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mittee, relating to the future scope and operation of this Council. It has taken years of banging against the proverbial brick wall of government to produce the aperture which now appears and through which many of the suggestions put forward over the years in this Council and outside of it may now be pushed. The ward system inaugurated in November last year first produced the tiny aperture in the wall which would now appear to be enlarging slightly and not before time, because, over the years civic affairs has been a subject on the curriculum of most schools in the Colony and has been taught to our youngsters. How children can be taught certain basic and fundamental aspects of local government in these classes on civic affairs and yet see so little of what they are taught put into practice here in Hong Kong is a mystery to me. This younger generation now growing up and within the next five years nearing the age of 21 are for the most part true citizens of Hong Kong. They were born here and recognize no other home or country, and they will want to see what they have been taught put into practice. The ward system perhaps forms an excellent commencing basis for the future expansion of the scope and operation of this Council. Perhaps each ward should have a representative or two elected on to this Council which should be a fully elected body with an unofficial Chairman and certain official members. Perhaps here, Mr. Chairman, I should digress. I did say each ward should have a representative or two (Laughter) elected, so that Mr. SALES would also be able to stand. (Laughter). As expansion goes on perhaps a number of Borough Councils, or as Mr. BERNACCHI has suggested, district councils, should be set up, for example, Hong Kong North, South, East and West and similarly in Kowloon, also Borough Councils in Tsuen Wan, Castle Peak, Yuen Long, Fanling, Tai Po and Sha Tin with representatives from smaller rural councils. Perhaps each Borough Council would then have a representative in a Greater Hong Kong and Kowloon Council which would co-ordinate certain services, e.g. Police, Immigration, etc. and certain financial aspects because surely the rates, or a considerable proportion of them, should be made available to these Councils.
The appointment of an Ad Hoc Committee by this Council to consider all these and other aspects and to make recommendations is a splendid suggestion, and I repeat, I lend my full unqualified and un-amended support to this motion. (Laughter).
MR. CHEUNG : I rise to support Mr. SALES' motion before Council.
A good deal has happened to the Council since its first inception in 1936 to replace the Sanitary Board. Initially its work was confined to the general administration of the Sanitary Department. Its expansion did not start until after the war. Since then the Urban Council has grown and expanded out of all recognition. The original
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elected membership of two has now increased to 10 and it has since taken on responsibilities like the management of the City Hall and of multi-storey car-parks, the maintenance of parks and playgrounds and the general direction and supervision of the work of the Resettlement Department in the clearance and resettlement of squatters.
Under the name of the Housing Authority its members of the Urban Council have been responsible for providing low cost housing for over 127,000 of our residents within the $400-$900 income brackets.
As the only Government Council with an elected element its members are necessarily the most vocal in matters affecting public interests and they have played a most important part in reflecting and in many cases directing public opinion.
The present set-up has come about through stop-gap measures and piece-meal arrangements. Additions to the Urban Council's scope have been sewn on like many patches to an old but serviceable garment. Such being the case, it is little wonder that visitors to the Colony carry away a confused picture of what the Urban Council really is and what it is supposed to accomplish. I dare say that even Government itself is just as confused. (Laughter).
The time has therefore come for a review of the Council's scope and authority, and to see what must be done to transform this Council into a more democratic institution truly representative of the interests of the public.
I would urge that the Ad Hoc Committee study the following proposals:
(1) that the Social Welfare Department be included within the jurisdiction of this Council, since welfare is a matter which is closely and obviously identified with the public interest;
(2) that this Council be given the responsibility for spending the rates which are collected in the urban areas;
(3) that the name of the Urban Council be changed to that of a City Council or a Municipal Council.
MR. HU:----Mr. Chairman, I think recently I have spoken too much. (Laughter). But I must speak to support Mr. SALES' motion. I hope Mr. Chairman you will not use your gavel. (Laughter).
Mr. Chairman, I support this motion because I had the same feeling when I read His Excellency the Governor's speech. I would like to request the Government to clarify the word "idiosyncratic”, because I must confess, Mr. Chairman, I saw that word for the first time in my life in His Excellency the Governor's speech.
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