18
Wednesday, October 17, 1973
Urban Council
The now-style Urban Council has now been inaugurated under a new
Ordinanco and with full financial autonomy.
Might I say what a happy event this was for all of us and how
much we wish the Council success in its very important work.
Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign
I should like to say a separate and special word about tho Keep
Hong Kong Clean Campaign. It was the brain child and special responsibility of
the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department, but in the end most
departments of government, of course including the Police, were involved,
as were very large numbers of the public, Its success was manifest. The
streets became clean. 24,000 tons of the accumulated rubbish of decades
was removed. In the course of it, in the urban area, no less than
64 acres, 2.8 m. sq. ft., comprising some 137 sites were transformed from rubbish
dumps into gardens and play areas. Hong Kong was the sweeter for the
change. We have also all gained confidence in our ability to tackle great
problems of community interest if only we organise ourselves properly and
all pull together. Now our problem is to retain the ground gained.
I am delighted that this spring clean has been accompanied by
great improvements to our parks, and by the planting of many new trees and
shrubs in public places. I am sure that in spite of the difficulties Hong
Kong can be both clean and green,
Labour
This year I will say little myself about Labour matters, and thus
leave the Secretary for Social Services to speak himself.
/Some progress