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long. But I shall read it out fairly fast, although not as fast as Members themselves will be able to read it, but I will try and save time.
Residents in multi-storey buildings will be glad to hear that Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN's priorities are much the same as theirs. For he referred specifically to improving health, sanitation and living conditions. And the picture that I have received from Multi-storey Residents' Associations is that in their view their most important work is the promotion of cleanliness and peaceful conditions, dealing with maintenance problems and ensuring security. In addition there is a feeling that a suitably organized Residents' Association should be useful in dealing with financial or legal complications vis-a-vis Government.
2.
3.
In 1961 I became increasingly concerned about the human problems that were arising in the growing numbers of new multi-storey buildings that were going up. Some form of mutual co-operation amongst the residents seemed to promise an answer to many of these problems, but it was as obvious that official encouragement of any such social development would become as much a waste of time and effort as trying to achieve the same means by legislation unless it was a development already wanted, and started, by the people themselves. My colleagues in the S.C.A. and I therefore kept our ears open, and for a start made ourselves ready to give any assistance we could if anyone came to us from a multi-storey building with a problem. They did, at first in small numbers, and then more and more seeking advice or help in connection with the formation of Residents' Associations of one kind or another. This was a genuine Hong Kong development, and not the artificial creation of any official directive or campaign. Two years' experience taught us many lessons about the practical human difficulties and problems which arise when people set out to form a Residents' Association and to define objects suited to the particular circumstances of each case. For the last two years, since August 1964, we have been flooded out with approaches by the promoters of Residents' Associations from 326 big multi-storey buildings, representing many thousands of people.
The first move, and this is more a direct answer to Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN's question, openly involving us, is almost always an informal call by the promoters on an officer in the S.C.A., which may well last for two hours or more and during which much time may wisely be spent by both parties on somewhat general conversation
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with a view to sizing each other up. Then, if the promoters still wish for his help, my colleague is invited to visit the building in question and make himself familiar with the particular problems which the promoters are facing. More than one visit may be paid, and then come long series of discussions over practical management problems, and over the drafting of a constitution or other documents needed to satisfy the appropriate authorities (the Commissioner of Police as the Registrar of Societies, or the Registrar-General if a company is being formed). We of course counsel promoters to seek their own solicitors' advice on legal technicalities. But at least in the earlier days what frequently happened in practice was that the solicitors' office then telephoned us for advice on how to advise their clients. This was not because we pretend to any special knowledge of the law but because very considerable experience in this field enabled us, with suitable legal advice, to draft a series of models that appeared to provide a workable starting point for management by the residents themselves. Meanwhile, one thing we never forget is that people are more important than paper, and it is living people whom we are serving in this field, and their personalities are far and away the most important factor in the success or failure of any Residents' Association. Because this is known, my colleagues are regularly called in as friendly observers or guests at large numbers of meetings, and at the sometimes lengthy installation ceremonies when a Resident Association's newly elected committee takes over. All this makes for a far livelier appreciation of the real problems that harass people, and helps build up a firm bridge of mutual understanding. But this is not the end. In the encouragement of these Associations we have to be ready to cope with requests for advice or support in connection with subsequent difficulties that crop up. Good Residents' Associations will handle most of these themselves, but even the best of them appear liable to be somewhat at sea when dealing with the Government machine and use us as a combined counsellor and broker—in ways that are familiar enough to Members of this Council in the course of the many public services that they perform.
4. I must now correct any impression that I may have given that we are more or less on top of the problem and are working full out in helping smooth the road for the healthy development of multi-storey Resident's Associations throughout Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon.
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