XN000022-1982-11-11 — Page 21

20

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1982

ON A SUGGESTION BY DR HUANG OF FURTHER CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE, MR AKERS-JONES SAID THAT SO FAR AS THE DISTRICT BOARDS WERE CONCERNED, WE MUST, PLEASE, BE ALLOWED A BRIEF PERIOD OF CONSOLIDATION AND NOW ALLOW THE BOARDS TO GET ON WITH THEIR JOB. +

TURNING TO THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS NEXT MARCH,

MR AKERS-JONES MAINTAINED THAT THIS WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REFORM OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.

+

+THIS, TOO, IS NOT A FRAUD AND A DECEPTION. THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY IN THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF OUR CITY. +

+THE LINK WITH THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS IS AN OBVIOUS ONE AND THIS IS RECOGNISED IN THE SEATS THE URBAN COUNCILLORS WILL OCCUPY ON THE BOARDS, HE SAID.

BRAY DEFENDS PRESS FREEDOM

****

THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DENIS BRAY TODAY SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, BUT CAUTIONED AGAINST OVER-DRAMATISATION OR SENSATIONALISM IN REPORTING, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

NEITHER REPORTERS NOR THE REPORTED ON ARE INFALLIBLE, HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. STRESSING THAT ASSESSMENT OF THE VALUE OF THE NEWS MEDIA MUST BE BASED ON THEIR LONGTERM PERFORMANCE DAY IN AND DAY OUT, ON THEIR BALANCE IN REPORTING OF EVENTS, AND ON THE STANDARD OF THEIR COMMENTARY.

+BY THESE STANDARDS HONG KONG IS REMARKABLY WELL SERVED.+

MR BRAY SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS IN NO POSITION TO DICTATE WHAT EMPHASIS THE MEDIA SHOULD ADOPT, +NOR, I AM SURE, WOULD ANY MEMBER WISH TO FIND HIMSELF IN A SOCIETY WHERE THE GOVERNMENT WAS ABLE TO DO SO.+

PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC EYE, HE SAID, HAVE A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MEDIA.

+WE FEEL RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION WHEN WE ARE AFFRONTED AND SATISFACTION WHEN WE ARE APPLAUDED. BUT WE SELDOM PAUSE TO REFLECT THAT THE COLOUR AND VARIETY OF OUR NEWS AND COMMENT SPRING DIRECTLY FROM THE FREEDOM OF A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PRESS.

+WE DO WRONG TO TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED, MR BRAY SAID, POINTING OUT THAT THERE ARE A GREAT MANY PLACES WHERE SUCH FREEDOM IS NOT TO BE FOUND.

+HONG KONG WOULD BE A VERY MUCH DULLER AND MORE DANGEROUS AND UNSTABLE A PLACE WITHOUT IT, HE ADDED.

/21