ENG-1969 — Page 350

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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

Colony. This form of organisation, rather than one based on authorities with responsibilities in a limited geographical area only, is suitable for this small, compact territory and has enabled the Government to provide services without regard to the capacity of residents of various districts to pay taxes.

SECRETARIAT FOR HOME AFFAIRS AND NEW

TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION

The two government departments most closely concerned with the reactions of the people to government policies and plans are the Secretariat for Home Affairs, which controls the City District Officers in the urban areas, and the New Territories Administration under which come the District Officers stationed in the New Territories. Hong Kong Island has four districts, Kowloon six and the New Territories five. A primary function of both departments is to assess the impact of contemplated, new policies upon the inhabitants and, when they are adopted, to explain these policies to the public. They also report on trends of public opinion in the districts. In this general connection it has long been the practice of these two departments to foster links with a variety of private organisations including, in the urban areas, the Tung Wah Hospitals, Po Leung Kuk, Kaifong Associa- tion, district and clansmen's associations, multi-storey building associations and religious organisations and youth groups.

The City District Officer scheme, modelled on the long-established District Officer system, was introduced in 1968. District Officers, exercise a local co-ordinating function, explain policies, test public opinion, watch for sources of grievance and tension, and in general try to soften the impact upon the man in the street of the measures adopted by a specialised and sophisticated administration; they also deal with individual complaints, answer enquiries, provide information and mediate in a variety of disputes.

The former Public Enquiry Service has now been fully integrated into the City District Officer Scheme. In addition to enquiry services provided at all the City District Offices, where enquiry counters are combined with the reception facilities, two Information Centres are maintained in the Central Government Offices and in Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok. The primary objects of the enquiry