TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 458

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activities and to promote better understanding, particularly where

government policies are causing dissatisfaction.

This function is

generally achieved by personal contact with all sectors of the

community.. Other means of ascertaining public reaction are the

monitoring of talk-back radio programmes, complaints made at City

District Offices, correspondence in the daily newspapers, public

consultations on major policy issues and the conducting of public

opinion surveys. The Home Affairs Department is responsible for the

City District Officer scheme, which was introduced in 1968 to improve

communications between the government and the people. There are

10 city district offices and 19 sub-offices in the urban areas of

Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. A variety of services are offered, the

best known being the public inquiry service; this counter service can

advise a member of the public on almost any aspect of government policy

and procedure. The role of the Home Affairs Department as monitor and

co-ordinator of government services at district level has taken on a

new emphasis with the success of a pilot District Management Committee

in Kwun Tong and the decision to extend the scheme throughout the

urban area (see paragraph 12 below).

11.

The New Territories is administered as an integral part of

Hong Kong but in a different way from the urban areas of Hong Kong

Island and Kowloon. The New Territories comes under a district

office system with the district officer largely drawing his authority

from his responsibilities as a land officer. Since 1974 the New

Territories Administration has been headed by a Secretary, who has