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Hong Kong as a unit with a Government that does not support disturb- ances from either right or from left that are engineered from without. Basically, they have chosen to support law and order of the present Government of Hong Kong. That is not to say that we should not take steps to improve the present Government. That is not to say that whilst we support the force of law and order, including especially the police, we should desist, any of us, in striving to stamp out corruption both in and out of Government service and the other evils including any unwarranted use of force.

But we, as the Urban Council, are the local Government of Hong Kong and at local Government level the promotion of a sense of belong- ing to Hong Kong can be promoted and should be promoted by taking steps to develop a closer relationship between this city and other big cities of the world. I will not elaborate to-day because, in my opinion, if this motion is passed, then positive steps to implement this motion should be left to the Standing Committee to discuss it in detail. Certainly, I do not think that it is enough for this, the local Government of Hong Kong, to merely present gifts to visiting dignitaries of other cities. At present we have two classes of gifts, first class for the very big wigs, and third class for those lesser dignitaries or dignitaries of lesser cities. This is as far as we go at present and it is an aspect of the whole previous life in and of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong that was a city without real citizens, a city that was in the past a place inhabited by men and women who doubted whether or not they even regarded it as their home. All this has been changed by the events of recent weeks. Now Hong Kong has found itself and, in finding itself, one of the many things to be done is to develop relations with other big cities.

Government has much to learn in the way of spanning the gap between the thoughts of Government servants and the needs of the people of Hong Kong. I think that these few weeks have already lessened this gap. Yet, there is much still to be done, especially in the field of labour relations and in the field of education and medical services. But this motion in its own particular way will also lessen the gap between Government and the people and I, for one, support it wholeheartedly.

MR. SALES: -Sir, as none of my colleagues wish to speak on this motion, I would like to suggest that, while the text of the motion in itself is worthy of every consideration, and as such should be given much mature thought as to how it could be implemented in practice, yet the sentiments that have been expressed by the proposer and the seconder of this motion should also be examined in the light of present day Hong Kong.

A debate of this nature should be properly carried out in Com- mittee, preferably in the Select Committee to which the motion directly

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refers. I am quite sure that all members of this Urban Council sub- scribe to the sentiment that there must be orderly progress in the evolution of our social institutions in Hong Kong. This, in fact was a statement which the Urban Council made to His Excellency the Governor. It is not necessary for me to say to-day, Sir, that when this crisis occurred, the Urban Council re-acted immediately. We stood up, and we were counted for Hong Kong. We need not say any more than that. So, I recall that in the past in the various Select Committees, where the necessity arose, these Select Committees, through the Urban Services Department, consulted other cities in the world as to their policies, programmes and practices. I recall also our experience last year when we drew up the Ad Hoc Committee's report; we did not fail to consult every other city that we thought could offer us some guidance on the subject. Consequently, what has been advocated to-day has, in fact, been put into practice in various ways. I recall too when I was a member of the Hawkers Select Committee many years ago, that we consulted Singapore on their practice. Likewise, occasions have arisen in the past for other Select Committees to consult other Councils on what they do in given circumstances.

As this motion refers specifically to local Government, I suggest for the consideration of my colleagues, that the proper place for it to be considered is in the newly created Select Committee on local administration. Accordingly, Sir, I have much pleasure under Standing Orders to refer this motion to the Local Administration Select Committee.

MR. WONG: Mr. Chairman, I would like to support the motion that we refer this to the new Select Committee on Local Administration.

At first I did not intend to speak on this subject at all, but the proposer of this motion has invited members to express their views with an open mind, and accordingly I accept his invitation to say a few words.

My colleague, Mr. SALES, was impressed with the wording of this motion. I beg to disagree with him. I am not impressed with the wording of this motion at all, although I am impressed with the motive behind the motion. In commenting on the motion, I may just bring up a few points which I should like the proposer, Mr. Hu, to elucidate or elaborate on later. I should be most grateful if he would. He said "for the better discharge of its statutory duties". The statutory duties of this Council are covered in the Urban Council Ordinance, and I should be very grateful to know of the Section which states that our statutory duty is to establish closer relations between the city of Hong Kong and other cities of the world. I should be most grateful for an answer to that point. As regards the second point "for closer liaison between the Government and the people at local Government level”. Surely that is something to be worked out locally. We have to put