XN000022-1977-08-25 — Page 2

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1977

NEW APPOINTMENTS TO LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE TODAY ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO ADDITIONAL UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND ONE ADDITIONAL OFFICIAL MEMBER TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE NEW UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ARE DR. RAYSON LISUNG HUANG, VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, AND MR. CHARLES YEUNG SIU-CHO, A LAWYER, CHAIRMAN OF THE YUEN LONG TOWN HALL NANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK.

THE NEW OFFICIAL MEMBER IS MR. JOHN WALDEN, DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS.

ALL THREE APPOINTMENTS ARE FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR AND THE NEW MEMBERS WILL ASSUME THEIR SEATS AT THE COUNCIL'S NEW SESSION WHICH OPENS ON OCTOBER 5.

THE APPOINTMENTS FOLLOW AN ORDER-IN-COUNCIL BY HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AMENDING THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS TO ENABLE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BOTH UNOFFICIAL AND OFFICIAL MEMBERS (INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR AND FOUR EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS) TO BE INCREASED TO 25. HOWEVER, WHILE THE TRADITIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL POWER TO RETAIN AN OFFICIAL MAJORITY HAS BEEN MAINTAINED, ALL THE SEATS HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED AT THE PRESENT TIME.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE APPOINTMENTS FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE EXPANDED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH HAS JUST CONCLUDED AN UNUSUALLY PRODUCTIVE AND LIVELY SESSION.

+THE ADDITION OF A DISTINGUISHED LIBERAL ACADEMIC AND A PROMINENT NEW TERRITORIES LAWYER, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, MARKS ANOTHER STEP IN THE PROCESS OF WIDENING THE BACKGROUND OF EXPERIENCE FROM WHICH MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO SPEAK, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT THE WORKLOAD OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAD INCREASED CONSIDERABLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS IN TERMS OF LEGISLATIVE TASKS, COMMITTEE WORK, THE HEARING OF COMPLAINTS AND REPRESENTATIONS BY ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND ALSO IN THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS BEING ASKED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ON AN INCREASINGLY WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS AFFECTING ALL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST.

+ THE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS WILL THEREFORE HELP EASE THE BURDEN ON PRESENT SERVING MEMBERS,+ HE SAID.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNOR HAS ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF A SERVING UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, THE HON. J. H. BREMRIDGE, TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AS FROM SEPTEMBER 1. MR. BREMRIDGE REPLACES THE HON. GUY SAYER WHO IS LEAVING HONG KONG ON RETIREMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER. MR. SAYER HAS SERVED ON THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SINCE JULY 1974.

/THE GOVERNOR