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(iv)
(x)
The existing Legislative Council and the Urban Council to be replaced by a State Council consisting of the State Secretary, the Attorney General, the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, the Financial Secretary, ex officio; 2 representatives elected by the British Chamber of Commerce, 2 representatives elected by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and 7 members elected by seven wards into which the Colony would be divided for the purpose.
The State Council would exercise both legislative and executive functions. In respect of the latter there would be four standing committees of Council, each of which would control the work of an appropriate group of administrative Departments. Each of the four officials named in Section (iv) above would be ex officio chairman of one of these committees. In the event of disagreements between the chairman and a majority of his committee, either party would have the right to refer the matter in dispute the State Council in Committee of the Whole. If necessary the matter would be referred to the Governor with whom the final decision would rest and he would normally consult the Privy Council on the matter in dispute. The initiation of legislation involving public revenue or expenditure would lie exclusively with the Financial Secretary, acting on instructions from the Governor; but it would be open to any member of the State Council to move a resolution calling for specific legislative action.
(vi) The Franchise would comprise all adults who could
prove continuous registration in Hong Kong since 1946 and who had passed a simple literacy test in English or Chinese.