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MR. LO TAK-SHING:-Very well, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN:-In support of the Motion?
MR. LO: Yes.
CHAIRMAN: As it exists.
MR. Lo: Indeed. I would certainly support the Motion, Mr. Chairman, before us, without any reservation, although I am unable, however, to support much of what Mrs. ELLIOTT has said, and I think it inappropriate and misleading to become emotional at all over what is, after all, quite a practical proposal.
CHAIRMAN:-Anyone else to speak in support of the Motion?
MRS. C. J. SYMONS:-Without any amendments?
CHAIRMAN:-Without amendment, at this stage.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, are you introducing an amendment?
CHAIRMAN: No, I wish to make a personal statement after this.
MR. SALES:Yes, I see.
CHAIRMAN: -I feel I should re-state my position in this connection just to make things clear for the record. I am on record as saying that provided I were given the necessary assistance of qualified interpreters, I would be prepared to introduce consecutive interpretation from English into Cantonese in Urban Council proceedings, any time Members wish. This is not because I consider consecutive better than simultaneous interpretation, but I see in it a means of getting off the ground more quickly, and also I think it will meet the letter of the law and Standing Orders, until such time as they are altered, (which decree that the proceedings of the Council will be in English.) One other point I would make, namely, that amendment of section 45 of the Ordinance will not secure the purpose of getting Members on to the Council who speak only Chinese. Section 7(b) will also require amendment.
MR. SALES-Sir, may I have your permission to address this Council? Of course the Appointed Members support this Motion as put forward by Mr. Henry Hu and seconded by Mr. BERNACCHI. First, we are not today considering its application beyond the Council. We are only considering the application of this request to meetings of the Council. Secondly, we are not concerned with mechanics, because mechanics represent only an instrument in achieving the purpose that we want, and that is this: for better communication with the people of Hong Kong. Where there is a will, there is a way. We, who have studied this matter for many years, have reached the conclusion that consecutive translation is not what we want. It is going to be a drag on the meetings of the Council. What we want is simultaneous translation. Sir, I would like to remind you that it was at our instigation, when the City Hall was being built, that Government bought all that equipment. Government bought that equipment specifically for a congress of the Junior Chamber which was organized here, and three languages were used on that occasion, and there were no difficulties in simultaneous translation. That equipment has not been much used since then and for that reason I spied some cobwebs when Mr. CHAN brought it along. I suggest that the equipment be used more and there is no reason why, with properly trained interpreters in the Cantonese language, a start should not be made, as Mr. BERNACCHI has suggested. This is a practical way of getting the scheme off the ground.
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My friends and I have said in private, and we would like to repeat in public, that if it is Government's intention to reach the minds of the people of Hong Kong, then Government must do so in the language which the people can understand, that is Cantonese. A high percentage of the population of Hong Kong is made up of Cantonese speaking people and all the efforts that Government has made up to the present time are to be praised and encouraged. Let the Government take the next step. That step is inevitable, because the increasing demand of the people of Hong Kong is that they should be allowed to communicate at all times in a language which everybody, in every nook and corner, can understand, that is the Cantonese language.
Subsequently, if other steps have to be taken, as envisaged by some Members of this Council, let those steps be taken after mature consideration, but the first step which the Urban Council must take is to enable the man in the street in Hong Kong to understand our proceedings. We should set an example, and for that reason Sir, in order to improve communication with the people, in order to set an example in reaching the minds of the people, we would like to support this simple, straight-forward request that Mr. Henry Hu and Mr. BERNACCHI and our other friends have made. (Applause).
MRS. SYMONS—Mr. Chairman, I will support the Motion if it is understood that both Chinese and English might be used after thorough preparations have been made. I am not trying to delay matters, I would have thought that we probably need our Standing Orders and Laws translated before any move is made. I assume we must have very, very good interpreters for instant interpretation; that is why I was interested in what Mr. CHEONG-LEEN had to say. I think it is a very good move, I think we must reach the people of Hong Kong, but I do think that if we were to be too swift about it, we might find
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MR. LO TAK-SHING:-Very well, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN:-In support of the Motion?
