TNAG-0353-FCO40-389-Reform-of-local-government-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 111

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Wednesday, February 9, 1972

URBAN COUNCIL

FULL-FLEDGED LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Or An Advisory Body To The Urban Services Department

********

The Hon. K.S. Lo said today there was doubt whether Government

wanted its future Urban Council to remain as an advisory body to the Urban

Services Department or to be developed into a full-fledged Local Government.

He was speaking in the Legislative Council on the motion to adopt

the White Paper on the Urban Council.

He pointed out that the White Paper under debate was supposed to

be the "blue print" for the future development of the Urban Council.

"However, after reading it, I am, myself, not sure as to what sort

of creature the Government wants it to be. Does it want it to be a fish or

a bird?"

If Government was more interested in keeping the Urban Council as

an advisory body then it had to be said openly so that its present council

members should not raise questions or engage in debates on subjects which

were beyond their terms of reference, Mr. Lo said.

If that were the case, they should not be asked to shoulder any

financial responsibility whatsoever, as that would be inconsistent with the

duties of an advisory body, he added.

"On the other hand, if it is the Government's intention that the

present Urban Council should be eventually developed into a responsible and

autonomous Local Government, then it should be given a fair chance to succeed

right from the start," he stressed.

Mr. Lo pointed out that there were several indications in the White

Paper which led one to believe that that was the intention.

/Another