XN000022-1982-05-18 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1982

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RESPONSE TO DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION ENCOURAGING

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MORE THAN 50 100 PEOPLE IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT HAVE REGISTERED AS ELECTORS IN THE COMING DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS, REPRESENTING ABOUT 41.75 PER CENT OF THE ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN THE DISTRICT, THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER (SOUTHERN), MISS LOLLY CHIU SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

SPEAKING AT A LUNCH MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG NORTHWEST, MISS CHIU SAID THE NUMBER HAD EXCEEDED HER MOST OPTIMISTIC ESTIMATE AND SHE WAS DELIGHTED WITH THIS +WARM AND ENCOURAGING+ RESPONSE.

+THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME IS NOT SOLELY A GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT. IT IS A SCHEME AIMED AT INVOLVING THE CITIZENS IN THE RUNNING OF THEIR DISTRICT, ITS SUCCESS OR OTHERWISE DEPENDS HEAVILY ON THE LEVEL OF LOCAL SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION,✦ MISS CHIU SAID.

SHE SAID THE REGISTRATION EXERCISE IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT WAS A SUCCESS. HOWEVER, SUCCESS OF REGISTRATION WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO MAKE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION WORK, SHE ADDED. REPRESENTATIVES FROM COMMITTED BODIES ARE NEED TO SERVE ON THE DISTRICT BOARDS.

+I CAN FORESEE THESE PEOPLE COMING FROM VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, KAIFONG ASSOCIATIONS AND SERVICE CLUBS LIKE THE ROTARY WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLE OF SERVICE,+ MISS CHIU SAID.

SHE SAID THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT IS THE LARGEST URBAN DISTRICT COVERING ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE HONG KONG ISLAND AND COMPRISING SIX CONSTITUENCIES, NAMELY: POK FU LAM, WAH FU, ABERDEEN AND AP LEI CHAU, TIN WAN AND SHEK PAI WAN, WONG CHÚK HANG AND BAYS AREA, AND STANLEY AND SHEK O.

+AT THE SEPTEMBER ELECTION, EACH OF THESE CONSTITUENCIES WOULD RETURN ONE REPRESENTATIVE TO OUR DISTRICT BOARD, MISS CHIU SAID.

QUALIFICATION TO BE A CANDIDATE IS SIMPLE. ANY PERSON WHO

IS REGISTERED AS AN ELECTOR AND HAS LIVED IN HONG KONG FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS MAY STAND FOR ELECTION, AND HE DOES NOT HAVE TO LIVE

IN THE CONSTITUENCY HE STANDS FOR.

+ALL HE NEEDS TO DO IS TO DELIVER BEFORE AUGUST 31

A NOMINATION PAPER TO THE RETURNING OFFICER (WHO IS THE CITY DISTRICT COMMISSIONER) WITH THE NAMES OF A PROPOSER, A SECONDER AND EIGHT OTHER ELECTORS REGISTERED IN THE CONSTITUENCY CONCERNED,+ SHE SAID.

THE EXISTING SOUTHERN DISTRICT BOARD MEETS EVERY SIX WEEKS. IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS IT HAS DEVOTED MUCH ATTENTION TO A NUMBER OF ISSUES AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF ITS PEOPLE, SUCH AS TRAFFIC, RECREATION AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS.

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