J
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1994
BILL TO QUICKEN TRANSLATION OF LAWS
* * * * *
A BILL
ΤΟ
SIMPLIFY AND QUICKEN THE PROCEDURES FOR AUTHENTICATING THE CHINESE TEXTS OF ORDINANCES ENACTED ORIGINALLY ONLY IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (WEDNESDAY).
TODAY
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1994, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID THE TASK
A OF PRODUCING
FULLY BILINGUAL SET OF
AND ORDINANCES
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION WAS OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE AND A DAUNTING TASK.
IT INVOLVES THE TRANSLATION INTO CHINESE OF 529 ORDINANCES AND THEIR SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION OR SOME 22,000 PAGES OF LAW.
BEFORE JUNE 30, 1997," HE NOTED.
COMPLETING THIS WORK
"WE HAVE SET OURSELVES THE TARGET OF
THE
PROVIDED PRESENT SAID THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ORDINANCE AT
BY AUTHENTIC
THE A TRANSLATED TEXT MIGHT BE DECLARED
MUST BILINGUAL LAWS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
APPROVE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MUST
TEXT
BE
THE
BY
HE BEFORE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL,
THAT,
CONSULTED, AND THE RESOLUTION.
THE WORK OF TRANSLATION WAS DIVISION OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
UNDERTAKEN BY THE LAW
DRAFTING
MR MATHEWS SAID THIS PROCEDURE WAS RECENTLY REVIEWED BY THE LAW SUB-COMMITTEE ON DRAFTING DIVISION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LEGCO'S AUTHENTIC
CHINESE TEXTS.
IT WAS AGREED THAT A SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE WOULD HELP THE TIMELY COMPLETION OF THE WHOLE AUTHENTICATION EXERCISE.
"THE BILL THEREFORE PROPOSES TO REPEAL THE NEED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S PRIOR APPROVAL OF A
TEXT. CHINESE
FOR THE
GENERAL
A
AND UNDER SECTION 34 OF THE INTERPRETATION "HOWEVER, CLAUSES ORDINANCE, ALL ORDERS OF THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL DECLARING CHINESE TEXT TO BE AUTHENTIC WILL BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THIS COUNCIL AND WILL BE SUBJECT TO AMENDMENT, MR MATHEWS SAID.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
/8