TNAG-1136-FCO40-1416-Address-by-Sir-Edward-Youde--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-L-1982 — Page 9

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11.

To allay any misconceptions, I should make

it quite clear that the scope of this review was intended to go beyond the procedures followed by this Council in its meetings. It certainly was not intended

to cover the constitution of, or appointment of members

to, this Council, which are matters prescribed in the

Royal Instructions; and it is not proposed to recommend

any changes to them at the present time.

12.

GA

I must say that I am personally attracted by Mr Lo's interesting not to say imaginative suggestion

that, in due course, the old Supreme Court building

should be converted to provide a Council Chamber and

offices and perhaps even the UMELCO Office and common

rooms. The Supreme Court building could have a renewed lease of life if adapted to these purposes and, as an architect, the Secretary for Lands and Works is quite seized

with the idea. But there are other factors which will

have to be taken into account and so I cannot offer more

than a cautious response until they have been evaluated

and Executive Council consulted.

The Consultative Process

13.

The Secretary for City and New Territories

Administration has dealt with the role the Government

sees for the district boards in the District Administration

Scheme and their advisory role generally. The review

of functional or subject-oriented

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advisory boards

and committees to which you referred, Sir, in your Address has now been put in train.

This review will be

completed within the next three months or so. All heads of Secretariat branches and heads of departments have been asked to give the most careful consideration to both the terms of reference and the membership of these three hundred and more boards and committees, with a view to ensuring that they reflect current conditions in Hong Kong and are so composed as to be able to provide

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