Hong Kong Metamorphosis

11.City District Officers

n City District Officer s Lack of communicatio n During th e 196 7 troubles , w e di d a goo d dea l o f thinkin g abou t communications betwee n th e government an d th e people. 196 6 had bee n a ba d year . W e ha d experience d considerabl e hostilit y t o th e raisin g o f water charges . W e ha d ha d th e Sta r Ferr y riot s ove r a five-cent ris e i n their first-clas s fares . Althoug h th e primar y caus e o f th e 196 7 riot s wa s the overflo w o f the Cultura l Revolution , th e 196 6 problem s suggeste d a serious lac k o f communicatio n betwee n th e governmen t an d ordinar y people i n town . I n th e Ne w Territories , ther e wer e th e Distric t Officer s who wer e accessible . The y ha d a brief t o maintai n clos e communicatio n with loca l leader s an d generall y wit h th e lif e o f thei r districts . Th e widespread disturbance s o f 196 7 i n tow n wer e no t repeate d i n th e Ne w Territories. Ther e wa s n o equivalen t t o th e Distric t Office r i n town . Al l senior official s wer e locate d i n a fe w office s i n th e busines s centr e o n Hong Kon g Island . Non e wer e t o b e foun d i n othe r urba n centres . Jack Cater an d Davi d Trench , th e Governor , wer e determined t o chang e this . Town learnin g from th e countr y The pla n wa s t o tak e a leaf ou t o f the Distric t Office r boo k i n th e Ne w Territories an d se t u p a similar organizatio n i n th e urba n areas , in orde r 134 I HON G KON G METAMORPHOSI S to transfor m communicatio n betwee n th e governmen t an d th e people. I t was m y job , i n th e fe w interval s o f action durin g th e 196 7 troubles , t o get thi s Cit y Distric t Office r Schem e of f th e ground . An y polic y mus t start wit h approva l b y th e Executiv e Counci l s o I simpl y starte d t o draf t an Executiv e Counci l paper . Normally , thi s woul d b e precede d b y numerous meetings, minutes, interdepartmental discussions , perhaps eve n the appointment o f a committee. I thought i t simpler just to start drafting . We wer e i n a hurry. O f course , I ha d t o ge t m y draf t pape r cleare d b y a few people , bu t everyon e wa s s o bus y wit h th e disturbance s an d thei r ramifications tha t nobod y waste d muc h tim e o n examinin g m y pape r i n great detail. There was generally sympathy with the idea and I encountered no opposition . Eventuall y th e draf t wa s completed , bu t th e Governo r mauled i t about . Governor s d o no t usuall y spen d muc h tim e amendin g draft Executiv e Counci l paper s bu t thi s wa s an exception . Davi d Trenc h had bee n kee n o n th e ide a fo r som e tim e s o he ha d considerabl e input . I was delighted , fo r i t showe d h e wa s reall y interested . Th e pape r wen t through th e Executiv e Counci l withou t difficult y an d th e senio r post s were approve d b y th e Financ e Committe e o n 2 4 January 1968 . By then , it was possible to disband the Special Duties organization in the Secretariat . The...