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3฀ The Municipal Councils of Hong Kong My personal connections with the Urban Council date back to 1963 when I was elected on the Reform Club ticket because the Clu b wanted a woman candidate, preferably i n the education field . The Urba n Counci l wa s a municipal counci l se t u p i n 193 3 to dea l with matter s o f public health, recreation , culture , food hygiene , hawker s and markets . It s predecesso r wa s th e Sanitar y Board , se t u p b y th e government in 1883, to deal with public health at a time when plague had become endemic. After the Japanese occupation, the government introduced an element of democracy into the Urban Council, with two elected members. The number gradually increased to eight. Appointed members were increased in proportion, while official member s numbered six. In 1973 , the Counci l became financially autonomous, the officials were excluded, and it was then able to make decisions on its own. Finance came from a proportion of the general rates which the Council was entrusted to use for its work. I had already been involved with people's problems because I lived in a squatter are a an d kne w ho w th e underprivilege d ha d t o pa y bribe s fo r everything, from building an illegal hut, to running a small business to make a living. I thought that by joining the Urban Council I would have a better platform from which to serve them. In fact, that proved to be the case. In those days, a Councillor's job was voluntary and we had to pay our own expense s i n whateve r wor k w e personally too k u p on behal f o f th e 20฀ Colonial Hong Kong in the Eyes of Elsie Tu public. I had to give up one of my teaching jobs in order to fit in the timing for teachin g i n m y ow n schoo l an d attendin g Urba n Counci l meetings . Later, when Councillor s bega n t o receive allowances , I felt tha t i n som e ways that was good as it relieved a heavy burden, but it could also attrac t candidates who viewed the work as a source of income and not necessaril y a service to the public. One o f th e qualification s fo r becomin g a n Urba n Councillo r a t th e time was a knowledge of English, the only official language. Every candidate had t o tak e a n oat h tha t h e coul d understan d English , becaus e al l th e documents were written in English. That was unfair to those who could do the work but spoke only Chinese, and Councillor Dr Denny Huang and I, together wit h other s outsid e th e Council , lobbie d har d fo r year s befor e Chinese became an official language . Even then, it was a long time befor e documents were written in both languages, but a translation allowance was granted t o thos e wh o ha d t o hire a translator afte r Chines e becam e th e second official language . When I joined th e Council, ther e were eight government-appointe d members, six officials from various departments, and eight elected members. The Director of Urban Services was always the chairman. On ever y issue, the appointed members were expected to vote with the government, so the elected member s wer e alway s a minorit y oppositio n i n an y controversy . Appointed members who supported the elected side were unlikely to be reappointed next time round. As the jurisdiction of the Council was limited to culture, public health and recreation , an d ther e wer e n o electe d member s o n th e Legislativ e Council at that time, the elected members constantly requested wider powers to deal with social welfare, education and other issues affecting th e public. We did have committees on policy and management of public housing, but without any financial backing, our powers were very limited. Adding to the frustrations o f the elected members was the narrowness of the franchise. Only ratepayers, professionals and similar elites had a vote, which put the poor majority at...

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