FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1980
OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS THEREFORE, IT WAS INTENDED TO EXTEND THE SCHEME TO THE OTHER DISTRICTS OF HONG KONG AND KOWLOON.
AS A NEXT STEP IT WAS PROPOSED THAT ONCE EACH URBAN DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED ITS OPERATION SHOULD BE REINFORCED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF A DISTRICT BOARD. THEY, LIKE THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, WOULD BE CHAIRED BY AN OFFICIAL, IN THIS CASE THE CITY DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS.
THE BOARDS WOULD INCLUDE A NUCLEUS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, TOGETHER WITH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS APPOINTED FROM THE DISTRICT INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES OF AREA COMMITTEES, MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, KAIFONGS AND OTHER ACTIVE BODIES.
HOWEVER, THEIR TERMS OF REFERENCE WOULD NOT BE QUITE AS WIDE AS THOSE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES BOARDS, BECAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXISTING RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE URBAN COUNCIL WHICH WOULD NOT BE CHANGED.
+THE URBAN COUNCIL,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN, +HAD FULLY DEMONSTRATED ITS WORTH OVER THE YEARS.+
THE URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS WOULD ALSO DIFFER FROM THEIR NEW TERRITORIES COUNTERPARTS IN THAT MEMBERSHIP WOULD BE BY APPOINTMENT, NOT BY ELECTION, TO AVOID DUPLICATION OF THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM.
IT WAS NOT PROPOSED THAT CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION SHOULD NECESSARILY BE RESIDENT IN THE CONSTITUENCY FOR WHICH THEY STAND, THOUGH IT WAS CLEARLY DESIRABLE THAT THEY SHOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CONSTITUENCY.
+MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE URGED TO MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN, HE SAID. +THEY CAN DO SO BY WRITING TO THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG,→ DISCUSSIONS WILL ALSO BE CARRIED ON IN THE NORMAL WAY BY HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.
VIEWS SHOULD BE EXPRESSED BY AUGUST 31, 1980.
FOLLOWING THE PERIOD OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION IT WAS ENVISAGED THAT A WHITE PAPER CONTAINING FIRM PROPOSALS WOULD BE PUBLISHED BY THE END OF THE YEAR WITH A VIEW TO INTRODUCING THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION EARLY IN 1981.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT REVISED ELECTORAL ROLLS FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE URBAN AREA COULD THEN BE DRAWN UP OVER THE FOLLOWING NINE MONTHS.
THEREFORE, HE SAID, THE FIRST ELECTION UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM COULD BE HELD IN MARCH, 1982.
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