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the next election. It would be farcical indeed if the Councillors they elect would have no jurisdiction over their own district and cannot work for the betterment of their living conditions.
I submit that by reason of the factual presence of this Council in Tsuen Wan through the operations of the Housing Authority, the Resettlement Department and our executive arm the Urban Services Department, Government should now act to streamline administrative responsibility in Tsuen Wan in order to give better and more efficient services to Tsuen Wan residents. Once Tsuen Wan comes under this Council the residents there will have the assurance that recreational facilities will proceed apace with the growth of population, that a proper standard in public health will be maintained and they will be included in our amenity planting programme and will have library and other services on a par with those in urban Kowloon.
I now move that this Council recommends that Government put Tsuen Wan under the jurisdiction of this Council in view of the fact that Tsuen Wan has for all practical purposes already become an extension of urban Kowloon.
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, I am not going to give a long speech to match the one of my learned friend. He has practically exhausted the subject on the question of making Tsuen Wan a part of the urban area. But when we think of Tsuen Wan before the last war we see nothing more than a mere village with only a handful of people engaged chiefly in farming. All this is in the past and is replaced by a sizeable township with factories, shops and other domestic buildings. When the Resettlement Estate of new Kwai Chung is completed the population of Tsuen Wan and its adjacent area will exceed the million mark. To care for a population of this size, which exceeds that of many cities in other parts of the world, considerable public facilities, such as open areas, proper pavements, clean streets, more playgrounds and swimming pools are required. At present these are sadly lacking. Tsuen Wan in its size and population can compare with any district in the Urban area. A simple district office is ridiculously inadequate for its complex administration, and the time is opportune to bring it under the Urban Council which has the invaluable experience and talents to back it up. The only barrier which separates it from Lai Chi Kok is the absence of an adequate road system which, when completed, will forge the necessary link making Tsuen Wan a continuation of Kowloon. For this and other kindred reasons, Mr. Chairman, I have much pleasure in seconding the Motion before Council.
MR. BERNACCHI: Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion for 2 reasons (1) because the city of Kowloon really extends now to Tsuen Wan and (2) because as I have commented in the past, and as the proposer of the motion has said to-day, since 1960 the Urban Services Department has gone as a body into the New Territories. It is ridiculous that the Urban Services Department or for that matter the Resettlement Department, should come under this Council in the present urban areas but should be independent of any Councils in the New Territories. Of course, they are, theoretically, responsible to the Commissioner of the New Territories but, in fact, you, Sir, as Director of the Urban Services Department and the Commissioner for Resettlement are guided by what this Council has determined in the statutory urban areas and our partnership has benefited all sides, especially the people whom we are all trying to serve. Having said all this, I would refer to the Reform Club's platform that the population of Hong Kong is becoming too big to administer from the Central Government Offices. With more and more resettlement estates now having to go out into the New Territories the towns of Sha Tin, Tai Po, Castle Peak and even Fanling will have an ever increasing population and inevitably, whether we like it or not, will become more and more urbanized. Whilst I support the motion for Tsuen Wan to be brought under the jurisdiction of this Council, I would like to have consideration given at this time to having separate Urban District Councils for these other towns. Admittedly the language barrier would have to be got over, but surely the local District Council could hold their meetings in Cantonese with or without simultaneous translation. I have already expressed my opinion that the District Administration is really a relic of the past. Not only have the Urban Services and Resettlement Departments moved into the New Territories, but also the trundling machinery of the Public Works Department and it has been several years since the judicial functions were removed from District Officers. Hong Kong is almost one big city and whether it comes under several Councils or under one council it makes a ridiculous duplication of work to have in existence the office of the District Administration. The Lei Man Fu (to translate, District Officer, as the proceedings of this Council are in English) now has literally no powers of his own. If he deals with land, he refers the matter to the Land Officer. If he deals with buildings, he refers the matter to the Building Authority. If he deals with squatters, then to the Resettlement Department. If he deals with hawkers or markets or cemeteries or parks, playgrounds or beaches, he refers it to the Urban Services Department and if he has a legal case he advises the parties to seek relief, usually in the District Courts. Formerly he was the little King of this district. Now in the middle of the 20th Century he has become a liaison officer and could, and should, be attached to the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs.
I charge the Government with perpetuating the District Commissioner's office simply because they are frightened to let local Councils manage the affairs of their locality. I criticize Government in permitting itself to get out of touch with the feelings of the man in the street who wants to have a say in the running of his own everyday affairs. I advise
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Page 149 of 382
Page 149 of 382
276
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
the next election. It would be farcical indeed if the Councillors they elect would have no jurisdiction over their own district and cannot work for the betterment of their living conditions.
