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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
and the Housing Board, and through the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs' tenancy inquiry bureaux. In practice these bureaux are primarily concerned with the rights, obligations and welfare of the tenants of any building which has to be condemned and of any rent-controlled premises which a landlord wishes to re-develop.
Other administrative functions include 'district office' work in New Kowloon and the rural areas of Hong Kong Island, investiga- tion into claims to British nationality or for naturalization, fireworks control, registration of newspapers, support for Chinese social welfare activities, Chinese cemeteries, confidential mediation in a variety of domestic, tenants' and other disputes, and the provision of traditional 'go-between' facilities should there be any misunder- standing between another department and some section of the Chinese public over matters which are not purely professional or technical.
The Urban Council consists of 26 members—six ex officio mem- bers and 20 ordinary members of whom 10 are elected and 10 are appointed by the Governor. Of the ex officio members the Director of Urban Services Department sits as Chairman of the Council, and the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services as vice- chairman. The others are the Director of Public Works, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, the Director of Social Welfare and the Com- missioner for Resettlement. The term of office of an ordinary member is four years. The Council meets monthly to transact formal business, but most of its business is dealt with by 15 select com- mittees which meet at frequent intervals. All select committees are chaired by unofficial members, and without exception the un- official members are in the majority on select committees.
The membership of the Urban Council is given at Appendix XLIV. The responsibilities of the Urban Council, which are carried out through the Urban Services Department, cover the fields of environmental hygiene, sanitation and public parks and amenities in the urban areas. The Council is also the competent authority for the management of resettlement areas and estates in the urban
area.
NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION
The New Territories are divided into four administrative districts, each under a District Officer who has a staff of between 150 and
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