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is not given a sufficiently wide scope in which to manoeuvre and is not provided the necessary facilities with which its members can act effectively. Consequently, as an elected Urban Councillor aware of my responsibility towards my electors and the community at large, I cannot help feeling frustrated.
The scope of work of the Urban Council is broadly defined in Section 54 of the Urban Council Ordinance. Under this Section the Council is to "exercise control within the area allotted to it over all matters in respect of which powers are given to it by the Ordinance or any other Ordinance". The area in which the Council is now authorized to exercise control is confined mainly to the work of the Urban Services Department, including matters like public health, city cleansing, parks, recreation and amenities, public markets, hawkers and abattoirs, the management of the City Hall, and the resettlement estates. Even in these matters the Council is not in a position to formulate policies independently because over the Council the Colonial Secretariat is constantly exercising remote but effective control. The Colonial Secretariat can rule out any policy formulated by this Council by either ignoring it or accepting it partially without explanation as is evident in many cases in the past years or by not providing the necessary funds for the implementation of the policy. A striking example capable of illustrating the relationship between Government and the Council, the position, authority, and effectiveness of the Council is found in the Council's resolution made on 4th April 1967 in which the Council requested Government to reserve the WHOLE of Whitfield Barracks as open space. Government has now decided to reserve only 26 acres out of 42 as open space without giving an explanation to the Council as to why the resolution was not accepted in full. This hard fact of life, I am afraid, is not known to most members of the public and as a result, elected Unofficials are often blamed for failing to fulfil their election promises and not being able to satisfy the need of the people of whom they are representatives.
Another stumbling block in the effective discharge of my duties as an Unofficial Urban Councillor is the lack of facilities made available to me by Government. All Unofficials, both appointed and elected, are busy men serving voluntarily and it is only natural that they cannot afford the time to do the basic research necessary for an effective treatment of a complaint or the formulation of a proposal put forward to Government for consideration. In saying this, I do not mean to discredit you, Sir, for the repeated assurance given to me by you yourself and your staff on a number of occasions that you would only be too happy to see me at any time when I have problems or to assist me in any way you can in understanding Government policies and the operation of your Department. The fact is, however, that you and your senior staff are all subject to Government directives and are busy men having your daily duties to attend to and the assistance you can offer to us must therefore necessarily be limited. On the other hand, we do need, as Unofficials, ample opportunities to study Government policies and administrative arrangements before we can put forward sensible proposals. We also need assistance from a supporting staff in the collection and analysis of basic information and data, routine correspondence, and preparation of papers on the basis of material collected. The present position as it now stands, is that we are generals without an army and a lonely man crying in the wilderness and am as a result, admittedly ineffective although, I have the heart to serve and the contacts through which public feelings can be ascertained. This is indeed a regrettable situation about which something, in my opinion, must be done if Government is sincere in making the Urban Council an effective machinery in the control of the many matters which are now or should in future be included in the sphere of the Council's jurisdiction.
There are people attributing public apathy in community affairs and indeed, anything concerning Government. I challenge this statement which is not, in my opinion, based on a faithful assessment of the situation. There is ample evidence to show that there is an increasing number of people particularly the younger generation, who feel most concerned about the community in which they live and the things around them. The somewhat indifferent attitude towards the Urban Council election is due to the fact that the Urban Council has not been given specific authorities or a sufficiently wide scope of work and the contribution of an elected Urban Councillor is insignificant and out of proportion to the amount of time which a successful candidate has to spend. There is good reason to believe that given a powerful Council and the necessary backing to an elected Councillor, more people will respond to the election and more people will become interested in community affairs and Government policies.
There are many things particularly in the economic field, in which Hong Kong can be proud of its achievements. We can also be proud of the quality of the people living in this small but flourishing place. However, it is lamentable to see the slow progress made in fulfilling the desire of the people of having more representations in Government. Both the Legislative and Executive Council are served by either officials or appointed individuals. The Urban Council is the only place in which elected representatives are tolerated and yet the number of seats allotted to elected members represents a minority of the overall Council membership. There are 10 elected numbers on the Council to whom the four million people of Hong Kong have reasons to turn to when they have problems. The people of Hong Kong also have reason to expect these elected representatives who are after all the only elected representatives in the whole Government system, to voice their opinions and to act in accordance with their wishes whether or not such matters are within the jurisdiction of the Urban Council. This significant point
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