XN000022-1983-08-10 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1983

ELEVEN BILLS PASSED

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ELEVEN BILLS WERE APPROVED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE APPROVED BILLS WERE THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION (1982-83) BILL 1983, CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (AMENDMENT)(NO. 2) BILL 1983, CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS ON AN INDICTABLE OFFENCE) BILL 1983, SUPREME COURT (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE BILL 1983, HEUNG YEE KUK (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, SMOKING (PUBLIC HEALTH) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS BILL 1983, POLICE FORCE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983 AND POLICE SUPERVISION (REPEAL) BILL 1983.

THREE BILLS WERE INTRODUCED AND READ A SECOND TIME, AND DEBATE ON THEM WAS ADJOURNED TILL OCTOBER 12.

THEY ARE DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, BANKING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983 AND PAWNBROKERS BILL 1983.

UNOFFICIALS PRAISED FOR LEGCO WORK

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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, CLOSING THE 1982-83 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, PAID TRIBUTE TO THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL.

SIR PHILIP SAID ALSO THAT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAD DEMONSTRATED THEIR ABILITY TO RESPOND RAPIDLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN.

SIR PHILIP SAID: IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT PARTICULARLY IN DIFFICULT ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES AND AS WE PASS THROUGH A PERIOD OF UNCERTAINTY WHICH CAN BE TIRING AND UNCOMFORTABLE AT TIMES. THE WORK OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS VITAL TO GOOD GOVERNMENT AND IS GREATLY APPRECIATED BY THE GOVERNOR AS HE SEEKS TO DEVELOP, AND IMPLEMENT, ALL OUR WIDE RANGING PLANS FOR THE LONG TERM WELL BEING OF HONG KONG.

+DURING THIS SESSION SOME 73 BILLS HAVE BEEN PASSED, OF WHICH 19 WERE AMENDED AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE, A REFLECTION OF THE CRITICAL SCRUTINY OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS IN THEIR WORKING GROUPS AND AD HOC GROUPS.

+ IN ADDITION, 45 RESOLUTIONS WERE MADE.

45 RESOLUTIONS WERE MADE. DURING THE 1981-82 SESSION 75 BILLS WERE PASSED AND 72 RESOLUTIONS MADE. BUT THE COMPLEXITY OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS BEFORE MEMBERS THIS YEAR WAS PROBABLY GREATER AND, THEREFORE, INVOLVED MORE TIME-CONSUMING EFFORT.

/+DURING THIS