XN000022-1982-08-03 — Page 4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1982

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HE POINTED OUT THAT A GENERAL FALLACY EXISTED IN THE MINDS OF SOME DISTRICT BOARD CRITICS THAT UNLESS THE BOARDS WERE ABOVE THE RULE OF LAW THE BOARDS WERE POWERLESS.

+THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY OWN MIND THAT ALL THE BOARDS ARE SUBJECT TO 'RULE OF LAW' AND THAT IS A VALUE HIGHLY CHERISHED IN THIS COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

*THE PRINCIPLE OF SUB JUDICE' THEREFORE APPLIES AND TO PUT IN LAYMAN'S TERM, MATTERS WHICH ARE OR WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE COURTS ARE AUTOMÁTICALLY EXCLUDED FROM DISCUSSIONS.+

MR TSUI ADDED THAT THIS DID NOT MEAN THAT BOARD MEMBERS COULD NOT COMMENT ON EXISTING OR DRAFT LEGISLATIONS, WHICH WOULD AFFECT THE DISTRICT, AND BRING THEIR VIEWS TO MEMBERS OF THE UMELCO FOR CONSIDERATION.

+THIS IS A DIFFICULT SUBJECT BUT GIVEN GOOD SENSE AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND HAVING DUE REGARD FOR THE PUBLIC'S INTERESTS AND THE 'RULE OF LAW'

I AM CONFIDENT THAT A REASONABLE SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND.

HE CONTINUED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL DISTRICT BOARD SECRETARIATE IN EVERY DISTRICT.

+PART OF THE WORK OF THE SECRETARIATE, BESIDES KEEPING RECORDS OF MEETINGS AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS OR OTHER AGENCIES FOR FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS ARISING OUT OF DISTRICT BOARD MEETINGS, IS TO PROVIDE MEMBERS WITH INFORMATION.

+HENCE, SOME DISTRICT OFFICES HAVE A SMALL LIBRARY, WITH GOVERNMENT REPORTS, WHITE PAPERS, LOCAL SURVEY REPORTS SCHOOL MAGAZINES, DISTRICT NEWSPAPERS ETC, PUT THERE FOR MEMBERS' REFERENCE.

+FURTHERMORE, THERE IS AN ADEQUATE LIBRARY IN THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION'S HONG KONG AND KOWLOON REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, WITH ABOUT 7 000 VOLUMES OF BOOKS, WHICH DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS CAN USE.

+THIS IS SUPPLEMENTED BY BRIEFINGS AND SITE VISITS, THE MAIN PURPOSE OF WHICH IS TO GET THE BASIC DISTRICT BACKGROUND INFORMATION ACROSS TO MEMBERS, HE SAID.

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