WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985
24
FINE-TUNING OF ELECTIONS BILL NEEDED
****
UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE SATISFIED THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THE ELECTIONS (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL WERE BOTH NECESSARY AND JUSTIFIED, BUT SOME FINE-TUNING WAS NEEDED, THE HON PETER WONG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL, HE OUTLINED
THE AMENDMENTS TO BE MADE AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE:
ON CLAUSE 9 WHICH AMENDED SECTION 12 OF THE DISTRICT BOARD ORDINANCE AND PROVIDED FOR NOTICE OF RESIGNATION BY A MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT BOARD TO BE GIVEN TO THE DESIGNATED OFFICER INSTEAD OF TO THE CHAIRMAN AS PRESENTLY STIPULATED IN THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE, HE SAID THIS CHANGE WAS CONSIDERED INAPPROPRIATE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE DISTRICT BOARDS WERE NOW CHAIRED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.
+TO MEET THE ADMINISTRATION'S ARGUMENT THAT PROVISION SHOULD BE MADE FOR CONTINGENCIES WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, NO CHAIRMAN HAS YET BEEN ELECTED, IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT SUCH NOTICE MAY BE GIVEN TO THE CHAIRMAN OR THE DESIGNATED OFFICER, MR WONG EXPLAINED.
HE ADDED THAT CLAUSE 11(B) WHICH AMENDED SECTION 14 OF THE DISTRICT BOARD ORDINANCE WOULD BE SUITABLY AMENDED ALONG THE LINES AS AGREED FOR CLAUSE 9.
IN CLAUSE 19(A)(11) WHICH AMENDED SECTION 14 OF THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS ORDINANCE, THE WORD +NEXT+ IN THE PHRASE THE NEXT FOLLOWING YEAR+ WOULD BE DELETED BECAUSE IT APPEARED TO BE REDUNDANT.
ON CLAUSE 26 WHICH AMENDED SECTION 3 OF THE CORRUPT AND ILLEGAL PRACTICES ORDINANCE, MR WONG SAID, UNWITTINGLY, A RELEVANT PROVISION IN THIS SECTION HAD BEEN OMITTED AND FOR OBVIOUS REASONS AN AMENDMENT TO RECTIFY THE OMISSION WOULD BE IN ORDER.
HE POINTED OUT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CLAUSES 9 AND 11(B) WOULD ENTAIL CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO CLAUSES 16 AND 20 OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL BILL 1985 AND AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THAT BILL, HE WOULD BE MOVING THE RELEVANT AMENDMENTS AS WELL AS A TECHNICAL AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE 8(1)(D).
/HE LAID