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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1973
URBAN COUNCIL (AMENDMENT) BILL 1978
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A BILL TO REMOVE AN ANOMALY IN THE PROVISIONS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL ORDINANCE GOVERNING THE REGISTRATION OF URBAN COUNCIL ELECTORS AND TO UPDATE THE ORDINANCE IN THREE OTHER RESPECTS WAS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE SECOND READING OF THE URBAN COUNCIL (AMENDMENT) BILL 1978, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON. SIR DENYS ROBERTS SAID: THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS BILL IS TO REMOVE AN ANOMALY IN THE PRESENT PROVISIONS IN THE FIRST SCHEDULE TO THE ORDINANCE WHICH GOVERN THE REGISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS AS URBAN COUNCIL ELECTORS BY VIRTUE OF THE IR PROFESSION.+
SIR DENYS POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT, AN ACCOUNTANT HOLDING A PRACTISING CERTIFICATE ISSUED UNDER THE PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS ORDINANCE MAY REGISTER AS AN ELECTOR.
+HOWEVER, HE SAID, ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THE 950 OR SO PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 22 OF THAT ORDINANCE HOLD PRACTISING CERTIFICATES WHICH ALLOW AN ACCOUNTANT TO UNDERTAKE PUBLIC AUDIT ENGAGEMENTS.
+THE REMAINDER, WHO ARE EMPLOYED BY NON-ACCOUNTANCY FIRMS, IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE OR BY OTHER ORGANISATIONS, ARE NOT THEREFORE ENFRANCHISED BY VIRTUE OF THEIR PROFESSION, HE SAID.
SIR DENYS NOTED THAT THE BILL SEEKS TO AMEND THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE SO THAT ALL PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS REGISTERED UNDER THE PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS ORDINANCE ARE ENFRANCHISED.
THE THREE OTHER AMENDMENTS WHICH WILL UPDATE THE URBAN COUNCIL ORDINANCE ARE :-
* THE WORDS +BUSINESS PROFIT TAX+ IN THE FIRST SCHEDULE OF
THE ORDINANCE WHICH ENABLES SOME TAXPAYERS TO BECOME REGISTERED AS ELECTORS WILL BE REPLACED BY +PROFIT TAX+ AS AMENDED IN THE INLAND REVENUE ORDINANCE-
* THE WORDS +AUTHORISED ARCHITECT IN THE SAME SCHEDULE WILL
BE REPLACED BY +AUTHORISED PERSON+ AS AMENDED IN THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE- AND
* A HOLDER OF THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION WHICH
REPLACED THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION (ENGLISH) AND (CHINESE) IN 1974 SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO REGISTER AS AN ELECTOR IF HIS CERTIFICATE IS OF THE SAME GRADE AND NUMBER OF SUBJECTS AS WERE REQUIRED OF HOLDERS OF THE ABOLISHED ENGLISH AND CHINESE CERTIFICATES.
THE DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
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