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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The Urban Council's aim to encourage maximum usage of the City Hall facilities has therefore been realized. The time has come for us to consider in what direction further progress may be made. My Select Committee thinks that as an immediate measure we should do all we can to follow up on the success of the City Hall Popular Concerts presented by this Council. These concerts are intended to encourage the appreciation of good music, both Western and Chinese, in the young generation. 44 such concerts have been presented and attendances have exceeded 58,000. The success of this series emphasizes beyond doubt the great demand for cultural entertainment among young people at a price that they can afford. In consequence, the City Hall Select Committee has decided to increase the frequency and variety of such concerts while studying how best this need may be met by the City Hall in other ways.
We hope that this new financial year will see the Urban Council making substantial progress in this field. We also hope that during this year we shall be able to complete the necessary ground work for the City Hall to play a far more incisive part in the service of the people in the years immediately ahead. For this purpose, we need more staff to cope with the heavy work that is involved; accordingly, a proposal to this effect has been made to the Government.
MR. BERNACCHI: -On a point of clarification, does Mr. SALES think that pop music is bad music?
MR. SALES: -On the contrary Sir, we are encouraging pop concerts. In point of fact we are presenting them, and if Mr. BERNACCHI would like to make any suggestions as to his favourite pop group, the Select Committee will consider. (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you very much.
REPORT BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, with your permission I would now like to make the statement I referred to at the beginning of this meeting.
At last month's Council meeting Mr. Hu's motion was carried "that this Council request the Government to lay down as a general matter of policy that the proposed Urban District Officers co-operate closely with the Ward System of this Council."
The Colonial Secretary was duly informed of this Motion and in reply I have been asked to say that the Government has noted the motion passed by the Urban Council and appreciates the generally sympathetic reception of Members to the proposals for the City District
an
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
41
Officer Scheme. The Secretary for Chinese Affairs has already given assurance that City District Officers will co-operate with the Council's ward system and the Government sees no need to add to or in any way modify this assurance by means of a policy directive to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
MOTION.
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, moved the following motion:
"RESOLVED-
(1) Under section 59 of the Urban Council Ordinance that the persons whose names are set out in the first column of the attached Schedule shall be the Members of the Select Committees detailed for the period up to the commencement of the first meeting of the Urban Council in April 1969, except that Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI, Mr. LI Yiu-bor, Dr. Woo Pak-foo, Dr. A. M. S. BELL and Mr. Henry H. L. Hu, whose respective terms of office as Elected Members expire on 31st March, 1969, shall be Members of the relevant Select Committees until that date.
(2) Under Standing Order 22(6) that the Chairman of each Select Committee shall be as set out in the first column of the attached Schedule for the period up to the commencement of the first meeting of the Urban Council in April, 1969, except that Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI, Mr. LI Yiu-bor, Dr. Woo Pak-foo and Dr. A. M. S. BELL, whose respective terms of office as Elected Members expire on 31st March 1969, shall be Chairmen of the relevant Select Committees until that date.
(3) Under Section 60(1) of the Urban Council Ordinance and section 5(1) of the Resettlement Ordinance that the powers and functions of the Council as set out in the second column of the attached Schedule be delegated to the Select Committees shown in the first column for the period up to the commencement of the first meeting of the Urban Council in April 1969.
(4) Under section 60(1) of the Urban Council Ordinance that the powers of the Council under section 59 of the Ordinance to change by appointment or removal the personnel of each Select Committee be delegated to that Select Committee:
Provided that each such change shall be reported to the Council at its next meeting."