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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
OTHER BUSINESS.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, I have two statements to make, under the heading "Other Business". Members will recall that on 7th May the Standing Committee of the Whole Council directed that the Resettlement (Policy) Select Committee should appoint a sub-committee to examine the whole field of resettlement policy. When the Policy Select Committee met on 15th May for this purpose, its Members were informed that Government had in mind the appointment of a Working Party whose terms of reference were likely to be similar to, but wider than, those contemplated for the sub-committee, and that if such a Working Party were appointed invitations would be extended to Members of this Council to serve on the Working Party. The Policy Select Committee therefore decided to report back to the Council with the recommendation that, in these circumstances, the direction to form a sub-committee be held in abeyance. As Members have already been informed by me, and as was announced in the Press this morning, His Excellency the Governor, after seeking the advice of the Executive Council, has decided to appoint a Working Party on resettlement and allied matters. On 1st June I received a letter inviting this Council to nominate four Members to serve on the Working Party.
I therefore propose that we deal with the question of nominations at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council which is called for this afternoon, and I take it as now agreed by Council that the decision at the meeting on 7th May to appoint a sub-committee of the Resettlement (Policy) Select Committee has been superseded by the new arrangement which I have outlined.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, have I your permission to seek clarification by asking a question on the Committee that His Excellency the Governor, after seeking the advice of the Executive Council has in mind? The question I would ask is: In view of the composition of this Committee, i.e., all four Unofficials to be elected by this Council, together with three out of five Officials of this Council, is it your understanding, Sir, that Members of this Council represent us on that Committee? In other words, the normal appointment of an ad hoc committee by His Excellency the Governor is of named individuals, and this is a digression from the normal procedure by inviting this Council to elect four representatives from the Unofficials. Is that, or does that give you the impression, Sir, that when we have elected them they will be our representatives on that Committee?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes, Sir. That is my impression.
MR. BERNACCHI:-In that case, is it not preferable-perhaps I am standing too much on a point of order-for us to go into Committee now to elect the four representatives and not elect them at the Standing Committee after this meeting?
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CHAIRMAN: I am quite prepared to recommend that to the Council.
MR. BERNACCHI:-May I propose that we resolve into Committee.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-I support that motion.
MR. WATSON:-Mr. Chairman, I support that motion, but I would prefer our representatives to be nominated rather than elected.
(At this stage, the public were requested to leave the Chamber).
Council then went into Committee at 4.45 p.m.
Council resumed at 4.48 p.m.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, I have to inform you that as a result of our deliberations in the Committee of the Whole the following four Council Members have been chosen to represent Council on the Government's Working Party:--
Mr. Brook BERNACCHI, Q.C.
Dr. P. F. Woo
Mr. A. de O. SALES
The Honourable F. S. LI, O.B.E.
CHAIRMAN:-Before we conclude today I wish to state that several Members of Council have expressed concern to me over the current water situation, and that a number of suggestions have been made by Councillors. All suggestions have been forwarded to the Secretary of the Committee on Emergency Water Supplies for consideration by that Committee.
ADJOURNMENT.
CHAIRMAN:-That concludes the business of this meeting. Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 2nd July, 1963.
PRINTED BY JACK RANYARD LEE, ACTING GOVERNMENT PRINTER AT THE GOVERNMENT PRESS, HONG KONG
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