XN000022-1984-10-04 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER ↳, 1984

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE, DESPITE ITS RELATIVELY SHORT HISTORY, HAD RAPIDLY BECOME ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BODIES IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG. WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SATISFYING ITSELF ON BOTH THE VALIDITY OF THE OBSERVATIONS MADE IN THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT'S REPORT, AND THE ADEQUACY OF THE EFFORTS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE TO CORRECT ANY FAILINGS DISCLOSED IN IT.

+THIS IS A HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY IN AN AREA OF KEEN PUBLIC INTEREST, AND I AM WELL AWARE OF THE BURDEN OF WORK WHICH THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TAKE UPON THEMSELVES IN THE IR DETERMINATION TO DISCHARGE THIS RESPONSIBILITY THOROUGHLY, HE SAID.

+ IT WAS GREATLY TO THE IR CREDIT THAT THEY HAD DECIDED THAT THE INTERESTS OF OPEN GOVERNMENT REQUIRED THAT THEY HOLD OPEN HEARINGS.

+ IN THIS WAY THE PUBLIC CAN KNOW THE EXAMINATIONS, AND BE SATISFIED THAT THE IR ARE PROPERLY PROTECTED, SIR EDWARD SAID.

CONTENTS OF THESE

INTERESTS AS TAXPAYERS

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SYSTEMS MUST GROW FROM OWN SOCIETY GOVERNOR

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HONG KONG'S SYSTEMS OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT MUST GROW FROM ITS OWN SOCIETY AND TAKE ACCOUNT OF ITS CIRCUMSTANCES, SAID THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TODAY.

OPENING HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS, SIR EDWARD REFERRED TO THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION AND TO THE GREEN PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

ON THE DECLARATION HE SAID: +1 HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THE RECEPTION WHICH THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN GIVEN NOT ONLY IN HONG KONG ITSELF, BUT MORE WIDELY BY GOVERNMENTS ABROAD AND IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS.+

SIR EDWARD URGED EVERYONE IN HONG KONG TO COME FORWARD WITH THEIR VIEWS ON THE AGREEMENT BEFORE THE DEADLINE OF NOVEMBER 15, IN ORDER THAT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT WOULD HAVE THE FULLEST POSSIBLE PICTURE OF THE ACCEPTABILITY.

THE UNITED KINGDOM, UNDER THE AGREEMENT, WILL CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UNTIL JULY 1, 1997, AND, IN THE LIGHT OF THAT UNDERTAKING, HE REVIEWED THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR.

ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THE GREEN PAPER WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL LATER THIS MONTH,

THE GENERAL