TNAG-0309-FCO40-345-Contributions-of-Hong-Kong-for-costs-of-maintaining-military-1971 — Page 105

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(ii)

If a majority of the Unofficial Members of the

Executive Council support the proposals what

would be the next step? Consultation, formal

or informal, with the Unofficial Members of the

Legislative Council? By the Governor himself?

By the Unofficial Members of the Executive

Council? At a joint meeting of the Unofficial

Members of both Councils?

(iii) At some point an assessment will have to be made

of the likelihood of the Unofficial Members of the

Legislative Council accepting the proposals. We

shall have to rely upon the Governor for this.

Assuming that the assessment is favourable an

Appropriation Bill could then be drafted for

presentation to Executive Council and, with that

Council's approval, submission to Finance Committee

and introduction, if all goes well, into Legislative

Council. However, it is possible that some

Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council

might, for one reason or another, vote against

the Bill even if they had earlier indicated they

would support it. If this situation were to arise

it would then be necessary to decide whether to

proceed by use of the Governor's original and

casting vote in the Legislative Council or to

withdraw the Bill and seek authority for the

necessary Order in Council. It was no doubt

considerations of this kind that led the Governor

/to the

6.

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