XN000022-1984-02-15 — Page 6

LOON ESDAY, FEBRUA

+I SHOULD NOTE HERE THAT THE HEUNG YEE KUK IS A SPECIALLY APPOINTED STATUTORY BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR GIVING ADVICE ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE NEW TERRITORIES AS SUCH, AND NO CHANGE IN THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE KUK IS PROPOSED. MOREOVER, IN RECOGNITION OF THE KUK'S TRADITIONAL POSITION, IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NUMBER OF THE NEW OFFICERS OF THE KUK SHOULD BE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL.

+1 SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR, AS REGARDS THE URBAN COUNCIL IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE, NOR IS IT PROPOSED, TO EXTEND ITS POWERS TO COVER THE REST OF HONG KONG, BECAUSE OF EXISTING INSTITUTIONS AND BECAUSE THE URBAN COUNCIL WOULD THUS BECOME TOO LARGE AND UNWIELDY. I WOULD ADD THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE ENTHUSIASTIC AND COMPETENT PERFORMANCE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL WITHIN ITS PRESENT JURISDICTION AND WOULD NOT WISH TO PUT ITS CONTINUING ROLE IN THE URBAN AREAS IN THE FUTURE AT RISK.

+AS REGARDS THE ACTUAL GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TWO COUNCILS THAT WOULD BE CREATED IF THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS ARE IMPLEMENTED, IT IS FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW TOWN BEING BUILT AT JUNK BAY, WHICH IS VIRTUALLY AN EXTENSION OF NEW KOWLOON, SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE JURISDICTION OF THE PRESENT URBAN COUNCIL. SIMILARLY, ADMINISTRATION OF THE ISLANDS TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF HONG KONG ISLAND MIGHT BE MORE CONVENIENTLY COMBINED WITH THAT OF HONG KONG ISLAND RATHER THAN THE NORTHERN NEW TERRITORIES. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS HAS A BEARING ON THE TRADITIONAL SPHERE OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK IT WILL CLEARLY NEED CAREFUL EXAMINATION.

+SIR, THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN MADE TODAY IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN THE STATE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S THINKING AS REGARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SYSTEM OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSALS WILL BE, I HOPE, SELF-EVIDENT IT IS TO CREATE MORE EVEN AND SYMMETRICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG AND TO BRING ABOUT A GREATER DEGREE OF DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN THE RUNNING OF OUR INCREASINGLY COMPLEX SOCIETY. I AM SURE THERE WILL BE A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS WILL PRESENT FOR THOSE ANXIOUS TO TAKE PART IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT DISTRICT AND REGIONAL LEVEL.

+IN CONCLUSION, I SHOULD EMPHASISE, SIR, THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS ON PROPOSALS WILL BE WELCOMED AND THE FURTHER ADVICE OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE ADVICE OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, WILL BE SOUGHT, AS WILL THE VIEWS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL. IF THE PROPOSALS COMMAND SUPPORT. IT IS INTENDED THAT THE CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN TIME FOR THE ELECTIONS IN 1985 AND THAT ELECTIONS FOR THE SECOND 'REGIONAL COUNCIL SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN 1986, BUT WITH A PROVISIONAL, WHOLLY APPOINTED COUNCIL TAKING OFFICE IN 1985.

J

+MEANWHILE, PRELIMINARY WORK IS IN HAND ON THE ORGANISATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE, LEGAL AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THESE PROPOSALS SO THAT, IF THEY DO COMMAND SUPPORT, THE TIMETABLE ENVISAGED FOR THEIR IMPLEMENTATION MAY BE MET,