HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Constitutional Reform
About constitutional reform, the most important matter is to enlarge the franchise of voters. Hong Kong people have not only earned their right to vote for a representative government but also they are mature to exercise such right. If Government wants to have any local reform I think the only report which Government should follow is the Urban Council's Ad Hoc Report and its Revised Version which was completed in March 1969. I do not think that Government's own Report so called the Green Book which was published in November 1966 would be a workable report. I personally accept the Urban Council's Ad Hoc Report or its Revised Report only as a reluctant alternative to Hong Kong's constitutional reform, because in my view any constitutional reform should be carried out in the central council instead of the local council. It would be wrong as first instance that two elected representatives should be in the Sanitary Board in the year 1952, they should be in the Legislative Council on those days. I therefore have few comments to make, Mr. Chairman: In the first place, Hong Kong is so small a place. In fact, it is a city state. It is not fit to have two layers of government: central government and local government. Hong Kong cannot afford to have division of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Any future council, whether central or local, must cover the whole area of Hong Kong. That is of course contrary to the Green Book of Government's Report. Secondly, if the Government has already accepted as a principle that there must have two layers of Government: i.e. central government and local government, and further any reform could only be carried out in the local level, then I would suggest that the division between central council and local council is only limited to the division of the functions and not of the areas. Certain functions should be allocated to the central government such as matters concerning military, finance, diplomatic policy or even the police as being warranted under the special circumstances of Hong Kong. Other matters or other functions, should be allocated to local council such as matters concerning resettlement, hawkers, education, parks, recreation, hygiene and many other day-to-day business which would be better dealt with at local level. The local council should have the full power and authority to discharge their functions without any interference from the central authority which should however possess a general veto power. Thirdly if Government do not let elected representatives sit in the Legislative Council, then I sincerely hope that the Unofficial Councillors in the Urban Council could participate in the policy making process of the Government for such matters as the Government sees fit. It is always too late when the law has already passed or the policy has already been formulated when the elected representatives voiced their objection. It would be much better when the policy making is still in process; such voice could be heard or known to the Government in a proper committee.
Resettlement
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
281
About resettlement and public housing, the Government has made its efforts for the public housing that in 1975 there would be about half of our population living in the public-aided housing. I am gratifying to know this fact. Yet the housing need is increasing and I notice that Government has been slackening its efforts in recent years. We still did not hear anything from the Government what Government would do about the Class II Area people. I have said that it is a great hardship for people to move from one place to another, especially if they are poor people. Therefore I have always advocated the abolition of the Class II Area. In other words, that the present policy is if people are genuine in need of somewhere to live then they would be given a place in a Resite Class II Area. They erect their own huts and they live there. I should say if a person who is in genuine need of housing he should be given a resettlement room. Anyway, in resettlement estates Government can recover the capital expenditure in eight to ten years' time. The 1964 White Book concerning Resettlement is out of date in certain extent and needs some re-thinking about this matter. As for the boat people when their sea area would be reclaimed why they cannot be resettled? Why they could only be resited? It is not only unfair, illogical but it also causes great hardship for those boat people in Aberdeen or elsewhere.
Hawkers
About hawkers, as everybody now admits that hawker is a social problem. Hawkers also contribute in certain ways to the Hong Kong's economy. It may not be a right idea that hawkers should be eliminated from our streets. We can only regulate them. About hawkers' right of succession, I should say in principle if a son wishes to succeed his father's profession he can do so. The policy about the abolition of right of succession has perhaps done a greater harm than good. There would be no immediate benefit but there is certainly an immediate dissatisfaction among the hawkers, especially in deciding such policy no hawker associations were previously consulted. If there is any benefit, it may be 10 or 20 years later. But in Hong Kong nobody ever plan a policy beyond ten years. It would be unwise to unnecessarily offend those hawker associations because their CO-operation and assistance would be needed to regulate our hawker affairs. I should however warn some hawker associations that they should endeavour to work for the public good and not for their own private interest.
