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mugging cases should not be regarded as an indication of an improvement in public order because after all, mugging is only a petty crime. Indeed, we cannot cover the facts by "juggling with figures".

In the meantime, we should also give due care to those who are displaced as a result of the sweeping action taken by the authorities in stamping out the "three vices" on which they depended for a living. Have the authorities concerned ever thought of the possibility of their becoming robbers and of ways and means to assist them in seeking jobs?

The aforesaid points are connected, in one way or another, with problems concerning the entire community, the younger generation, the local law and order and the efficiency of police, etc. It is therefore hoped that the authorities concerned will take remedial measures to improve the situation, so that prosperity and social stability may be maintained.

With these words, Mr. Chairman, I support the motion.

MR. JOHN MACKENZIE (in English):—Mr. Chairman,

INTRODUCTION

Administration Select Committee has recently published a progress report on its activities for the first half-year. I do not propose to repeat what has been said in this Review but, rather, to exercise the full prerogative of the Conventional Debate, and discuss some aspects of Council and Government administration.

COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION

It is now 3 years since the Council acquired its "financial and administrative freedom". At the Inaugural Ceremony in 1973, His Excellency the Governor spoke of his plans for social progress, and called for "decisive advances in the field of the Urban Council". I wonder to what extent we have justified the optimism of those days, and how we propose to ensure that the "New-style" Urban Council will maintain its momentum of progress.

Council Achievement

By any standards, the Council has come a long way since we achieved autonomy. This progress has been made under the tight rein and highly personalized leadership of our Chairman, Mr. A. de O. SALES, who has shown a devotion to the Council in terms of participation and involvement in every meeting of Committee and Sub-committee, and in every point of Council detail, that will be almost impossible to match in future.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

tion and involvement in every meeting of Committee and Sub-committee, and in every point of Council detail, that will be almost impossible to match in future.

In terms of public cleansing, the "Keep Hong Kong Clean" Campaign has transformed the city from near nightmare to more tolerable conditions—though there is evidence that the technique of a continuing "campaign approach" is no longer desirable or effective. We have made advances in recreation, hygiene, building. Our programme of public entertainment has expanded ten-fold; the City Hall is established as one of the major cultural centres in the Far East. In close co-operation with the H.K. Philharmonic Society we have opportunity to build an internationally-rated Symphony Orchestra for Hong Kong and, somewhat to our own surprise, we have created a new phenomenon in Asian cultural affairs—the Festival of Asian Arts. We have a new Museum of History and will shortly have a Planetarium. Our small Council Secretariat is coping courageously with an ever-mounting volume of papers, minutes and memoranda. We are encouraging the expansion of staff training and greater Departmental efficiency. We have also sought to extend our information services to the public, and an up-hill task in the face of inadequate resources, change of staff and inertia on the part of Government. Although our initial blue-print for Council P.R. services has become a model for the development of these services in other Government Departments, our own programme for P.R. development remains unfulfilled. I believe we are moving backwards rather than forwards by relying so heavily on Central Government services.

All this is better than many had expected, and more than some had hoped. At this time, however, as we prepare to move to a new Council Chamber which will afford better facilities for the efficient conduct of our business, it is right that we look at what has not been done and at what should be done so that we can more firmly establish this Council as a progressive social and political force within the community.

Needs and Proposals

At the Council Debates in February 1974 I spoke of the "unacceptably slow progress in scores of Council amenity projects, many of which have languished in the Public Works Programme for 10 years creating a mounting backlog over the years of 300 building works.". I commented that "good public relations stem from action and achievement”, I asked that the programme for providing swimming pool complexes and libraries in every neighbourhood be

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