THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1982
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HE SAID TWO OTHER ASPECTS OUGHT TO BE MENTIONED, ONE BEING THE COMING TOGETHER OF THE TRADITIONAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RURAL NEW TERRITORIES PEOPLE, THE RURAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN WHO WERE PROVIDED WITH SEATS ON THE DISTRICT BOARDS, AND THE APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MORE RECENT ARRIVALS.
THE OTHER WAS THE FACT THAT UNOFFICIAL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WERE BEGINNING TO MAKE A POINT OF MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE DISTRICT TO DISCUSS THEIR PROBLEMS.
+NOW WE ARE ABOUT TO ADD ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF THE DISTRICTS TO THE BOARDS AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD AS AN ADVISORY BODY WILL BE FURTHER IMPROVED FOR IN THIS WAY THE VIEWS OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE IN SO FAR AS DISTRICT AFFAIRS ARE CONCERNED MUST BE BETTER REPRESENTED, MR MACPHERSON SAID,
+AS YOU KNOW ALL BUT TWO OF THE 56 SEATS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARD CONSTITUENCIES WILL BE CONTESTED, SOME OF THEM BY AS MANY AS FIVE OR SIX CANDIDATES, SO ELECTION CAMPAIGNS ARE IN FULL SWING AND THERE IS SOMETHING OF AN ELECTION FEVER IN THE AIR, AS NOT ONLY THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS BUT ALSO THE TRADITIONAL RURAL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE.+
THERE WERE POSTERS AND BANNERS PUT UP BY MANY OF THE 174 CANDIDATES URGING THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO TURN OUT TO VOTE FOR THEM ON MARCH 4.
POLLING CARDS HAD NOW BEEN SENT OUT TO VOTERS TELLING THEM WHICH OF THE 125 POLLING STATIONS TO GO TO AND BOTH CANDIDATES AND VOTERS WERE BEING BRIEFED ON THE VERY SIMPLE VOTING PROCEDURES.
CANDIDATES CAME FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE AND AGES INCLUDING FACTORY WORKERS, BANK CLERKS, TAXI AND PLB OPERATORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, HOUSEWIVES, BUSINESS MEN AND JOURNALISTS.
+ IF ELECTED, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS
OF THE WOMEN IN THE DISTRICTS, MR MACPHERSON SAID.
+ IT IS OF COURSE MAINLY UP TO THE CANDIDATES TO GET
THE VOTERS TO TURN OUT AND VOTE, THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IS TO MAKE IT AS SIMPLE AND CONVENIENT AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.
TO THIS END 125 POLLING STATIONS HAD BEEN SET UP AND WOULD REMAIN OPEN FROM 7 AM TO 10 PM ON MARCH 4.
ALL THE REGISTERED ELECTOR HAD TO DO WAS TURN UP AND PRESENT HIS IDENTITY CARD TO THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND PUT A CROSS AGAINST THE CANDIDATE OF HIS CHOICE ON HIS BALLOT PAPER WHILE HE WAS INSIDE THE POLLING BOOTH AND PUT IT IN THE BALLOT BOX FOR COUNTING.
*WE ARE CONFIDENT OF A GOOD TURNOUT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS AND NO DOUBT THE URBAN DISTRICTS, WHOSE ELECTIONS ARE DUE IN SEPTEMBER, WILL BE WATCHING, + MR MACPHERSON SAID.
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