ENG-1956 — Page 354

294

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

length of the terms of office of various groups of members. The Council meets monthly to transact formal business but most of its business is dealt with by 37 select committees, which meet at frequent intervals.

The Council carries out its responsibilities through the Urban Services and Resettlement Departments. The Urban Services Department operates the basic sanitary services in the urban area and has a variety of duties in the field of public health, such as the supervision of food premises and hawkers, the operation of the city's slaughter-houses, and pest control measures. In addition the department controls and staffs the parks, playgrounds and bathing beaches. The Resettlement Department is responsible for the clearance and resettlement of squatters, the administration of the resettle- ment estates and areas, and the prevention of new squatting either on vacant land or on the roof-tops of buildings.

The Commissioner of Police, who is concurrently the Immigration Officer, is responsible for the internal security of the Colony. The Police Force and the Prisons Department, also under a Commissioner, are described in the Chapter on Law and Order. The Department of Medical and Health Services is described in the Chapter on Public Health; the Department of Education in the Education Chapter and the Labour Department, under a Commissioner who is concur- rently Commissioner of Mines, in the Chapter on Occupa- tions, Wages and Labour Organization.

Reference to the Registrar General's Department will be found in the Chapter on Law and Order, and to the Marine, Railway and Civil Aviation Departments, the Post Office and the Royal Observatory under Communications. The Public Relations Office and the Broadcasting Department are de- scribed under Press, Broadcasting, Films and Tourism. The Chapter on Production describes the work of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and the Co-operative. and Marketing Department.