TNAG-1283-FCO40-1635-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 48

RESTRICTED

12. AS REGARDS THE ACTUAL GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TWO COUNCILS THAT WOULD BE CREATED IF THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS ARE IMPLEMENTED, IT IS FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW TOWN BEING BUILT AT JUNK BAY, WHICH IS VIRTUALLY AN EXTENSION OF NEW KOWLOON, SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE JURISDICTION OF THE PRESENT URBAN COUNCIL. SIMILARLY, ADMINISTRATION OF THE ISLANDS TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF HONG KONG ISLAND MIGHT BE MORE CONVENIENTLY COMBINED WITH THAT OF HONG KONG ISLAND RATHER THAN THE NORTHERN NEW TERRITORIES. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS QUESTION OF GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES HAS A BEARING ON THE TRADITIONAL SPHERE OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK IT WILL CLEARLY NEED

CAREFUL EXAMINATION.

13. SIR, THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN MADE TODAY IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN THE STATE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S THINKING AS REGARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SYSTEM OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSALS WILL BE, I HOPE, SELF-EVIDENT: IT IS TO CREATE MORE EVEN AND SYMMETRICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG AND TO BRING ABOUT A GREATER DEGREE OF DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN THE RUNNING OF OUR INCREASINGLY COMPLEX SOCIETY. I AM SURE THERE WILL BE A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS WILL PRESENT FOR THOSE ANXIOUS TO TAKE PART IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT DISTRICT AND REGIONAL LEVEL.

14. IN CONCLUSION, I SHOULD EMPHASISE, SIR, THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSALS WILL BE WELCOMED AND THE FURTHER ADVICE OF DISTRICT BOARDS, AND THE ADVICE OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, WILL BE SOUGHT, AS WILL THE VIEWS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL. IF THE PROPOSALS COMMAND SUPPORT, IT IS INTENDED THAT THE CHANGES IN THE COM- POSITION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN TIME FOR THE ELECTIONS IN 1985 AND THAT ELECTIONS FOR THE SECOND QUOTE REGIONAL UNQUOTE COUNCIL SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN 1986, BUT WITH A PROVISIONAL, WHOLLY APPOINTED COUNCIL TAKING OFFICE IN 1985.

15. MEANWHILE PRELIMINARY WORK IS IN HAND ON THE ORGANISATIONAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, LEGAL AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THESE PROPOSALS SO THAT, IF THEY DO COMMAND SUPPORT, THE TIMETABLE ENVISAGED FOR THEIR IMPLEMENTATION MAY BE MET.

LINE TO TAKE

3. IT SHOULD BE EXPLAINED THAT THE PROPOSALS REPPESENT A FURTHER STEP IN THE PROCESS WHICH BEGAIN IN JUNE 1980 WHEN THE GREEN PAPER ON QUOTE A PATTERN OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG UNQUOTE

WAS PUBLISHED.

4. THE GREEN PAPER WAS FOLLOWED BY A WHITE PAPER ON QUOTE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG UNQUOTE IN JANUARY 1981, WHICH DESCRIBED GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS AS REGARDS THE NEW PATTERN OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION TO BE INTRODUCED.

THERE WERE, BRIEFLY:

-4-

RESTRICTED

1(A)