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the Libraries Select Committee when, after consideration, this policy was amended, and I would like to read the final unanimously agreed policy of the Libraries Select Committee on this matter.
"A study room of 2,000 sq. ft. accommodating 200 seats should be provided at every branch library for every 20,000 secondary school population. Provision should extend over every district to one per cent of the total secondary school education and this will be brought to the attention of the Education Department. If adequate study room accommodation is eventually provided by the Education Department, consideration will be given to the use of these areas for the extension of branch libraries."
As I understand it, this then represents the latest policy of this Council on the matter now under discussion. I do not know from the motion whether Mr. BERNACCHI agrees with this policy or disagrees with it. If he agrees with it, then I think it is an absolute waste of time to move a motion with which we all agree. If he disagrees with it, then I should have thought the correct appropriate procedure would be either to have his views considered by the Libraries Select Committee or, if he prefers, to disagree with the views of the Select Committee and have the matter raised at the Standing Committee. But I can hardly suggest what the appropriate action is, Sir, because I was unable to detect from Mr. BERNACCHI's motion whether he agrees or disagrees with this. Then, if I may, I would like to reserve the second part of any speech till after a clarification by Mr. BERNACCHI on the point.
CHAIRMAN (in English):---I apologize for distracting your attention because there was a point to be clarified to me by the proposer because of the change of seconder. Now, Mr. BERNACCHI will clarify the point you raised before we continue with the debate under Standing Order 20.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-I prefer, Mr. Chairman, to clarify, if it needs a clarification, in my reply, I think my motion is completely clear and I do not think that it conflicts in any way with the Libraries Select Committee's consideration of this point, but perhaps my learned friend, Mrs. ELLIOTT, is better able to answer that query than Mrs. LEUNG.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-I take it that although he said he did not wish to clarify until he exercised his right of reply, the clarification has in fact been given by Mr. BERNACCHI as to his own attitude. That's the question that you put. Would you, Mr. Lo, like to take the floor?
MR. T. S. LO (in English):-Thank you. I gather from Mr. BERNACCHI's reply that, in fact, if you said his motion does not disagree
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in any way with the latest policy expressed by the Libraries Select Committee, in which event, may I move, then, an amendment of his motion so that it would read precisely as I see in para. 6 of the policy paper if you want to make a specific issue of it, so that the motion would be "That the Urban Council should provide a study room of 2,000 sq. ft. accommodating 200 seats to be provided at every branch library for every 20,000 secondary school population. Provision should extend over every district to one per cent of the total secondary school population and this matter will be brought to the attention of the Education Department. If adequate study room accommodation is eventually provided by the Education Department, consideration will be given to the use of these areas for the extension of branch libraries.”
CHAIRMAN (in English): Has the Secretary got the text of the amendment? (Laughter). Would Mr. T. S. Lo.
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-I would be delighted to hand over the review paper on policy, agreed by the Urban Council, to the Secretary for copy purposes as regards the text of my proposed amendment. Thank you, Sir.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Would you please read it again? The proposed amendment.
SECRETARY (in English):-That the Urban Council should provide a study room of 2,000 sq. ft. accommodating 200 seats at every branch library for every 20,000 secondary school population. Provision to extend over every district to one per cent of the total secondary school population and this will be brought to the attention of the Education Department. If adequate study room accommodation is eventually provided by the Education Department, consideration will be given to the use of these areas for the extension of branch libraries.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. T. S. Lo, my understanding is that you wish the original motion to be referred?
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-Well, no, I was proposing an amendment of Mr. BERNACCHI's motion to read as read by the Secretary of the Urban Council because I, in fact, understand from Mr. BERNACCHI's clarification earlier that he would himself have no objection to this amendment since his motion agrees entirely with the policy of the Urban Council.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-An amendment can be accepted by the Chairman only if it cuts out words, if it adds on words or if it cuts
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the Libraries Select Committee when, after consideration, this policy was amended, and I would like to read the final unanimously agreed policy of the Libraries Select Committee on this matter.
"A study room of 2,000 sq. ft. accommodating 200 seats should be provided at every branch library for every 20,000 secondary school population. Provision should extend over every district to one per cent of the total secondary school education and this will be brought to the attention of the Education Department. If adequate study room accommodation is eventually provided by the Education Department, consideration will be given to the use of these areas for the extension of branch libraries."
As I understand it, this then represents the latest policy of this Council on the matter now under discussion. I do not know from the motion whether Mr. BERNACCHI agrees with this policy or disagrees with it. If he agrees with it, then I think is an absolute waste of time to move a motion with which we all agree. If he disagrees with it, then I should have thought the correct appropriate procedure would be either to have his views considered by the Libraries Select Committee or, if he prefers, to disagree with the views of the Select Committee and have the matter raised at the Standing Committee. But I can hardly suggest what the appropriate action is, Sir, because I was unable to detect from Mr. BERNACCHI's motion whether he agrees or disagrees with this. Then, if I may, I would like to reserve the second part of any speech till after a clarification by Mr. BERNACCHI on the point.
CHAIRMAN (in English):---I apologize for distracting your attention because there was a point to be clarified to me by the proposer because of the change of seconder. Now, Mr. BERNACCHI will clarify the point you raised before we continue with the debate under Standing Order 20.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-I prefer, Mr. Chairman, to clarify, if it needs a clarification, in my reply, I think my motion is completely clear and I do not think that it conflicts in any way with the Libraries Select Committee's consideration of this point, but perhaps my learned friend, Mrs. ELLIOTT, is better able to answer that query than Mrs. LEUNG.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-I take it that although he said he did not wish to clarify until he exercised his right of reply, the clarification has in fact been given by Mr. BERNACCHI as to his own attitude. That's the question that you put. Would you, Mr. Lo, like to take the floor?
MR. T. S. Lo (in English):-Thank you. I gather from Mr. BERNACCHI's reply that, in fact, if you said his motion does not disagree
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in any way with the latest policy expressed by the Libraries Select Committee, in which event, may I move, then, an amendment of his motion so that it would read precisely as I see in para. 6 of the policy paper if you want to make a specific issue of it, so that the motion would be "That the Urban Council should provide a study room of 2,000 sq. ft. accommodating 200 seats to be provided at every branch library for every 20,000 secondary school population. Provision should extend over every district to one per cent of the total secondary school population and this matter will be brought to the attention of the Education Department. If adequate study room accommodation is eventually provided by the Education Department, consideration will be given to the use of these areas for the extension of branch libraries.”
CHAIRMAN (in English): Has the Secretary got the text of the amendment? (Laughter). Would Mr. T. S. Lo.
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-I would be delighted to hand over the review paper on policy, agreed by the Urban Council, to the Secretary for copy purposes as regards the text of my proposed amend- ment. Thank you, Sir.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Would you please read it again? The proposed amendment.
SECRETARY (in English):-That the Urban Council should provide a study room of 2,000 sq. ft. accommodating 200 seats at every branch library for every 20,000 secondary school population. Provision to extend over every district to one per cent of the total secondary school population and this will be brought to the attention of the Education Department. If adequate study room accommodation is eventually provided by the Education Department, consideration will be given to the use of these areas for the extension of branch libraries.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. T. S. Lo, my understanding is that you wish the original motion to be referred?
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-Well, no, I was proposing an amendment of Mr. BERNACCHI's motion to read as read by the Secretary of the Urban Council because I, in fact, understand from Mr. BERNACCHI's clarification earlier that he would himself have no objection to this amendment since his motion agrees entirely with the policy of the Urban Council.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-An amendment can be accepted by the Chairman only if it cuts out words, if it adds on words or if it cuts
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