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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. HENRY H. L. Hu:-Mr. Chairman, I have spoken in the last two annual debates about such big subjects as the creation of Hong Kong citizenship, adoption of the Chinese language or some creative needs in Hong Kong. I would, however, confine myself in this debate so far as I can to the matters immediately concerning this Council.

The Urban Council should be an elastic body, because its functions are not definitely defined. I have raised the question of relationship between the Council and the Urban Services Department or the Social Welfare Department at the March Meeting of this year. I find that in our Ordinance there are only two short sections dealing with the functions of the Council and namely:

"Section 54: The duties of the Council shall be to exercise control within the area allotted to it over all matters in respect of which powers are given to it by this Ordinance or any other Ordinance."

"Section 55: The functions of the Urban Services Department shall include the doing of such acts or things as may be necessary for the purpose of implementing any decision of the Council, or of any person or body of persons to whom the Council may, under the provisions of this or any other Ordinance, have delegated such power, made in exercise of any power conferred on the Council by any Ordinance or the regulations made thereunder."

It is obvious that what the Urban Council can do or should do is not clearly or well defined in the Urban Council Ordinance or any other Ordinances. The present function of the Council is mainly based on, or oriented by, its past achievements, the good will and hard work of its members and the high hope which the general public of Hong Kong has imposed on it. I should think it would be the ripe time now to give reconsideration to the Urban Council and enlarge its scope and jurisdiction. About this important matter we have at present two reports, namely:-the Urban Council's own report and the working party's report of Government. I would lend my support to the Urban Council's report not only because it was prepared by my own colleagues, but also because it would be more logical and more in line with the general desire of people of Hong Kong. We had a debate on our report on the 4th of October, 1966. I hope Government can look into our views. There are inevitably two issues before the Government: One is the enlargement of Council's jurisdiction and the other is the enlarge- ment of the elected representation of the Council. I wish these two issues could be tackled simultaneously. But I would say the better alternative is to make gradually and slowly the Legislative Council to be a partially representative body. As I have said repeatedly before that this can be started with 2 elected legislative councillors. I also would point out that it would be worth while trying that the Chairman of the Urban Council be elected among its members. It is, however, ridiculous

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to note that the aims of the Urban Council for 1967 in the last year's annual debate consisted, inter alia, this item:

"To press more vigorously for the enlargement of the Urban Council's scope in the spirit of the Ad Hoc Committee's Report on the Future Scope and Operation of the Urban Council,"

yet for the whole year past, nothing was achieved about this matter.

About the work of the Council, the achievements of the work of resettlement and the building of parks and recreation facilities should be praised and so the ward system. In Aberdeen, I witnessed myself the removal of boat-inhabitants from dirty and most unhealthy condi- tions to live in a resettlement estate. It should also be praised that the petition from the squatters behind Pui Tak School in Aberdeen was also accepted and they were also properly resettled. What I now wish to say is that the rents in the resettlement estates should not be increased from time to time and under no circumstances two families should be resettled in one and the same room. In doing so, it would greatly harm the human dignity. I reach this conclusion after my personal inspection of such rooms. I also would suggest that mobile medical teams including doctors and nurses should visit the resettlers' homes from time to time. Such measure may not only alleviate their hardships but also a sense of good will would be felt.

The Council has always tried very hard to build more sitting areas and recreation spots for the inhabitants. They are greatly needed in a crowded city like ours. I hope the Government would not cut down the expenses in this direction. It would be the last item which should be cut. I personally feel some public recreation facilities such as a zoological garden should be built as soon as our financial resources permit us to do so.

About the ward system, it really does provide certain ways to bridge the gap if there is any between the persons in the street and the Govern- ment. (Laughter). I think it is a good start and wish the Government could give us full support.

Now I would come to the very basic problem of Hong Kong. After the disturbances and the devaluation of the pound, I do not mention the dollar, we should redouble our efforts in our economic development. Hong Kong cannot exist without having its economic prosperity. Hong Kong is perhaps still attractive to foreign investors provided we can help them to solve the problem of factory site. But in the past, the fruit of prosperity was not fairly shared between the rich and the poor or between the employers and the employees. We have discovered this fact from the past painful experiences. To remedy this, I suggest that a special tax should be levied on those enterprises whose net profit is over a certain amount, say $500,000 per year to finance our social and

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