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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
Before proceeding with to-day's agenda I should like to welcome Couner. Tom WHITLEY as our first permanent Secretary and to thank M Ross for his assistance over the past two months.
WHITLEY is no stranger to Council, having previously served cretary for a short time in 1948 and again from 1953-1955. In fact, his name appears as signatory on one of the papers dated 1955 which will come before members at the Committee of the Whole after this meeting.
I am sure that you will all join me in wishing him a long, fruitful and happy association with Council.
Mr. Ross will be staying with us as Deputy Secretary in place of Mr. SEATER, who is also due a word of thanks for his services over the past year.
Mr. SEATER also will remain with us at least for the time being-- as an Assistant Secretary.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI :-Mr. Chairman, I would like to join with you in welcoming Mr. WHITLEY, because I think all of us have been pressing for some time for the appointment of a permanent Secretary, which we have felt to be so vitally necessary to ensure the continuity of the Council's work. I am able to say that I remember serving with Mr. WHITLEY when he was with the Council at an earlier stage, and I know that it is a very wise choice in his appointment to the Council at this time.
MR. C. Y. KWAN:-Mr. Chairman, on behalf of my colleagues as Nominated Members, I should like to associate myself with your remarks on Mr. WHITLEY and also your remarks regarding Mr. Ross and Mr. SEATER.
MR. LI YIU-BOR:-Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the members of the Civic Association serving on this Council, I should like to associate myself with your remarks and those of Mr. Brook BERNACCHI and Mr. C. Y. KWAN on welcoming Mr. WHITLEY to this Council. In addition to Mr. Brook BERNACCHI, I think Dr. Woo and myself pressed for the appointment of a permanent Secretary some four or five years ago, and I think we are quite glad this afternoon that the proposal has been granted and we welcome the first permanent Secretary to this Council. We also associate ourselves with your remarks concerning Mr. Ross and also Mr. SEATER. (Applause).
# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## MINUTES
143
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4th October, 1960, were confirmed.
## PAPERS
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of October, 1960.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical report for the period 1st July, 1960 to 30th September, 1960.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st July, 1960 to 30th September, 1960.
## QUESTIONS
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
"(a) In a recent Editorial of a local English language publication it was stated that 'Liberty demands that the law should protect, and not be turned into a weapon of control. In Hong Kong, regulations are so multiplied that if a tyrannical power were to come into authority tomorrow it need do nothing else than take the laws that already exist in order to crush the people under an iron heel'.
(b) Since the Urban Services Department is given extensive but necessary powers under the new Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, and its accompanying By-laws, and in order to allay any fears or misconceptions in the minds of the public, will the Chairman, in his capacity as Head of the Urban Services Department give a firm assurance that the Urban Services Department and its staff have no intention, and will under no circumstances exercise any 'tyrannical power' (quoting from the editorial) nor to seek to 'crush the people under an iron heel' in the exercise of the powers vested under the 1960 Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance and its accompanying By-laws?
(c) Will the Chairman, in his capacity as Head of the Urban Services Department, furthermore give his firm assurance that he will continue to take every step possible to ensure
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
Before proceeding with to-day's agenda I should like to welcome Couner. Tom WHITLEY as our first permanent Secretary and to thank M Ross for his assistance over the past two months.
WHITLEY is no stranger to Council, having previously served cretary for a short time in 1948 and again from 1953-1955. In fact, his name appears as signatory on one of the papers dated 1955 which will come before members at the Committee of the Whole after this meeting.
I am sure that you will all join me in wishing him a long, fruitful and happy association with Council.
Mr. Ross will be staying with us as Deputy Secretary in place of Mr. SEATER, who is also due a word of thanks for his services over the past year.
Mr. SEATER also will remain with us at least for the time being-- as an Assistant Secretary.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI :-Mr. Chairman, I would like to join with you in welcoming Mr. WHITLEY, because I think all of us have been pressing for some time for the appointment of a permanent Secretary, which we have felt to be so vitally necessary to ensure the continuity of the Council's work. I am able to say that I remember serving with Mr. WHITLEY when he was with the Council at an earlier stage, and I know that it is a very wise choice in his appointment to the Council at this time.
MR. C. Y. KWAN:-Mr. Chairman, on behalf of my colleagues as Nominated Members, I should like to associate myself with your remarks on Mr. WHITLEY and also your remarks regarding Mr. Ross and Mr. SEATER.
MR. LI YIU-BOR:-Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the members of the Civic Association serving on this Council, I should like to associate myself with your remarks and those of Mr. Brook BERNACCHI and Mr. C. Y. KWAN on welcoming Mr. WHITLEY to this Council. In addition to Mr. Brook BERNACCHI, I think Dr. Woo and myself pressed for the appointment of a permanent Secretary some four or five years ago, and I think we are quite glad this afternoon that the proposal has been granted and we welcome the first permanent Secretary to this Council. We also associate ourselves with your remarks con- cerning Mr. Ross and also Mr. SEATER. (Applause).
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MINUTES.
143
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4th October, 1960, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of October, 1960. (2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical report for the period 1st July, 1960 to 30th September, 1960.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st July, 1960 to 30th September, 1960.
QUESTIONS.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
"(a) In a recent Editorial of a local English language publica- tion it was stated that 'Liberty demands that the law should protect, and not be turned into a weapon of control. In Hong Kong, regulations are so multiplied that if a tyrannical power were to come into authority tomorrow it need do nothing else than take the laws that already exist in order to crush the people under an iron heel'.
(b) Since the Urban Services Department is given extensive but necessary powers under the new Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance, and its accompanying By-laws, and in order to allay any fears or misconceptions in the minds of the public, will the Chairman, in his capacity as Head of the Urban Services Department give a firm assurance that the Urban Services Department and its staff have no intention, and will under no circumstances exercise any 'tyrannical power' (quoting from the editorial) nor to seek to 'crush the people under an iron heel' in the exercise of the powers vested under the 1960 Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance and its accompany- ing By-laws?
(c) Will the Chairman, in his capacity as Head of the Urban Services Department, furthermore give his firm assurance that he will continue to take every step possible to ensure
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