TNAG-1353-FCO40-1794-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 79

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DD 010100Z HONG KONG

GRS 586

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 010100Z

FM FCO 281730Z FEBRUARY 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

HICK OUT!

1092.

RECEN

1.3.STHY

1 MAR 1985

TELEGRAM NUMBER 339 OF 28 FEBRUARY 1985

MIPT: AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOLLOWING ARE FIFOOT'S POR POSALS FOR NEW CLAUSES FOR DRAFT ROY

INSTRUCTIONS:

BEGINS

12. THE PRINCIPAL INSTRUCTIONS ARE AMENDED BY ADDING, IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLAUSE XII, THE FOLLOWING:

'ELECTION TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

XIIA. (1) AN ELECTION FOR ALL ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LAW IN FORCE IN THE

COLONY SHALL BE HELD:

(A) IN 1985: AND

(B) //ALTERNATIVE 1: WITHIN THREE MONTHS AFTER ANY SUBSEQUENT DISSOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL.//

//ALTERNATIVE 2: SUBJECT TO CLAUSE XXVIIIA (2), DURING THE THREE MONTHS //NINETY DAYS// BEFORE THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST SITTING OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOLLOWING THE LATEST ELECTION FOR ALL ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL//.

(2)

ELECTIONS FOR CASUAL VACANCIES AMONG THE ELECTED MEMBERS SHALL BE HELD IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LAW IN THAT BEHALF IN FORCE IN

THE COLONY.'.

9. THE PRINCIPAL INSTRUCTIONS ARE AMENDED BY ADDING, AFTER CLAUSE XXI, THE FOLLOWING:

'SESSIONS AND SITTINGS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

IMMEDIATELY

XXIA. (1) THE SESSIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHALL

COMMENCE ON SUCH DATE AND END ON SUCH DATE AS THE GOVERNOR SHALL

FROM TIME TO TIME APPOINT BY NOTICE PUBLISHED IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, BUT THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE LAST SITTING OF ONE SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE FIRST SITTING OF THE NEXT SESSION SHALL NOT EXCEED THREE MONTHS.

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