TNAG-0290-FCO40-326-Appointments-to-membership-of-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Ko-1971 — Page 20

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

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J

6.

(e)

customary.

This might mean appointing

persons on the basis of their promise and

potential rather than on that of actual

achievement in their chosen walk of life.

Although Standing Order No 2 of the

Legislative Council at present requires the

proceedings of the Council to be

conducted in English, the Hong Kong

Government has accepted in principle

recommendations by the Chinese Language

Committee that the Council be invited to

consider amending the Standing Order; that

simultaneous interpretation facilities be

◊

provided at open meetings of the Council;

and that "the introduction of facilities to

enable non-English speaking members of the

public to be eligible to serve on the Council

should be implemented at a later stage".

It is to be hoped therefore, that before

long it will be possible to abandon the

principle at para 4 (d) above.

The search for ways and means of broadening the

basis of the membership of the Legislative Council,

whilst at the same time observing the principles in

paragraph 4 above, has continued for a considerable

time but the scope for selection is limited. The

following possibilities have been examined from time

to time but although they have not been pursued it is

considered that they should continually be borne in

mind:

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/(a)