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not fail in its duty in the past and has rendered invaluable service to the Chinese community in Hong Kong. The community would otherwise suffer more hardships. It would be correct to say that the Government recently realized that it may cause hardships to those who do not understand English if the official correspondence is only in English. Chinese is not an official language yet. But in fact there are many newspapers and other publications in the Chinese language. They probably seek advice and assistance from the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs. The Secretariat for Chinese Affairs also renders very useful service in settling family disputes among Chinese. In short, Section 34 of the Report could only be accepted if the institutions or conceptions in Hong Kong were mainly designed for the Chinese population. In the present circumstances, it is my humble view that the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs should be further strengthened instead of being weakened.
It is also based on this same principle that I would make certain comments on Sections 35, 36, 41, 42 and 45. I would say that the Greater Hong Kong Council and various District Councils could never be a representative body unless Chinese is to be adopted as an official language as well. Translation or interpretation is only a technical problem, and it can and should be solved. The fact that many talented people in Hong Kong do not take a proper interest in local affairs is mainly due to the language barrier. We must seriously and sincerely consider this question. The meetings of all councils should be conducted in Chinese as well. At present, the meetings of the Heung Yee Kuk are being conducted in Chinese. Such practice may be adopted by other Councils as well. I deeply deplore that the Working Party did not consider the question of creation of Hong Kong citizenship at all when they were deliberating the various aspects of the future scope and operation of the Urban Council, as we are agreed that the creation of Hong Kong citizenship is the basis for any reform in Hong Kong, constitutional or otherwise.
I also wish to point out that if we really want this future Urban Council, or Municipal Assembly, or Greater Hong Kong Council to work well, then the functions mentioned in Section 19 of the Report are the bare necessities. Matters concerning education, medical services and transport and, as Mr. NG suggested, the utility companies, should be under the control of the Urban Council. If these matters were taken away from the Council it may defeat the whole aim of this Report.
Mr. Chairman, in my view, the present Report cuts in the middle between the wish to maintain the power of the Governor intact, and the wish to have a certain form of representative Government in Hong Kong. It would be very difficult to have a representative form of Government without, in certain measure, encroaching upon the powers of the Governor. This is really the whole dilemma in this matter. The
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logical conclusion is to make either the Legislative Council or the Municipal Council a really elected representative body to which the Governor would gradually transfer his powers. Hong Kong is too small and delicate a place to divide the Government on central or local levels. This Report may be accepted or partly accepted by the Government. No matter what the result is, we hope that Government will be conscientious to its moral responsibility and encourage the local people to manage their affairs by themselves without imposing any condition or price.
With these remarks Mr. Chairman I support the Motion.
DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, I would ask if I may reserve the right to speak last before Mr. SALES. Would you mind asking the Secretary for Chinese Affairs if he wishes to speak—and perhaps you yourself would like to speak?
CHAIRMAN:-Dr. BELL, I had thought that the Secretary for Chinese Affairs would not be speaking on this occasion, but the debate has been so interesting that he is moved to utter a few words. (Laughter).
SECRETARY FOR CHINESE AFFAIRS:-A very few unprepared words, Mr. Chairman. My apologies if I appear to be biting a hand or two that have fed me by uncomplimentary remarks.
Sir, quite frankly, I do not see how I could possibly vote in support of this motion, and this is not because the brief reference to my own Department in the Report happens to be all wrong. I am afraid Mr. Hu was also wrong about my particular functions. Mr. RAFEEK was not quite right either (Laughter). It is not because of that, nor because I detected a slight element of power struggle. I am not interested in power—I will be glad to give away any executive or power functions I may have to anybody anxious to lap them up. It is because I feel this whole thing is too rushed. My good friend Mr. SALES was a tower of strength on a committee we had a couple of years ago which dealt with a complex, but far less important subject than this. The matter was squatter control clearance and resettlement. We took six months to discuss this, and I tremble to think what Mr. SALES would have said if I, as Chairman, had collected four members and we had written the report—and then slap-bang-go through the Urban Council in one month, giving nobody any time to think it over. This is an important document. If the resolution to be moved was that we should accept the report for consideration, then I feel I could have supported it. But just to accept it at the drop of a hat, so to speak, I feel that were Mr. SALES in my shoes he would be objecting even more strongly than I am inclined to now. It is solely for that reason, Mr. Chairman, I feel I cannot support the motion.
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