I submit that by reason of the factual presence of this Council in Tsuen Wan through the operations of the Housing Authority, the Resettlement Department and our executive arm the Urban Services Department, Government should now act to streamline administrative responsibility in Tsuen Wan in order to give better and more efficient services to Tsuen Wan residents. Once Tsuen Wan comes under this Council the residents there will have the assurance that recreational facilities will proceed apace with the growth of population, that a proper standard in public health will be maintained and they will be included in our amenity planting programme and will have library and other services on a par with those in urban Kowloon.
I now move that this Council recommends that Government put Tsuen Wan under the jurisdiction of this Council in view of the fact that Tsuen Wan has for all practical purposes already become an extension of urban Kowloon.
DR. LEE: Mr. Chairman, I am not going to give a long speech to match the one of my learned friend. He has practically exhausted the subject on the question of making Tsuen Wan a part of the urban area. But when we think of Tsuen Wan before the last war we see nothing more than a mere village with only a handful of people engaged chiefly in farming. All this is in the past and is replaced by a sizeable township with factories, shops and other domestic buildings. When the Resettlement Estate of new Kwai Chung is completed the population of Tsuen Wan and its adjacent area will exceed the million mark. To care for a population of this size, which exceeds that of many cities in other parts of the world, considerable public facilities, such as open areas, proper pavements, clean streets, more playgrounds and swim- ming pools are required. At present these are sadly lacking. Tsuen Wan in its size and population can compare with any district in the Urban area. A simple district office is ridiculously inadequate for its complex administration, and the time is opportune to bring it under the Urban Council which has the invaluable experience and talents to back it up. The only barrier which separates it from Lai Chi Kok is the absence of an adequate road system which, when completed, will forge the necessary link making Tsuen Wan a continuation of Kowloon. For this and other kindred reasons, Mr. Chairman, I have much plea- sure in seconding the Motion before Council.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the motion for 2 reasons (1) because the city of Kowloon really extends now to Tsuen Wan and (2) because as I have commented in the past, and as the pro- poser of the motion has said to-day, since 1960 the Urban Services
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Department has gone as a body into the New Territories. It is ridicu- lous that the Urban Services Department or for that matter the Reset- tlement Department, should come under this Council in the present urban areas but should be independent of any Councils in the New Territories. Of course, they are, theoretically, responsible to the Com- missioner of the New Territories but, in fact, you, Sir, as Director of the Urban Services Department and the Commissioner for Resettle- ment are guided by what this Council has determined in the statutory urban areas and our partnership has benefited all sides, especially the people whom we are all trying to serve. Having said all this, I would refer to the Reform Club's platform that the population of Hong Kong is becoming too big to administer from the Central Government Offices. With more and more resettlement estates now having to go out into the New Territories the towns of Sha Tin, Tai Po, Castle Peak and even Fanling will have an ever increasing population and inevitably, whether we like it or not, will become more and more urbanized. Whilst I sup- port the motion for Tsuen Wan to be brought under the jurisdiction of this Council, I would like to have consideration given at this time to having separate Urban District Councils for these other towns. Ad- mittedly the language barrier would have to be got over, but surely the local District Council could hold their meetings in Cantonese with or without simultaneous translation. I have already expressed my opinion that the District Administration is really a relic of the past. Not only have the Urban Services and Resettlement Departments moved into the New Territories, but also the trundling machinery of the Public Works Department and it has been serveral years since the judicial functions were removed from District Officers. Hong Kong is almost one big city and whether it comes under several Councils or under one council it makes a ridiculous duplication of work to have in existence the office of the District Administration. The Lei Man Fu (to trans- late, District Officer, as the proceedings of this Council are in English) now has literally no powers of his own. If he deals with land, he refers the matter to the Land Officer. If he deals with buildings, he refers the matter to the Building Authority. If he deals with squatters, then to the Resettlement Department. If he deals with hawkers or markets or cemetaries or parks, playgrounds or beaches, he refers it to the Urban Services Department and if he has a legal case he advises the parties to seek relief, usually in the District Courts. Formerly he was the little King of this district. Now in the middle of the 20th Century he has become a liaison officer and could, and should, be attached to the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs,
I charge the Government with perpetuating the District Commis- sioner's office simply because they are frightened to let local Councils manage the affairs of their locality. I criticize Government in permitting itself to get out of touch with the feelings of the man in the street who wants to have a say in the running of his own everyday affairs. I advise
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