TNAG-0320-FCO40-356-Petitions-from-Rural-Consultative-Council-for-the-New-Territ-1971 — Page 33

TWAISLATION

Letter-head : NEW TERRIPORIES HEUNG YEE KUK

6-3 Slung Tak Stroot, Tai Po Karikat, Now Tarritories,

HONG KONG.

1327/70

Six

10th October, 1970.

We respectfully cubmit this memorandun requesting you, Sir, to instruct the Government of Hong Kong to confer upon (some) government post(s) in the low Territories Administaation the cz officio nombership of Hong Kong's Executive Council, and also to appoint (sona) ucmber(s) of the low Territories Keung Yoo Kul: to servo 20 únofficial fleniors on both the Executive and the Legislativo Councils, The grounds for our request ere set out as follows (-

(4) All the official and Unofficial Monbers of the Executive aná

Who legislative Councils of liong Kong vork for the benefits of Hong Kong's population as a whole. However, none of those Council mombaru inve to date had any interest in, or first-hand social, political, ocononio imovledge of, the Now Territorios, and therefore it is hardly appropriate for thom to represent the interests of the H.T. people. Whis stato of affairs les stormed from the fact that tho said two Councile wore first formed many decados ego, when the licw Territorios vas still a sparsely populated mual community. (2) To-day, the Hew Territories not only onbracos over 91% of Hong Kong's total area of land, but also accommodates one fifth of the Colony's population. Thus, the N.7. is at prosent politically and economically important in that it offers immense room for further expansion in local commerce, industry and population of the already saturated urban Hong Kong (Island) and Kowloon (Peninsula). In such circumstances, the .T. poople should naturally bo represented on the said taro Councils, so that thoir local velfare and voll-being my not bo neglected.

(3) Since people devoid of interests in, or first and knowledge

of the New Toxritories can serve as Officiel and Unofficial Hembers of the Executive Council and as Unofficial Membora of tho Legislative Council, it remains a puzzlo as to why the N.T. officiels cannot sorve as official lembors of the Exécutivo Council, and the 1.7. Keung Yeo Kink members cannot servo as Unofficial Kenbers of the Recutivo al Legislative Councils. Without the requested Ikv Territories' representation on the paid tro Councils, the Government of Hong Kong can scarcely

The Right Honourable Anthony koyle,

Under-Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, United Kingdon.

/convince the N.T.