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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
FAREWELL TO MEMBERS.
CHAIRMAN:-I have, before we close, a few words to say. This is the last meeting at which we will have the pleasure of the company of three of our very good friends and colleagues, the Honourable FUNG Hon-chu, Mr. K. S. Lo and the Honourable D. W. B. BARON.
The Honourable FUNG Hon-chu has served on this Council since April 1960. He has served on no less than six Select Committees and has been the Chairman of the Food and Food Premises Select Committee since April 1964. His willingness to help and to play a full part in the Council's affairs has earned him our very considerable respect. He has now found it necessary to resign from the Council due to pressure of work and other commitments, but I am glad to say that his services to the public are not being lost.
Mr. K. S. Lo was first appointed to the Council in April, 1962. He is known and respected by all of us for his forthright manner, his independence of mind, he even stepped out of line recently and recommended an elected council (Laughter) and his fresh outlook on many of our problems. He has served on eight Select Committees and he has been Chairman of the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee since April 1965, and in this capacity he was responsible for the very excellent Report on the Development of Museum and Art Gallery Services in Hong Kong. Mr. Lo has said that he must leave the Council because of pressure of business commitments when his term of office expires at the end of this month, but I most sincerely hope, as all members do also, that he will find it possible in the future to accept re-appointment. (Applause).
David BARON is leaving Hong Kong shortly. He joined the Colonial service in 1937, and served with considerable distinction. He served in Ceylon and East Africa and came to Hong Kong in November, 1951. During his service here he has been Defence Secretary, Deputy Colonial Secretary, and then Director of Social Welfare. He served on this Council since 1958. His work in this field is very well known to you all. Although his department is not in fact under the aegis of the Urban Council, he has been one of our most staunch and warm supporters, always ready to help as far as he can, and taking a most active part in the Council's affairs.
I may say also that his delightful and charming wife Julia has served this Council as an adviser on the panel of the Art Gallery for some years. I have always felt about David BARON, that he was really a first-class civil servant with the heart of the matter in him. He has always had an affection and I think a good regard for this Council.
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Sir, may I say to you that the Council offers you very warm and sincere thanks, and I would like to express to you the affection and respect of your colleagues on this Council. (Applause).
Before closing I have to tell members that this will be my last meeting. I am going on leave on the 19th March. During my absence the estimable and very able Mr. Geoffrey TINGLE, who is well-known to all of you and, I think, liked and respected by you, will act in my stead.
May I say before I go I thank you, all of you, with deep sincerity. (Applause).
MR. BERNACCHI :-Mr. Chairman, as regards your own leave, my friend and colleague Mr. Sonny SALES will be addressing you on behalf of all the unofficials in just a few minutes, but I on behalf of all the unofficials would like to wish all the best to Mr. BARON and his wife—David and Julia—on Mr. BARON'S retirement, and to Mr. FUNG Hon-chu and Mr. K. S. Lo on their leaving this Council.
David has always been most co-operative with this Council, even where at times he does not agree with the majority opinion. (Laughter). Speaking as Chairman of the Hawkers and the Resettlement Policy Select Committees, we shall certainly miss him and his advice on these two Select Committees, of which he has been such a constant attender. Julia BARON, as you have just said, Mr. Chairman,—always stealing my thunder—is also closely connected with this Council. She is, as you have said, on the panel of advisers of the Museum and Art Gallery Select Committee, of which Mr. K. S. Lo is the Chairman. Mrs. BARON has been a more constant attender than I and has always given us her most constructive advice and opinion. We shall miss them both a lot, and we say "bon voyage" and "Joy Kin" rather than "good-bye", (Applause).
Regarding Mr. FUNG Hon-chu, I quite appreciate that his appointment—I am sorry, I will not say promotion—to the Legislative Council (Laughter) one is central government, the other is local government,—takes up too much of his time to remain on the local government council; but Mr. FUNG has played his part on this Council with great zeal, and we will undoubtedly miss him very much in the years to come. I hope that he will not forget us and that he will protect our interests. (Laughter) (Applause).
Lastly, Mr. K. S. Lo. I am very sorry that K. S. should be unwilling to have his appointment renewed. In his quiet way he has contributed so largely to the work of this Council. Having regard to his sentiments so openly expressed in Council, of which Mr. Chairman you have also made mention yourself, we hope that in his case Joy Kin
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