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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1934
OATHS LINKED WITH PRESENT SYSTEM, BRAY SAYS
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THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE RIGHT UP TO 1997 AND THEREFORE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE EXPECTED TO AFFIRM THE IR SUPPORT OF THAT SYSTEM. SAID THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY, THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING.
MR BRAY WAS SPEAKING ON A TELEVISION PROGRAMME WHERE THE INTERVIEWER RAISED THE QUESTION OF ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAVING TO SWEAR THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN.
MR BRAY DESCRIBED THE ISSUE AS +A BIT OF A TECHNICALITY+ BUT SAID IT WAS ONLY REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT A PERSON WHO WAS PREPARED TO TAKE A SEAT ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD PLEDGE SUPPORT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION THAT IT REPRESENTED.
ON OTHER ISSUES, MR BRAY WAS ASKED WHETHER AN ATTEMPT HAD BEEN MADE TO MAKE AS MANY CHANGES AS POSSIBLE AHEAD OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP.
HE REPLIED THAT THE CHANGES WERE INTENDED TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG A GREATER ROLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION. THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WAS A CHANNEL FOR CONSULTATION. HE REPEATED THAT A COPY BRITAIN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG.
OF THE WHITE PAPER HAD BEEN GIVEN TO PEKING AS A COURTESY, SAID MR BRAY.
CHANGES TO PROPOSALS BETWEEN THE WHITE AND GREEN PAPERS WERE THE RESULT OF THE COMMENT AND DISCUSSIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
MR BRAY WAS ASKED WHY PEOPLE COULD BE ALLOWED TO VOTE DIRECTLY FOR MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS BUT WERE NOT ALLOWED
TO VOTE DIRECTLY FOR MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. IN REPLY HE SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO PUBLIC PRESSURE FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1985, THOUGH THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED FURTHER IN LATER YEARS.
IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME BEFORE THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSALS TOOK EFFECT FOR CANDIDATES AND GROUPS TO ORGANISE PROPERLY, MR BRAY SAID THAT PEOPLE WERE ALREADY VERY INTERESTED AND THAT ABOUT 50 PER CENT OF THOSE ELIGIBLE WERE ALREADY REGISTERED AS ELECTORS.
ASKED WHETHER THERE WOULD BE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1987 TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR BRAY SAID THAT THAT DEPENDED A LOT UPON WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, THE POINT HAD BEEN MADE THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN ENOUGH TIME BETWEEN THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE AND THE GREEN PAPERS FOR COMMENT. THERE WAS NOW THREE YEARS FOR JUDGEMENTS AS TO WHETHER THE SYSTEM SHOULD CONTINUE OR CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE.
/MR BRAY