City Clean Campaign
About the City Clean Campaign, we have heard a great deal about it, but we haven't actually done very much about it. We notice that
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280
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Constitutional Reform
About constitutional reform, the most important matter is to enlarge the franchise of voters. Hong Kong people have not only earned their right to vote for a representative government but also they are mature to exercise such right. If Government wants to have any local reform I think the only report which Government should follow is the Urban Council's Ad Hoc Report and its Revised Version which was completed in March 1969. I do not think that Government's own Report so called the Green Book which was published in November 1966 would be a workable report. I personally accept the Urban Council's Ad Hoc Report or its Revised Report only as a reluctant alternative to Hong Kong's constitutional reform, because in my view any constitutional reform should be carried out in the central council instead of the local council. It would be wrong as first instance that two elected representa- tives should be in the Sanitary Board in the year 1952, they should be in the Legislative Council on those days. I therefore have few comments to make, Mr. Chairman: In the first place, Hong Kong is so small a place. In fact, it is a city state. It is not fit to have two layers of government: central government and local government. Hong Kong cannot afford to have division of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Any future council, whether central or local, must cover the whole area of Hong Kong. That is of course contrary to the Green Book of Government's Report. Secondly, if the Government has already accepted as a principle that there must have two layers of Government: i.e. central government and local government, and further any reform could only be carried out in the local level, then I would suggest that the division between central council and local council is only limited to the division of the functions and not of the areas. Certain functions should be allocated to the central government such as matters concerning military, finance, diplomatic policy or even the police as being warranted under the special circumstances of Hong Kong. Other matters or other functions, should be allocated to local council such as matters concerning resettlement, hawkers, education, parks, recreation, hygiene and many other day-to-day business which would be better dealt with at local level. The local council should have the full power and authority to discharge their functions without any inter- ference from the central authority which should however possess a general veto power. Thirdly if Government do not let elected repre- sentatives sit in the Legislative Council, then I sincerely hope that the Unofficial Councillors in the Urban Council could participate in the policy making process of the Government for such matters as the Government sees fit. It is always too late when the law has already passed or the policy has already been formulated when the elected representatives voiced their objection. It would be much better when the policy making is still in process; such voice could be heard or known to the Government in a proper committee.
Resettlement
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
281
About resettlement and public housing, the Government has made its efforts for the public housing that in 1975 there would be about half of our population living in the public-aided housing. I am gratifying to know this fact. Yet the housing need is increasing and I notice that Government has been slackening its efforts in recent years. We still did not hear anything from the Government what Government would do about the Class II Area people. I have said that it is a great hardship for people to move from one place to another, especially if they are poor people. Therefore I have always advocated the abolition of the Class II Area. In other words, that the present policy is if people are genuine in need of somewhere to live then they would be given a place in a Resite Class II Area. They erect their own huts and they live there. I should say if a person who is in genuine need of housing he should be given a resettlement room. Anyway, in resettlement estates Government can recover the capital expenditure in eight to ten years' time. The 1964 White Book concerning Resettlement is out of date in certain extent and needs some re-thinking about this matter. As for the boat people when their sea area would be reclaimed why they cannot be resettled? Why they could only be resited? It is not only unfair, illogical but it also causes great hardship for those boat people in Aberdeen or elsewhere.
Hawkers
About hawkers, as everybody now admits that hawker is a social problem. Hawkers also contribute in certain ways to the Hong Kong's economy. It may not be a right idea that hawkers should be eliminated from our streets. We can only regulate them. About hawkers' right of succession, I should say in principle if a son wishes to succeed his father's profession he can do so. The policy about the abolition of right of succession has perhaps done a greater harm than good. There would be no immediate benefit but there is certainly an immediate dissatisfaction among the hawkers, especially in deciding such policy no hawker associations were previously consulted. If there is any benefit, it may be 10 or 20 years later. But in Hong Kong nobody ever plan a policy beyond ten years. It would be unwise to unnecessarily offend those hawker associations because their CO- operation and assistance would be needed to regulate our hawker affairs. I should however warn some hawker associations that they should endeavour to work for the public good and not for their own private interest.
City Clean Campaign
About the City Clean Campaign, we have heard a great deal about it, but we haven't actually done very much about it. We notice that
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