XN000022-1985-06-19 — Page 3

KI, NE 19, 1985

SIR EDWARD SAID SIR S.Y. CHUNG, THE DIRECTOR OF THE POLYTECHNIC, HAD SUGGESTED THAT HE SHOULD COME ALONG AND SEE THE POLYTECHNIC, WHICH WAS SOMETHING HE HAD VERY MUCH WANTED TO DO.

+AND IT HAPPENED ON MY BIRTHDAY. 1 MUST SAY IT IS A VERY NICE WAY AND A VERY INTERESTING WAY TO SPEND YOUR BIRTHDAY. I RECOMMEND IT.+

ASKED TO MAKE A BIRTHDAY WISH, SIR EDWARD SAID, MY BIRTHDAY WISH IS UNDOUBTEDLY THAT HONG KONG SHALL CONTINUE AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT IS NOW, IN THE FUTURE.+

ASKED ABOUT THE LATEST COMMENTS ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL BY THE LEGAL SECTOR, THE GOVERNOR SAID, I HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT THE LEGAL SECTION SAID. YOU KNOW I

+1 NEVER COMMENT ON SOMETHING I HAVEN'T SEEN.+

+BUT ON THE BILL I HAVE STILL THE SAME TWO THINGS WHICH I HAVE SAID BEFORE, WHICH IS NOW IS THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE BILL AND TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT IT CAREFULLY AND IN DETAIL.

+AND THE BILL IS NOW WITH THE LEGISLATURE. SO IF THE LEGAL COMMUNITY HAVE PRODUCED ANY VIEWS ON IT, I AM SURE THAT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL LOOK AT THAT VERY CAREFULLY.+

ASKED WHETHER THERE WAS ANY CHANCE THAT THE BILL WOULD BE DEFERRED, SIR EDWARD SAID, AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, THE BILL IS NOW WITH THE LEGISLATURE, SO I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DECIDES.+

ASKED TO COMMENT ON AN EXISTING STANDING ORDER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH BANNED THE PUBLICATION OF ANY EVIDENCE GIVEN BEFORE ANY SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR SAID, THE STANDING ORDERS, OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN THERE NOT SINCE LAST WEEK. THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME FOR PEOPLE TO READ.+

+AND I HAVEN'T NOTICED THAT THESE STANDING ORDERS HAVE IN ANY WAY IMPEDED THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.+

TURNING TO THE RESCUE OPERATION OF THE KA WAH BANK BY THE HONG KONG BANK AND THE BANK OF CHINA, SIR EDWARD SAID IT WAS SOMETHING TO BE WELCOMED.

+ IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WELCOMES, THAT THERE SHOULD BE ACTION BY THE BANKING COMMUNITY TO MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENCE IN THE BANKING SYSTEM WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE SOUND AS A WHOLE,+ HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD WAS LATER PRESENTED WITH SOME FLOWERS AND A BIRTHDAY CARD SIGNED BY ALL REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO COVERED THIS AFTERNOON'S VISIT.

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