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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1983
UNDER THIS PRINCIPLE, A NUMBER OF LAWS AND SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATIONS HAD BEEN TRANSLATED INTO CHINESE LARGELY IN RESPONSE TO SPECIFIC REQUESTS BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, MR AKERS-JONES SAID.
THE TRANSLATED CHINESE VERSION IS SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE AND HAS NO LEGAL EFFECT, HE POINTED OUT,
+UNDER EXISTING POLICY, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR ALL ORDINANCES AND SUBSIDIARY LÉGISLATIONS TO BE TRANSLATED INTO CHINESE EXCEPT IN SPECIAL CASES WHERE THE TRANSLATION WOULD FACILITATE A MUCH LARGER SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE LAW,+ HE EXPLAINED.
ADDITIONALLY, AND INDEPENDENTLY OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE LAWS OF HONG KONG, EXPLANATORY BOOKLETS ARE PRODUCED IN CHINESE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT ORDINANCES TO FACILITATE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF A PIECE OF LEGISLATION WHICH IS OF GENERAL INTEREST.
+THE AMOUNT OF TRANSLATION THAT CAN BE DONE IS SUBJECT TO THE MANPOWER RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE CHINESE LANGUAGE DIVISION, HE SAID.
PARENTS FREE TO CHOOSE HAYE
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PRELIMINARY INDICATIONS WERE THAT ABOUT 900 CHILDREN OF THE 80 000 WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE NEW PRIMARY ONE ADMISSION SYSTEM WOULD NOT TAKE UP PUBLIC SECTOR PLACES OFFERED TO THEM. THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON COLVYN HAYE, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE ADDED THAT THIS WOULD ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 20 CLASSES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY REV. THE HON JOYCE BENNETT, MR HAYE NOTED THAT UNTIL THE SEPTEMBER ENROLMENT RETUNS WERE ANALYSED IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY FOR CERTAIN WHETHER THESE CLASSES WOULD BE ADDITIONAL TO THE NORMAL PRIMARY ONE INTAKE IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHICH AVERAGED ABOUT 9 000 TO 10 000 EACH YEAR.
HE EMPHASISED THAT UNDER THE NEW, ARRANGEMENTS, PARENTS WERE FREE TO CHOOSE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO EITHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
HE SAID: +THIS YEAR WE KNOW THAT THE PARENTS OF 2 100 CHILDREN COVERED BY CENTRAL ALLOCATION HAD ALREADY SECURED PLACES FOR THEM IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS. OF THESE, THE PARENTS OF THE 900 MENTIONED HAVE SAID THEY PREFER PRIVATE PLACES, WHILE PARENTS OF THE REMAINING MAJORITY, 1 200, HAVE OPTED FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
+IN THIS SENSE THEN. THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS HAVE GIVEN PARENTS A FAIR CHOICE, MR HAYE NOTED.
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