TNAG-0353-FCO40-389-Reform-of-local-government-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 64

CONFIDENTIAL

Select

(iii) The provision of cultural services.

The Council's present interest in public housing to

remain unchanged until such time as a decision is taken

on the co-ordination of efforts in this field.

(b) The addition of a few new licensing functions to the

Council's responsibilities.

(c) No change in the title, franchise or geographical

scope of the Council.

(a) Greater financial responsibility to be given to the

(e)

(f)

Council which will have its own rate to meet recurrent

expenditure, and which will be authorised to meet

capital expenditure by borrowings on the open market.

The Council to be free to select its own Chairman.

Provision to be made for the proceedings of the

Council to be conducted in Cantonese as well as in

English.

(g) The number of elected and nominated unofficial members

to be increased in each case from 10 to 12.

(h) All official members to be removed from the Council.

i) Henceforth, the Urban Council's Standing Orders to be

subject to Legislative Council's approval.

The White Paper which was published for public information

only appears so far to have aroused only limited interest amongst

the general public. Comment in the local press has on the whole

been non-committal, although predictably the communist press has

teken the view that there is nothing in the White Paper which

will benefit the people of Hong Kong.

2.

CONFIDENTIAL

/5.