XN000022-1987-07-15 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1987

ELECTED, OR

IN EVERYDAY USE, MEMBERS WHETHER APPOINTED, OFFICIAL, WERE ALREADY KNOWN SIMPLY AS MEMBERS, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF STANDING ORDERS WHERE DIFFERENT ROLES WERE ASSIGNED TO MEMBERS, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THEY WERE OFFICIAL OR OTHERWISE,

IT WAS NECESSARY TO REFER TO "OFFICIAL MEMBERS" OR TO "MEMBERS OTHER THAN OFFICIAL", MR FORD SAID.

ANOTHER AMENDMENT WAS DESIGNED TO EXTEND THE PERIOD AVAILABLE FOR ADJOURNMENT DEBATES UNDER STANDING ORDER 9(7) FROM 30 MINUTES TO 60 MINUTES.

"THIS CHANGE REFLECTS THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF ADJOURNMENT DEBATES IN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS COUNCIL AND THE INTEREST WHICH MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED IN SPEAKING IN THEM, MR FORD SAID.

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HE ADDED THAT EXPERIENCE HAD SHOWN THAT THE 30 MINUTES RULE COULD RARELY BE ENFORCED.

"HOWEVER, IF THE CHARACTER OF ADJOURNMENT DEBATES IS TO BE PRESERVED, IT IS DESIRABLE TO IMPOSE SOME TIME LIMIT. A 60 MINUTE LIMIT, OF WHICH THE FINAL 15 MINUTES WILL BE RESERVED FOR THE OFFICIAL REPLY, SEEMS ABOUT RIGHT," MR FORD SAID.

HE SAID IN EXTENDING THE LIMIT, NO CHANGE WOULD BE MADE TO THE PROVISION WHEREBY THE PRESIDENT MIGHT DETERMINE A LONGER PERIOD. HOWEVER THE NEW LIMIT SHOULD MAKE THE OCCASIONS ON WHICH THE PRESIDENT HAD TO RESORT TO THIS PROVISION A RARE EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE RULE AS IN THE PAST.

THE OTHER AMENDMENT CONCERNED WITH THE PROCEDURES OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

FOR

PARTICULARLY WHEN THE THE COMMITTEE TO DEAL

MR FORD SAID THAT FROM TIME TO TIME, COUNCIL WAS IN RECESS, IT WAS DESIRABLE WITH PAPERS BY CIRCULATION.

HE SAID CLAUSE 18(C) SOUGHT TO AMEND STANDING ORDER 60 TO ALLOW THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO DO SO, BUT THERE WOULD BE A SAFEGUARD THAT, WHERE ANY MATTER WAS NOT APPROVED ON CIRCULATION BY ALL IN HONG KONG AT THE TIME, THE MATTER SHOULD BE DEEMED TO FOR DECISION AT A SITTING OF THE COMMITTEE,

BE

MEMBERS REFERRED

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