CONFIDENTIAL
of the Committee.
These dealt with the use of Chinese at
meetings of Legislative Council, the Urban Council, Government
Boards and committees; the use of Chinese in oral and written
communications between Government and the public; and the extent
to which Chinese can have equal status with English in court
proceedings and as a language of law.
For a
4. The only main recommendation which was not accepted concerned
the translation into Chinese of the laws of Hong Kong.
variety of reasons, some of principle and others of sheer
practicality, it was considered that the translations of the laws
of Hong Kong could not be regarded as essential, and that it would
be more practicable to concentrate on publishing booklets on
Ordinances affecting the daily life of the public rather than to
attempt to translate all the laws of Hong Kong. However,
However, special
arrangements are made to publish both in English and Chinese
important Bills and Ordinances which are of wide public interest.
As a result of the implementation of these earlier reports,
simultaneous interpretation facilities are available in the
Legislative and Urban Councils and other Government committees;
a bi-lingual glossary of legal terms and a list of titles
together with a brief description of existing Ordinances and
subsidiary legislation is being published in Chinese; all state-
ments are to be taken down in the language in which they are made;
and statutory forms, Government licences and certificates
prescribed by law are to be equally authoratitive in both English
5.
and Chinese.
CONFIDENTIAL
16.