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Your Government seeks no exclusive role in this field, it sees no merit in either regimentation or uniformity, on the contrary it does see merit in a multiplicity of approaches and contributions. I greatly admire the excellent work done by many official, voluntary and private organisations.
But the field is so important and there is so much overlapping of the boundaries between different departments and services, and between different types of social work, that the Government cannot escape responsibility for co-ordination and overall provision. Moreover in so many fields the essential channel of communication to develop is that between the population and Government officials and police. Thus a design to do this is emerging based on the work of the Mutual Aid Committees in residential and factory blocks, the Kaifong Associations and Area Committees in larger areas, supported and assisted by the expanding services of the District Officers, the Community Youth Officers and the Recreation Officers. All this is being assisted, co-ordinated or directed by the Secretary for Home Affairs and his staff.
URBAN COUNCIL
Before ending this section of my speech I would like to add a very sincere tribute to the work of the Urban Council. The new arrangements under which it works have proved a success and a stimulant throughout its field of activity.
We are all particularly impressed with the dimension it has brought to its work in the cultural field. The great volume and variety of entertainment which it now offers has brought new interest and new excitment to wide cross- section of the population.
I think too that its approach to hawking during the recession was humane and realistic, and I am sure now that hawking is slightly in decline the Council will be equally imaginative in planning permanent provision for the right level of this form of retail trade.
Hong Kong is much cleaner than it was. The Council had great initial success in cleaning the strets and litter spots and has followed up with the beaches. Cleanliness and care for the appearance of what we see each day is of inestimable value to the whole community, just as the reverse is an irritant and threat
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