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050225 MDHIAN 90g0.
DEVELOPING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. THE REPORTS ALSO PLAYED UP THE CRC
AND UDHK REACTIONS TO THESE ASSURANCES. IN ESSENCE THESE AMOUNTED TO EXPRESSIONS OF DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE SALARIES TAX ALLOWANCES EVEN FURTHER.
5. IN THEIR EDITORIALS, THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL AND THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST DREW ATTENTION TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S EFFORTS TO CONSULT LEGCO MEMBERS ON THE BUDGET, BUT THEY CONCLUDED THAT
do SMORE WAS NEEDED. THE SCMP ARGUED THAT CIVIL SERVANTS STILL HAVE
Iso
Leglo-pressA
LOT TO LEARN ABOUT THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE''
6. OTHER NEWSPAPER REACTION WAS MIXED. THE TIN TIN DAILY NEWS AND THE COMMERCIAL DAILY ARGUED THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS STILL REMAINS AND THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE WAS WHETHER HONG KONG WAS TO HAVE EXECUTIVE OR LEGISLATIVE LED GOVERNMENT. ACCORDING TO THE TIN TIN DAILY, THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT AFFORD TO TREAT LEGCO AS A QUOTE HAND RAISING MACHINE UNQUOTE. THE ORIENTAL DAILY TOOK THE VIEW THAT AN AMENDMENT TO ONE ELEMENT OF THE BUDGET SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS AND NOR WOULD IT DAMAGE THE GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY. THE WAH KIU YAT PO TOOK A SIMILAR VIEW TO ITS ENGLISH LANGUAGE STABLE MATE (THE SCMP) BY CONCLUDING THAT THE DEBATE IN LEGCO HAD BEEN A DISAPPOINTMENT AND THAT HONG KONG HAS SOME WAY TO GO TO BECOME POLITICALLY MATURE'' A COLUMNIST IN TA KUNG PAO ARGUED THAT THE DEBATE HAD BEEN A SHOW STAGED BY SOME MEMBERS FOR POPULIST POLITICAL REASONS. THE WRITER SAID THAT SOME MEMBERS WERE IN DANGER OF LOSING SIGHT OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC INTEREST.
·
7. TO GET THE RESULT ACHIEVED ON THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL YESTERDAY A GREAT DEAL OF POLITICAL LOBBYING HAS BEEN NECESSARY. MORE WILL BE REQUIRED TO DEAL WITH THE REVENUE MEASURES.
WILSON
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.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
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