, reflecting the point of view of Government.
CHAIRMAN:- In no way whatever, Sir. It was purely a quotation: I thought it still maintained a basic element of truth.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Sir, although I disagree with you, I do accept your explanation as sincere, and it only reinforces the view of respect
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which members of this Council have for you as Chairman of this Urban Council. Mr. SALES has spoken on the principle of the motion, and I think it does bear out what I had said when moving the motion, that there are appointed members who are even more radical than elected members. I would like to make a reference Mr. Chairman, to a couple of observations made by Mr. BERNACCHI. He said that he thought that the terms of the motion were vague. I would like to say by way of explanation that the manner in which the motion was framed was done deliberately so. It was to give all members of this Council, including official members, an opportunity to express their views and their hopes and wishes for the future role of this Council in serving the public. I would agree with him that eventually this Council should have its own elected mayor, but not until, as I have said during my speech, until you Sir, have been given the opportunity of serving as the first mayor of Hong Kong. (Laughter).
Mr. BERNACCHI has spoken about having representatives of the Urban Council in the Legislative Council and in Executive Council. He did not say to what extent they should be appointed or elected, but Mr. Hu has apparently his own views on changing the entire constitution of Hong Kong, and I presume that he did not consult the Chairman of the Reform Club in advance as to what these constitutional changes should be. Nevertheless I think his views were expressed sincerely. He said that there were high sounding words when the motion was moved. They may be high sounding, but the substance is there and I shall, after this meeting, hand over to Mr. Hu a copy of what I said to study at home, even though he may have to miss his dinner. (Laughter).
Mr. Hu is I believe an excellent barrister, but with all due respect I think he is due for some reading up on British Colonial constitutional law and I suggest he does that.
Mr. Chairman, I would make one final point. I do agree with the point raised by Dr. BELL on rates; but as I said during my speech, first things first, and let us try to persuade Government to hand over to this Council wider responsibilities on the management level, and all those Departments to do with the direct livelihood and welfare of Hong Kong people, and the three Departments I have mentioned are the Social Welfare Department, Medical and Health Department and the Education Department.
CHAIRMAN:- The motion before Council is as follows: "That this Council urges Government to request the Colonial Office to give serious consideration to the future scope and status of this Council." It was proposed by Mr. H. CHEONG-LEEN and seconded by Mr. CHEUNG Wing-in.
The question was put.
The motion was carried, with 17 votes for and 4 abstentions.
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