TNAG-0202-FCO40-238-Rural-consultative-council-of-the-New-Territories-(Heung-Yee-1969 — Page 11

2.

At present, Government is paying attention to such projects as cross-harbour tunnel, underground railway and the extension of the airport runway which undoubtedly are essential projects. However, as far as the New Territories are concerned, Government has been reluctant to amend the land policy despite New Territories Heung Yee Kuk's repeated representations in the past several decades, and the same applies to the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance. Castle Peak Road and Tai Po Road, the two main routes to the New Territories, have still not been widened. People unanimously think that the Hong Kong Government has not paid enough attention to the New Territories. People in the New Territories have been living there for several hundred years and they love peace and stability, as was clearly shown during the disturbances of 1967 when they fully supported the Hong Kong Government in the maintenance of peace and order. To-day Hong Kong is in a politically dangerous situation, and it should be noted that the poorer community of rural areas could be a hot-bed for the trouble-makers and that is where the communists for example, will infiltrate and gain support. To ensure peace and stability for the Colony, it is necessary for the people to unite together and at the same time for the Government and the people to co-operate in bringing about prosperity and better standard of living. To this end, I would like to make the following recommen- dations:

(1)

(2)

the land policy of the New Territories should be radically changed so that commerce and industry could be developed. The restrictions on the use of land should be lifted, premia reduced and payable by instalment. People should be permitted to exchange land with land without payment of premium. The Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance, Cap. 124, should be amended to take into consideration the possible future benefits accrued to land.

Tourism in the New Territories should be promoted in order to strengthen the Colony's economy. Without any natural resources, Hong Kong depends entirely on commerce and industry. Since tourism has become the second most important industry, it should be carefully nurtured. There is already a shortage of holiday resorts for the Colony's own population not to mention the ever- increasing foreign visitors. Therefore it is necessary to provide tourists amenities and different kinds of entertainment in the New Territories to attract local and foreign tourists. Now that Macau and other countries in the Far East are competing with each other for tourists Government should do everything possible to promote tourism in rural areas so that on the one hand the money of local residents will not be spent outside the Colony and on the other more foreign exchange can be earned.

A.

Hong Kong Government/..