TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 215

4.

3

The Urban Council argued that the single council

would be more economical and would avoid a confusion of

conflicting policies; that it could also avoid undesirable

rivalry for resources; and that it would be more consistent

with the policy of reducing regional differences. The Urban

Council also contended that the argument that a single council

was too big and unwieldy was unconvincing in that most of

their business was delegated to smaller committees.

5.

The Heung Yee Kuk and the District Boards in the

New Territories were strongly opposed to the concept of a single

council. The Kuk itself has been accustomed to handling the

interests of the very scattered indigenous rural population

which it represents. The District Boards felt the interests

of residents in their districts would be better served by a

council specialising in the problems of the new towns and

rural areas and able to devote more attention to these than

would a council supervising these services for the whole of

Hong Kong.

6.

Unofficial members of six of the ten urban District

Boards have either shown their support for a separate council

or said that a decision should be based on the views of the

residents in the areas. One Board gave no view and other views

expressed were mixed and divided.