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clarify the position and give Mrs. ELLIOTT her right of reply according to Standing Orders? Nobody? Thank you. Now the motion has been proposed by Mrs. ELLIOTT, seconded by Mr. BERNACCHI. Mr. MACKENZIE has moved that it be referred to (a) the Hawkers Select Committee (b) the Finance Committee (c) Standing Committee of the Whole Council. That has been supported by Mr. TSIN. Now, the position is clear. Mrs. ELLIOTT will exercise her right to reply. After Mrs. ELLIOTT has exercised her right to reply, the Chair will put the closure motion to you for voting the closure motion, not the original motion. Is this clear? Thank you.
MRS. ELLIOTT (In English):—Mr. Chairman, if you will look at my speech you will see that I have already said that this should have been discussed in the Committee and should not have been needed as a motion. The fact of the matter is that it has been brought repeatedly both before the department and the Committee in the past by myself, and I feel that no progress has been made on this at all; I cannot get anybody to listen. But I may point out that some action had been taken by the department because they are providing the things I am asking for at the Shui Wo Street Bazaar which is an indication that my words did get home somewhere. I began dictating on this one when the Shau Kei Wan Bazaar was set up, and I cannot remember how long that was ago, but it was several years ago, and I started on this idea of preparing everything beforehand but I got nowhere, I am particularly surprised that Mr. CHEONG-LEEN supports putting it to the Committee because he was the Chairman of that Committee last year and I cannot remember him ever mentioning it at all or showing any particular interest in this subject. So I have proposed the motion because I fear it is hopeless talking to the Committee again just as "any other business” because that is all that it ever gets to be. That is why I would like to get the motion supported.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN (In English): -On a point of clarification, might I draw Mrs. ELLIOTT's attention to the fact that the situation last year and this year is entirely different. Now we have a reasonable measure of financial independence and we can use and apply our funds more independently.
The question to refer the subject to the Hawkers & Finance Select Committees and the Standing Committee was put.
The motion was carried with 12 votes for, 5 against and 1 abstention.
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ADJOURNMENT -5.33 p.m.
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CHAIRMAN (In English): --That concludes the business of today's meeting. The Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 10th July, 1973
at 4 p.m.
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