MR. LO: Yes.
CHAIRMAN: As it exists.
MR. Lo: Indeed. I would certainly support the Motion, Mr. Chairman, before us, without any reservation, although I am unable, however, to support much of what Mrs. ELLIOTT has said, and I think it inappropriate and misleading to become emotional at all over what is, after all, quite a practical proposal.
CHAIRMAN:-Anyone else to speak in support of the Motion?
MRS. C. J. SYMONS:-Without any amendments?
CHAIRMAN:-Without amendment, at this stage.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, are you introducing an amendment?
CHAIRMAN: No, I wish to make a personal statement after this.
MR. SALES:Yes, I see.
CHAIRMAN: -I feel I should re-state my position in this connection just to make things clear for the record. I am on record as saying that provided I were given the necessary assistance of qualified interpreters, I would be prepared to introduce consecutive interpretation from English into Cantonese in Urban Council proceedings, any time Members wish. This is not because I consider consecutive better than simultaneous interpretation, but I see in it a means of getting off the ground more quickly, and also I think it will meet the letter of the law and Standing Orders, until such time as they are altered, (which decree that the proceedings of the Council will be in English.) One other point I would make, namely, that amendment of section 45 of the Ordinance will not secure the purpose of getting Members on to the Council who speak only Chinese. Section 7(b) will also require amend-
ment.
MR. SALES-Sir, may I have your permission to address this Council? Of course the Appointed Members support this Motion as put forward by Mr. Henry Hu and seconded by Mr. BERNACCHI. First, we are not today considering its application beyond the Council. We are only considering the application of this request to meetings of the Council. Secondly, we are not concerned with mechanics, because mechanics represent only an instrument in achieving the purpose that we want, and that is this: for better communication with the people of Hong Kong. Where there is a will, there is a way. We, who have
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225
studied this matter for many years, have reached the conclusion that consecutive translation is not what we want. It is going to be a drag on the meetings of the Council. What we want is simultaneous tran- slation. Sir, I would like to remind you that it was at our instigation, when the City Hall was being built, that Government bought all that equipment. Government bought that equipment specifically for a con- gress of the Junior Chamber which was organized here, and three languages were used on that occasion, and there were no difficulties in simultaneous translation. That equipment has not been much used since then and for that reason I spied some cobwebs when Mr. CHAN brought it along. I suggest that the equipment be used more and there is no reason why, with properly trained interpreters in the Cantonese language, a start should not be made, as Mr. BERNACCHI has suggested. This is a practical way of getting the scheme off the ground.
My friends and I have said in private, and we would like to repeat in public, that if it is Government's intention to reach the minds of the people of Hong Kong, then Government must do so in the language which the people can understand, that is Cantonese. A high percentage of the population of Hong Kong is made up of Cantonese speaking people and all the efforts that Government has made up to the present time are to be praised and encouraged. Let the Government take the next step. That step is inevitable, because the increasing demand of the people of Hong Kong is that they should be allowed to communicate at all times in a language which everybody, in every nook and corner, can understand, that is the Cantonese language.
Subsequently, if other steps have to be taken, as envisaged by some Members of this Council, let those steps be taken after mature consideration, but the first step which the Urban Council must take is to enable the man in the street in Hong Kong to understand our pro- ceedings. We should set an example, and for that reason Sir, in order to improve communication with the people, in order to set an example in reaching the minds of the people, we would like to support this simple, straight-forward request that Mr. Henry Hu and Mr. BERNACCHI and our other friends have made. (Applause).
MRS. SYMONS—Mr. Chairman, I will support the Motion if it is understood that both Chinese and English might be used after thorough preparations have been made. I am not trying to delay matters, I would have thought that we probably need our Standing Orders and Laws translated before any move is made. I assume we must have very, very good interpreters for instant interpretation; that is why I was interested in what Mr. CHEONG-LEEN had to say. I think it is a very good move, I think we must reach the people of Hong Kong, but I do think that if we were to be too swift about it, we might find
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