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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Representatives at District level will be elected almost from the whole community, whereas the Elected Representatives on the Greater Hong Kong Council will be elected on restricted electorate, at present similar to the new franchise for the Urban Council. The essence of a two-tier system is Decentralization, obtained by not having to go through the Colonial Secretariat in local Government affairs. I believe that the Ad Hoc Committee's report has not been officially translated into Chinese. If this is true—it amazes me that this has not yet been done, and it has not yet been officially available in Chinese to the citizens of Hong Kong. I have now received an official Chinese translation—in draft.
Finally, a few points not directly relevant to the Urban Council. First of all, let me say that I am pleased to see that at last we have got a system of free legal aid in civil cases but I agree that further work has still to be done on legal aid in criminal cases.
Secondly, let us get rid of the window dressing in the School Medical Health Scheme and improve it. It does not contain any provision about dentistry, although that provision was there when it was confined to children in Government Schools, nor does it contain any special provision for hospitalization. As it has been noticed that youngsters line up sometimes for many hours to obtain monthly bus tickets, presumably having nothing better to do than sucking sweets, in a few years the population of Hong Kong will have nothing to get their teeth into either figuratively or actually. Cannot something be done both to improve the School Health Scheme and to reduce the queues waiting for monthly bus tickets. Surely, there are enough dentists in practice today to join a School Health Dentists' Scheme and as to the queues buying monthly bus tickets, surely the management can either space them out throughout the month or put more staff onto issuing the tickets.
Thirdly, the Department of Agriculture is apparently the poor boy of Hong Kong. Little encouragement, at any rate financially is given to them, and they seem to be drowned by the heavy weight of concrete jungle and industrial development, despite the United Nations food policies. By saying this, I am not against industrial development, it is amazing how Hong Kong has become an industrial city rather than a trading port since the War, but I am emphasizing in fairly strong language the need for not ignoring the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
I plead for more organized camping sites for the young in the New Territories. The young must get out into the New Territories on weekends to breathe and there should be proper large camping sites where they can go to. Organized by Government and not left to the whim of any individual.
Finally, I would refer to the visit of Mr. Fred LEE, thought to be in connection with a proposal for Hong Kong to bear more of the cost of the Garrison here. In my opinion, agreements are things that both parties should abide by. In 1964 there was much criticism of the increased share of Hong Kong in this matter. It was then said that this increase has been compensated by a six-years agreement, so that the citizens of Hong Kong would not have to fear that the U.K. Government would demand more until 1970. Then why is Mr. Fred LEE coming here tonight. (Laughter).
Mr. Chairman, I think I have used almost, or even more than my time, so I would say with these words that I support the Motion. (Applause).
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I assure Mr. BERNACCHI that if he wanted to carry on the Appointed Members would have no objection.
MR. WILFRED S. B. WONG:-Mr. Chairman, last year at this point of the Debate Mr. Li Yiu-bor found it necessary to imply that eloquent speakers of the Council are confined to the first four speakers. I thoroughly agree with him again and I would prepare you for one dull speech.
This is the seventh occasion at which I have had the opportunity of reviewing the work of the Urban Council and this time in relation to its Statement of Aims for 1967.
As you may be aware, I have been keeping a record of the prolificness of the Members of this Council just as my friend, Mr. John MARDEN is keeping a record of the length of the speeches of the Members by a stop watch. (Laughter). The volume of literary output of the Members in terms of the numbers of pages of the Hansard for the last few years are as follows: 1960-215 pages; 1961-203; 1962-283; 1963–371; 1964–595; 1965–742. (Laughter). Last year, MR. SALES suggested that the reason for the growth of pages on the Hansard was due to the increasing tendency on the part of the official Members to speak. (Laughter). I would add that the scope and the duties of this Council are naturally increasing with the problems associated with them. The actual volume fell short by 26% of my prophecy, but I feel certain that the Hansard for this year will reach a thousand pages.
If "the Doctors of Social Work"—the names I would recommend giving to all those who have served 7 years or more on this Council, should feel frustrated sometime they may be reminded that when one goes and stands by the sea beach and although noting that the flux and reflux of the tide gives the impression that retrogression is equal to the advance, we have on the whole progressed a great deal, and we shall hear from a subsequent speaker regarding this.
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