TNAG-0372-FCO40-418-Visits-of-members-of-Heung-Yee-Kuk-(Rural-Consultative-Counc-1973 — Page 16

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The Mckinsey Report advocates that there should be uniform administrative system in urban II.K. and Kowloon and in New Territories. However, we must regard the special political situation of N.T. with importance. Therefore administratively thero should be difference. New Territories are leased from China to Britain under the "Extension of the Hong Kong Territories Treaty" under which it is stipulated that "the British government shall not within the territories order the residehts to leave their land or expropriate their property; in the event of building government offices or fortresses and official construction for which lands are required,' fair compensations shall be paid." When the British government first tookover the New Territories political- administration was adopted by creating District Officers to administer land and all other affairs. The District officers had the responsibility of seeing that terms of the "Extension of the Hong Kong Territories Treaty" were respected and safe-guarding the traditions and political rights of the Chinese residents. In the past, political issues of Hong Kong were matters discussed and settled by the New Territories Administration and the N.T. Heung Yee Kuk. The present development in the New Territories owed its success to the sincere co-operation between the N.T. people and the government. This present political harmony between the N.T. people and the government is a result of the establishment of District Officers in N.T. Therefore the Kuk advocates that the position as well as powers of the District Officers should be strengthened.

It should be borne in mind that, when Britain first tookover Hong Kong and Kowloon, the administrative system used was functional administratives, under which functional departments were established to take charge of functional responsibilities in various fields of urban affairs. Administratively, Hong Kong and Kowloon on the one hand and New Territories on the other have

· been placed under different systems. The prospect of Hong Kong's further development depends mainly on the New Territories the area of which is 390 square miles, as development in urban H.K. and Kowloon has long reached its saturation and development must be extended into New Territories. Developments would inevitably bring along repercussions on the livelihood of the people. To suddenly change the pattern of administration of land and other affairs in N.T. ́will advorsely affect the good co-operation between the people and the government and may produce ifl-consequence.

We re-

In view of the rapid changes in N.T. and the foregoings it is unwise if due regard is not given to the well-established administrative/at this time when government re-organisation is being implemented. iterate that N.T. as the special situation warrents should have its administratively independent department, possessing political power in dealing with land and all other affairs in N.T., failing which further development in N.T. may give rise to political resentment and adversely affect government interests.

Lsystem

of N.T.