ENG-1973 — Page 29

THE COMMUNITY

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Not unnaturally, in an area as small as Hong Kong, members of the public are apt to confuse the functions of the Urban Council with those of the central govern- ment. And even where they understand the demarcation of responsibility, they may still voice their complaints and grievances through the ward system, dealing with Urban Councillors whom they know in preference to government officials unfamiliar to them.

During the year ending March 31, 1973, a total of 8,783 cases were referred to the ward offices, the majority concerning hawker matters, public facilities and housing.

The Rural Scene

The smaller agricultural communities of the New Territories enjoy a closer relationship with officialdom than is possible in the crowded and more impersonal urban environment.

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This is because the administrative process has been generously distributed in areas relatively thinly populated in comparison with the metropolis concentrated around Hong Kong harbour.

Through its District Offices, the New Territories Administration maintains close links with more than 600 villages. District Officers and their staff endeavour to main- tain personal contact, by regular visits to even the most remote communities. In this way they gain a first-hand knowledge of conditions on the ground.

The consultative channels are far-reaching and well defined, with each village appointing at least one representative to one of the 27 rural committees. These committees serve as sounding boards for local opinion, mediate in clan and family disputes and generally provide a bridge between the New Territories Administration and the people.

But the rural scene is not immune to change. The inroads of urban expansion, overflowing the city which once clearly ended at the northern end of the Kowloon peninsula, have necessitated a constant process of adaptation for the administrative system.

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As a result of lessons learned in Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan, comprehensive development planning has been instituted so that the complete range of community facilities and activities may be provided in a balanced way in the new towns. The old sub-division of districts has been changed to create new districts coping with these specialised needs in Tuen Mun and Shatin, where future satellite towns are developing.

The Chance to Act

Once people realised that they were being listened to, it was inevitable that more would seek to play a more positive role in the administration of their affairs. The possibilities for influencing government policy, by speaking out through the available channels of consultation, were not enough. They needed to contribute to the effec- tiveness of that policy.