XN000022-1982-03-30 — Page 3

TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1982

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MISCONCEPTION ABOUT DB REGISTRATION CLEARED

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARD AND OCCUPATION ARE IRRELEVANT IN THE REGISTRATION OF DISTRICT BOARD ELECTORS, THE CITY DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, SHAM SHUI PO, MR STEPHEN IP, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT A JOINT DINNER PARTY OF LIONS CLUBS OF MOUNT CAMERON, BRAEMAR HILL, LION ROCK, ISLAND SOUTH AND LIONESS CLUB OF FUNG WONG SHAN.

CLEARING SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTION ABOUT DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS, MR IP SAID THE ELECTIONS WERE NOT FOR THE INTELLECTUALS ONLY AND THAT SEX AND AGE SHOULD NOT AFFECT ONE'S CONCERN FOR HIS COMMUNITY.

+OLD PEOPLE AND HOUSEWIVES IN FACT KNOW MORE ABOUT THE IR LIVING ENVIRONMENT AND NEEDS BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE TIME AT HOME AND HAVE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR NEIGHBOURS,+

MR IP ALSO POINTED OUT THAT NOT ONLY THE HEAD OF A HOUSEHOLD BUT EVERY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, WHO WOULD REACH 21 YEARS OF AGE BY AUGUST 31 AND HAD LIVED IN HONG KONG FOR AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS, SHOULD REGISTER AS ELECTORS.

+NOT KNOWING MUCH ABOUT THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME AND CANDIDATES SHOULD NOT DETER ANYBODY FROM REGISTERING AS ELECTORS SINCE STAFF OF THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICES AND VOLUNTEERS ARE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, MAKING DOOR-TO-DOOR VISITS EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE DETAILS ABOUT THE SCHEME, AND PEOPLE CAN ELECT THE IR CANDIDATE ACCORDING TO THEIR PAST CONTRIBUTIONS AND VIEWS ON PROBLEMS IN THE DISTRICTS, HE SAID.

SINCE REGISTRATION OF URBAN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTORS STARTED ON MARCH 19 AND UP TO 5 PM TODAY, A TOTAL OF 101 709 COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY ALL CITY DISTRICT OFFICES.

REGISTRATION FORMS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM ANY OF THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICES, NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT OFFICES, POST OFFICES, MTR STATIONS, OR ANY OF THE BRANCHES OF THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK, CHARTERED BANK OR HANG SENG BANK.

COMPLETED FORMS SHOULD BE POSTED BACK, FREE OF CHARGE, TO

THE REGISTRATION AND ELECTORAL OFFICE.

MR IP REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT ONLY THEIR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SHOULD BE PUT IN BECAUSE ELECTORS CAN VOTE ONLY IN THE CONSTITUENCY IN WHICH THEY LIVE.

+BREACH OF THIS REGULATION MAY LEAD TO A FINE OF $5 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS, HE WARNED.

REGISTERED URBAN COUNCIL ELECTORS WILL NOT NEED TO REGISTER BECAUSE THEIR NAMES WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE TRANSFERRED TO THE REGISTER FOR URBAN DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.

/MR IP SAID