THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1934 ·
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+A MILESTONE IN HONG KONG HISTORY+
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HONG KONG HAD REACHED A MILESTONE IN ITS HISTORY, AS THIS WOULD BE THE LAST SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN WHICH ALL ITS MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE PAID TRIBUTE TO ALL THOSE WHO WERE SERVING AND HAD SERVED IN AN APPOINTED CAPACITY.
+THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ELECTED HAS IN NO WAY REDUCED YOUR DETERMINATION TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, HE SAID,
+THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES OWES MUCH TO THE DEVOTION TO DUTY AND TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY, OF MEMBERS IN THIS COUNCIL. +
+HONG KONG HAS BEEN WELL SERVED BY THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM, BUT NOW HISTORY MOVES ON, THE GOVERNOR SAID.
THE COMPOSITION OF THIS SESSION'S MEMBERSHIP ALREADY REFLECTED A MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE LIKELY COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL NEXT YEAR, WITH TWO FEWER OFFICIALS AND THREE MORE UNOFFICIALS.
THE GOVERNOR ALSO TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) WOULD BE INTRODUCED DURING THE SESSION TO:
* CONFIRM THE PRIVILEGE OF MEMBERS' STATEMENT IN DEBATE,
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PROVIDE ASSURANCES THAT MEMBERS COULD PERFORM THEIR DUTIES ACCORDING TO THE IR CONSCIENCE, AND,
INTRODUCE POWERS TO HEAR EVIDENCE ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST.
REFERRING TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SITTINGS, HE SAID THIS WOULD BE THE LAST SESSION TO BE HELD IN THIS CHAMBER.
+WHEN I DELIVER MY ADDRESS TO YOU NEXT YEAR, I SHALL BE DOING SO IN WHAT WE STILL CALL FOR THE PRESENT THE OLD SUPREME COURT BUILDING, SIR EDWARD SAID.
+THE MOVE WILL ASSIST THE LEGISLATURE TO ACHIEVE IN THE PUBLIC EYE A NEW AND DISTINCT IDENTITY, QUITE SEPARATE FROM THE EXECUTIVE AS REPRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE CIVIL SERVICE, + HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD ALSO MENTIONED ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT IN WHICH THE DECISION WAS MADE BY THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE TO HOLD ITS HEARINGS OF EVIDENCE IN PUBLIC.
THE PUBLIC