1968 — Page 191

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Only for Michael WRIGHT is it, perhaps, I fear, the point of no return- at least as an Official Member (Laughter)--of course he might take it into his head to return to Hong Kong from retirement and run for election. (Laughter). For him and Mrs. WRIGHT we also wish all that is best in a long, healthful and happy retirement, and for their daughter, a happy future.

Finally, I am sure that we all wish Mr. BERNACCHI and Mr. Hu good luck in to-morrow's election. And I would like to make a special appeal to all those good people who have taken the trouble to register as voters to please go along and vote at to-morrow's election. (Applause),

MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, on behalf of all the Unofficials, I would most heartily join with you in what you have just said. It would be invidious to name again the members that are retiring, they are all so well known to us, and all, without exception, Official and Unofficial have done such sterling work for this Council in the years gone by. (Applause).

MR. LI YIU-BOR:-Mr. Chairman, Mr. Brook BERNACCHI, ladies and gentlemen, this is the last occasion on which I shall speak to you on this Council. Having served on the Council for 13 years, I feel like the guest who has tired his host by staying too long, but when I come to think of leaving the Council, I do so with mixed feelings. I am happy to leave because I shall have more free time to myself, but I am sorry to leave because I shall leave behind many good friends with whom I have been working so happily for the last 13 years.

What little I have done for the Council is not my own work, but it has been the work of a team of devoted citizens who have the interests of the people of Hong Kong at heart. So, may I take this opportunity to thank you, Mr. Chairman, and my colleagues for their very kind co-operation and assistance during my long term of office, and may I wish the Council every success in the future.

Before I conclude, I think it is only right that I should thank the Secretary, Mr. TINSON and his assistants, the members of the staff of the Urban Services Department, of the Resettlement Department, under Mr. ASERAPPA, and of the Public Works Department under Mr. Michael WRIGHT.

Now, the four of us who are leaving this Council are not leaving Hong Kong. I think Mr. WRIGHT is the only exception. I have always had the greatest admiration for Mr. WRIGHT, because he has been very sincere and he has done very good work in his practical approach to many problems concerning this Council. May I wish Mr. WRIGHT and Mrs. WRIGHT a very happy retirement and hope that they will come back to Hong Kong one day. (Applause).

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DR. P. F. Woo:-Mr. Chairman, may I thank you and Mr. BERNACCHI for what you have said. My decision to leave the Council has been with mixed feelings, with regret and at the same time, I am happy. I regret because I shall miss you all. I also regret because I shall miss all the morning meetings which have kept me very fit and healthy. (Laughter). I am happy because I am now making way for new members. I anticipate that the bilingual system will be introduced here very soon, and I anticipate that the meetings will be long and time consuming. (Laughter). Being a doctor, I don't think I can attend the meetings as regularly as I used to.

When I first joined the Council in 1956 sessions in this Chamber were very stormy. I remember in 1957, on the eve of an Urban Council election, I supported a government motion on the increase of conser- vancy fees.

The increase was only 10 cents per person per month. My good friend, Mr. BERNACCHI, bounced to his feet and said "record those Members in support of the motion". That included myself and Mr. LI Yiu-bor. What the purpose was, I have no idea. (Laughter). Mr. LI and myself survived the election. (Laughter).

Mr. Chairman, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the assistance given to me by the Department staff, especially that of Mr. TINSON, our able Secretary. I would also like to express my greatest admiration for the endurance and patience shown by the Officials. I feel that they are sandwiched between the Council on one side and the Government on the other. It is simple enough for a committee to say "do this and do that". How often have I heard an officer to go back to a committee and say "please don't press any further". I have the strongest suspicion that when officers approach Government they are subjected to extensive interrogation. I must confess, Mr. Chairman, that I would never be a civil servant however high a salary I was paid. In the past I have crossed swords with some of the officers in your Department, but I would like to assure them that it was neither intentional nor personal. I feel, being a doctor, that it is a doctor's role, in treating his cases, to stress the importance of diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Ladies and gentlemen, may I wish you all every success in the future work of the Council. (Applause).

MRS. ELLEN LI SHU-PUI:-Mr. Chairman, fellow members, it seems I am the only one on this side to retire in the middle of a term of service. From the recent election campaign speeches, one gets the impression that all the bright ideas come from the elected members. I do not want to dispute this to-day without an audience, (Laughter), but anyway, I would like to say that we on this side also work very, very hard, the only difference being that most of the talking is done by the other side.

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