ENG-1977 — Page 294

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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in open session to discuss problems and policies. Senior members of the Kuk also sit on government sub-committees dealing with land and other policy matters.

With the increasing urbanisation of large areas of the New Territories, especially in the new towns, an increasing number of residents fall outside the scope of the rural representative system. Many new urban-based organisations, such as Mutual Aid Committees and District Fight Violent Crime Committees, have sprung up in recent years and government keeps in close touch with them through the District Offices. In Tsuen Wan, where 70 per cent of the town's population of just on 500,000 lives in public housing, the District Officer's post has been upgraded to that of a Town Manager, who has special responsibilities to build community facilities and community involvement in the new town. Two Town Offices, similar to the City District Offices in the urban areas, have been set up in Tsuen Wan to assist in the community building and involvement process. A Recreation and Amenities (Ad- visory) Committee, with a majority of unofficial membership drawn from a wide cross-section of the local community, was established in 1976 to advise the Town Manager on aspects of the town's development.

The committee has proved a success, and in his address to the Legislative Council in October, 1977, the Governor announced the formation of advisory boards in all the seven districts of the New Territories to give local advice on the provision and use of recreational and other public facilities. Each board is to be given funds by the government to enable them to promote and support recreational, cultural and other activities in their districts. The boards are not designed to supplant or dispense with the Rural Committees and Village Representatives, but to fill a gap in consultation between the government and the people largely created by the rapid urban develop- ments in the New Territories.

Foreign Relations

The foreign relations of the Hong Kong Government are the responsibility of the British Government, but Hong Kong is permitted a considerable degree of latitude with external trade. The territory's dependence on trade makes it necessary for the Hong Kong Government to operate offices in London, Washington, Geneva and Brussels to maintain and improve commercial relations with other countries.

Judiciary

Under powers conferred on the Governor by the Supreme Court Ordinance, the Chief Justice, the Justices of Appeal and the Judges of the High Court are appointed by Letters Patent issued under the Public Seal by the Governor on instructions from the Queen, given through and on the recommendation of the Secretary of State. District judges and magistrates are appointed by the Governor by instrument under the Public Seal or by warrant. The qualifications of Justices of Appeal and Judges of the High Court are prescribed in the Supreme Court Ordinance and those of district Judges in the District Court Ordinance.

The function of the Judiciary is to try all prosecutions and to determine civil disputes, whether between individuals or between individuals and the government. The principle of English constitutional law that, in the performance of their judicial acts, members of the Judiciary are completely independent of the executive and