FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1984
MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE RECENTLY-PROPOSED EXPANSION OF ELECTED SEATS IN DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE SET UP OF A REGIONAL COUNCIL IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WOULD ENABLE A REASONABLY SYMMETRICAL STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO BE CONSTRUCTED AT BOTH DISTRICT AND REGIONAL LEVELS.
+ELECTIONS AND THE GENERAL EXPERIENCE GAINED BY THOSE TAKING PART IN VARIOUS LEVELS IN THESE DISTRICT AND REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS WILL HAVE AN INCALCULABLE IMPACT ON THE LIFE OF HONG KONG IN THE YEARS TO COME.
+NO DOUBT MANY OF THOSE WHO FIRST GAIN THEIR EXPERIENCE OF POLITICAL LIFE IN THE DISTRICTS WILL ADVANCE TO HIGHER COUNCILS. THIS TREND HAS ALREADY BEGUN, HE SAID.
EVERYONE, HE SAID, COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG BY CASTING THE IR VOTES IN THESE ELECTIONS.
+A VOTE IS A SMALL THING BUT IT SHOWS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL VOICE, HOWEVER SMALL IS OF VALUE AND IN THE ACT OF VOTING THE VOTER HAS COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HONG KONG AND ITS WAY OF LIFE, IT IS A SMALL GESTURE OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO US ALL.+
HE RECALLED THAT DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION EVOLVED FROM A +DISTINGUISHED ANCESTRY+ - A SYSTEM APPLIED TO THE FARMING AND RURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE NT BASED ON LOCAL TRADITION AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.
THE ADOPTION OF THIS SYSTEM GAVE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION +ITS CONTINUITY AND THE STRENGTH OF A TESTED METHOD.+
+ IT ENABLED MODIFICATION TO BE MADE TO IT LATER ON WITH GREATER CONFIDENCE THAN BY INTRODUCING OTHER MODELS AND METHODS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM EUROPE OR ELSEWHERE,+ HE SAID.
THE GRADUAL CREATION OF RURAL COMMITTEES AND THE HEUNG YEE KUK IN THE NT, AND THE APPOINTMENT OF DISTRICT OFFICERS IN BOTH RURAL AND URBAN AREAS WERE ALL FORERUNNERS OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.
+THE HISTORICAL ROOTS OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION CAN BE TRACED TO SYSTEMS DEVELOPED IN OTHER COLONIAL TERRITORIES, BUT THE ESSENTIAL ADAPTATIONS OF ITS BUREAUCRATIC ELEMENTS TO SERVE BOTH A RURAL AND URBAN SITUATION WERE MADE IN HONG KONG.
+THE EVOLUTION OF PARTLY ELECTED DISTRICT BOARDS TO ASSIST IN SOLVING THE DAY-TO-DAY PROBLEMS OF MANAGING HONG KONG IS ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT WITH A GENUINE LOCAL FLAVOUR.
+I KNOW OF NO SYSTEM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHICH, IN FACT, CONFERS UPON THE LOCAL COUNCIL THE RIGHT TO ADVISE ON, AND CRITICISE IF NECESSARY, THE DECISIONS OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT,+ HE CONCLUDED.
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