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dividual views will be recorded for future reference. The many constructive suggestions contained in the report are generally, I believe, acceptable, but provide food for thought. Our very delicate geo-political situation requires that we proceed with extreme caution with any implementation we may contemplate to undertake. For instance, how can we improvise a system of restricted electorate that can protect us from possible involvement in international politics?
As regards the general structure of the Council, be it called the Greater Hong Kong Council, or The Municipal Council or what have you, there are a few reservations I would like to make:--
(i) The Colonial Secretary should remain with the central Government, perhaps under a different name, as he is the officer administering the Government in the absence of the Governor,
(ii) The educational and medical policies and services should be centrally planned, centrally controlled and centrally financed at the Central Government level. Each district council can supplement these services from their budget as they think fit.
(iii) The public transport system and the information service should be the responsibility of the Central Government. And now I would add a fourth. I do not see any practical purpose in including some of the departments which have no direct bearing on our daily life such as scientific and research, weights and measures.
No doubt there will be a great deal of modifications as time goes on, but the report is again to be studied by higher authority, and there will be other chances for discussions, either here or elsewhere, so with these very few reservations and very short remarks, Mr. Chairman, I accept the report before the Council as worthy of further consideration. (Applause).
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DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:- Mr. Chairman, I have not previously had any opportunity to discuss this report in Council or committee and I certainly would not wish personally to oppose the general principles behind it, but I must express considerable reservations and perhaps, dissent concerning those references in the Report - brief though they are - which relate to the Medical and Health Department of Government.
I realize that the Report was compiled in some haste and I know it is stated that members have not tried to state a case to substantiate the recommendations they have made, but it is extremely difficult to accept, in the absence of any details whatsoever, the bald statement in paragraph 19 that "Medical" is among, I quote "the functions falling to the Greater Hong Kong Council". I take it this means that all the functions and responsibilities of the Medical and Health Department should be taken over "lock stock and barrel" as a "going concern" by the proposed Council; it may mean that the Council should actually formulate medical policy and run the Medical and Health Department itself engaging, employing and allocating staff to all hospitals and clinics, etc. and controlling the work they do.
In either case I must point out that, if the admittedly democratic system in Britain is referred to, no local authority of whatever standing and I include the Greater London Council, has any functions or responsibilities connected directly with the provision of medical services for sickness or hospital care; their field is, in the main, confined to those aspects of the health services which are concerned with environmental sanitation and hygiene and certain other personal health services which are delegated to them by the Central Health Authority.
This Council works hard and has achieved a great deal but it is a local Council with specified functions and it should not, to my mind, seek to assume functions more rightly falling to Central Government especially in a territory the size of Hong Kong which has such a compact and accessible population. The size of Hong Kong is equal to one area of a Regional Hospital Board in England.
I am aware that there is always room for improvement in the workings of any Government Department. I am equally sure that all Departments do continually strive to bring about such improvements, and I consider that the demonstrably successful developments in so many of the Colony's services now operated by Government is proof of this - this is why I feel that some detailed mention of the objects and reasons for the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee in respect of the Medical and Health Department should have been made in this Report.
I might here also refer to the responses made by local organizations to the letters sent out on 4th April this year requesting their views on how the scope, function and operation of the Urban Council could be improved; I noted particularly the replies from the Hong Kong Chinese Medical Association and the Hong Kong Branch of the British Medical Association - neither of which, I suggest significantly, put forward any views or suggestions in connexion with medical matters which might concern the Council's future functions.
For these reasons I find I cannot fully support this Report in its present form.
MR. CHEUNG WING-IN:- Mr. Chairman, the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the future scope and operation of the Urban Council is by far the most important paper that has come up for discussion by this Council.
The proposals will give the people of Hong Kong a true measure of internal responsibility. This will strengthen their loyalty and give
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