XN000022-1985-01-10 — Page 8

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1985

+BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE COMMITTED TO TAKE STOCK OF OUR PROGRESS IN 1987 - TO SEE TO WHAT EXTENT THE FIRST STEPS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, TO OBTAIN THE REACTION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. TO THE INDIRECT ELECTORAL PROCESS, AND TO SEE WHETHER THE NEW- STYLE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS LIVED UP TO OUR EXPECTATIONS OF IT, HE SAID.

HE STATED IT WOULD BE NEITHER WISE NOR REALISTIC NOW TO PLAN BEYOND 1988.

→THE DESIRE BY MR ALLEN LEE AND MRS SELINA CHOW FOR A CLEAR VISION OF THE SHAPE OF THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE THROUGH TO 1997 AND BEYOND IS UNDERSTANDABLE BUT THEIR CALL FOR AN OVERALL PLAN IS PREMATURE.

+ IT IS TOO SOON TO DECIDE WHAT WOULD SUIT THE NEEDS OF HONG KONG IN THE 1990'S OR TO CHART THE COURSE THAT WILL TAKE US THERE,+ HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THERE WAS NO GENERAL AGREEMENT UPON THE RIGHT FORM OF GOVERNMENT FOR HONG KONG.

+1 AM SURE CLEARER IDEAS WILL HAVE EMERGED IN THREE YEARS' TIME. WE SHOULD THEN PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND MANY MEMBERS HAVE TENDERED TO GOVERNMENT JUST THIS ADVICE,+ MR THOMAS SAID.

MR PETER WONG, HE SAID, HAD MENTIONED THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THE GOVERNMENT WAS TRYING TO RUSH THROUGH AN IMPORTANT PACKAGE HURRIEDLY PUT TOGETHER.

IN REPLY, MR THOMAS SAID, IT IS TRUE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS FACED WITH A VERY TIGHT TIME-TABLE AND THAT THE DRAFTING OF THE LEGISLATION IS A COMPLEX TASK.

+NEVERTHELESS, THE GOVERNMENT IS CONFIDENT THAT, WITH THE HELP OF MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, A SOLID, WORKABLE PIECE OF LEGISLATION WILL BE PRODUCED AND SERVE THE PURPOSE OF THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS R R ENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

+THE LEGISLATION WILL BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW IN 1987 AND THIS COUNCIL WILL THEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOLVE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES OF THE KIND THAT ARE INEVITABLY THROWN UP BY ANY PIECE OF COMPLICATED LEGISLATION IN A NOVEL FIELD.+

REFERRING TO DR HO KAM FAI'S EXPRESSED VIEW THAT THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN SHOULD BE REPLACED BY AN OATH TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, MR THOMAS POINTED OUT THAT IN TERMS OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, HONG KONG IS TO REMAIN UNDER BRITISH ADMINISTRATION UNTIL 1997.

IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE SAID,

HE SAID, IT WOULD BE ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE TO ABOLISH THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN.

/+AT THE