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The Chairman did not reply to that letter but in the telephone con- versation that I had with him prior to writing it, he made clear his attitude, namely that the complicated or difficult nature of the ques- tion, or the contrary, was not, in his opinion, a matter for consideration when deciding whether he would reduce a period of notice. The only thing that he considers important was if the question in itself was of immediate importance and an answer to it must of necessity be given almost at once. The Chairman has completely misunderstood this proviso to Standing Order 8(1) and has refused to exercise the discretion that proviso gives him. It is Standing Order 8(2) that deals with this type of question:-

"A member of the Council may, with the permission of the Chair- man, put to him or to the Chairman of any Committee a question relating to urgent business of which such notice has not been given, but a copy of any such question shall if possible be sent to the Secretary not later than 10 O'clock in the morning of the day of the meeting."

As by Standing Order 24

"any motion to vary these Standing Orders shall when pro- posed and seconded stand adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council" perhaps in the meanwhile the Standing Orders and Procedure Select Committee can consider this motion and my point in bringing it. If their opinion is the same as mine, namely, that the Chairman has not exercised his discretion and in fact should have exercised his discretion and in this particular case, as it is admitted the question is not a com- plicated or difficult one to allow the question submitted on the Monday of last week i.e. 8 days before this meeting, then indeed I would con- sider withdrawing the motion. In my opinion it is not fair on this Council to get this Council to change its Standing Order on the, can I call it, "excuse" that there is not enough time to prepare an answer to question, if they are complicated and/or difficult, especially if they involve department not subject to the jurisdiction of this Council, and then for the present Chairman to state quite openly that he does not consider that the easiness or difficulty in answering a particular question has any bearing on whether or not he should exercise his discretion in allowing the question! especially, submitted on Monday instead of the previous Saturday. I therefore formally propose the motion the Standing Order be amended by re-inserting in Standing Order 4(2) the words "if the intervening period is less than 6 days”.

MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG:--Mr. Chairman, I have great pleasure to second Mr. BERNACCHI's motion. I also have had questions turned down because of lateness on the subject of topless bars and the water charges. I am most hurt that you should have ruled these two ques-

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tions out because of lateness. Both of these questions are urgent and you, Mr. Chairman, could easily arrange to give the assurances asked for in both questions.

CHAIRMAN:-The motion has been moved and seconded and in accordance with Standing Order 24, it stands adjourned without dis- cussion until the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

FAREWELL TO HON. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS Mr. D. R. HOLMES, C.M.G., C.B.E., M.C., E.D.

CHAIRMAN: --Ladies and gentlemen, this is the last public meeting of this Council to be attended by Mr. HOLMES before he proceeds on leave prior to retirement. Mr. HOLMES first became an Official Mem- ber of this Council in April 1954, in the role of Commissioner for Resettlement. He then served as Chairman for two periods from November 1955 to February 1957, and November 1957 to March 1958. In later years, he has sat on numerous occasions on the Chairman's left, as the Honourable Secretary for Home Affairs—in between serving in other important posts, including that of Colonial Secretary.

In effect, although his service has not been continuous, Mr. HOLMES is our longest serving Official Member. He has contributed greatly during his long years of service (33 years in fact) to the work not only of this Council but also of Government's major Departments, and his departure is much to be regretted. The various organizations and institutions to which he and his charming wife have contributed so noteably over the years will also feel their going very keenly.

(Addressing Mr. HOLMES) Mr. HOLMES, on behalf of all Members of this Council, may I thank you warmly for the contribution you have made to this Council's work and may I wish you and Mrs. HOLMES and your family the greatest possible good fortune and happiness in the future. (Applause).

MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, I think I can claim to have known Mr. HOLMES, Ronnie, on this Council at least, far longer than any of its present members. I have known him as Chairman and as the 1st Commissioner for Resettlement, in which capacity he first came on to the Council only two years after I did. He would indeed have been my senior on the Council as Social Welfare Officer in 1951, but, at that time, the Commissioner of Police was on the Council. Because of the Commissioner's failure to attend meetings, the Council swapped him for the Social Welfare Officer but only in 1953. Incidentally the Social Welfare Department as a separate Department was not even formed until much later. Throughout most of the 60s Mr. HOLMES was back on the Council as Secretary for Chinese Affairs, now Home