FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1986
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD CONTAIN A NEW CLAUSE WHICH DECLARES BOTH TEXTS TO BE EQUALLY AUTHENTIC AND PROVIDES FOR RESOLVING DIFFERENCES OF MEANING BETWEEN THE TWO TEXTS.
THE SAME NEW CLAUSE ALSO DEALS WITH ENGLISH LAW EXPRESSIONS IN AN ORDINANCE, AND CORPORATION NAMES, AND ENABLES THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL BY NOTICE IN THE GAZETTE TO SPECIFY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS IN ONE LANGUAGE THAT ARE TO BE TREATED AS THE EQUIVALENT OF WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS IN THE OTHER.
THE BILL RETAINS, IN MODIFIED FORM, THE EXISTING PROVISION RELATING TO CHINESE WORDS IN THE ENGLISH TEXT OF THE LAWS. IT ALSO ENABLES THE CHINESE AND ENGLISH TEXTS OF PRESCRIBED FORMS TO BE PRINTED AND USED EITHER SEPARATELY OR COMBINED IN ANY MANNER.
DRAFTS OF THE TWO BILLS WERE CONTAINED IN A DISCUSSION PAPER ON THE LAWS IN CHINESE WHICH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS ISSUED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN APRIL THIS YEAR.
THE PROPOSALS MADE IN THE DISCUSSION PAPER DREW COMMENT FROM A WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF THE PUBLIC.
IN ADDITION, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SET UP AN AD HOC GROUP TO STUDY THE PROPOSALS, AND LATER HELD AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT: SEVERAL DISTRICT BOARDS ALSO DISCUSSED THE PAPER.
THE PROPOSALS IN THE PAPER WERE WELL RECEIVED, THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID, AND COMMENTS HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BY THE WORKING PARTY THAT HAD BEEN FORMED BY THE LAW DRAFTING DIVISION IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS.
THE TWO BILLS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ARE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THE ORIGINAL DRAFTS, BUT CONTAIN A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS, TAKING ACCOUNT OF COMMENTS RECEIVED AND SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS.
COMMENTS ON THE TWO BILLS MAY BE SENT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS, QUEENSWAY GOVERNMENT OFFICES BUILDING, 66 QUEENSWAY, OR TO THE OMELCO OFFICE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BUILDING, NO. B JACKSON ROAD.
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