1968 — Page 49

Page 49 of 243

Page 49 of 243

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

CHAIRMAN: -I don't think so Mr. CHEONG-LEEN. While the study may have taken two years, the report was submitted not so very long ago, and I would assume that a decision on its processing will be made fairly soon.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Why didn't you state so in your reply then Mr. Chairman?

CHAIRMAN:-I think I gave you all that was necessary to reply to your question Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -What I thought was necessary was the timing --Do you realize Sir that so as to give an illustration of what I had in mind, that as far as the Social Security Report was concerned, it took Government one year to have printed and have it released to the public. Now is it the intention of Government to do exactly the same thing in regard to this revised Government report. Could you put that question to Secretariat and let us have a reply?

CHAIRMAN: -No Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, this question is really out of order in the context of your original question.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I was only asking that for clarification. Now, may I proceed further Mr. Chairman. Could you tell us whether, in the context of the local administrative structure, whether the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department are considered to be a very minor part of the whole administrative structure?

CHAIRMAN: I'm sure that is not the view held in the Secretariat.

I beg your pardon?

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:

CHAIRMAN: I am sure that is not view held in the Secretariat.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Then why, Mr. Chairman, doesn't Government give this Council due respect and provide this Council with a copy of that report as soon as possible?

CHAIRMAN:-Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, no decision has yet been taken and it would surprise me very much if any change in the structure or responsibilities of this Council was made without reference to the Council.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, do you know why the Govern- ment is dragging its feet on taking decisions which—

CHAIRMAN:-Mr. CHEONG-LEEN, you are again imputing something to the Secretariat which I think is not entirely justifiable. It's only a matter of months since the report was made.

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MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I realize that you are between the devil and the deep blue sea; you have to serve the Government and you have to serve this Council therefore I will leave this question in abeyance for the time being and

MR. BERNACCHI:--No, not yet, please.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:

supplementaries.

Until Mr. BERNACCHI finishes his

MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, if you could put up to the Colonial Secretariat-I agree with you that this Council is part of Government so I will not use the word Government -to the Colonial Secretariat, this Council's desire, as I think it is this Council's desire, that in the processing of this report we be supplied at least with a copy of it.

CHAIRMAN: ---Mr. BERNACCHI, I shall be happy to do this. In fact in anticipation of the reactions of this Council I have already drafted a memo on those lines to the Colonial Secretariat.

MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you.

MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, could you give us assurance that the Government will not weaken the structure of the present Urban Council in the deliberation of the future so-called local administrative structure?

CHAIRMAN:-This assurance, of course, I can't give Mr. Hu. The Government must speak for itself, but I should hope that they will do their best to give the Council more responsibility such as they have been asking for over the past years.

DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, could I ask something on your answer to that. In other words, Mr. Chairman, do you mean that we couldn't be weaker anyway? (Laughter).

play.

CHAIRMAN:-Not at all Dr. BELL. You have an important role to

MR. HU:-Mr. Chairman, could you refer it to the Colonial Secre- tariat rather to rely on a matter or a thing which is already in existence rather than to embark on a thing which is unknown. For example to establish various local councils which really we do not know what will be the future of those local councils-

CHAIRMAN: --Mr. Hu, this is out of order but, obviously, no decision has yet been taken, and, as I've already said, it would surprise me very much if any decision were made or taken without consultation with this Council.