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(2) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question (in English):
Would the Council reconsider the mandatory sentence of confiscation of the goods of unlicensed hawkers, provided the goods are not prohibited for sale by street hawkers?
DR. HENRY H. L. Hu, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, my answer to the question is "Yes", but it is up to the Hawkers Select Committee to decide what measures should be taken. I propose to put the question to the Select Committee for consideration.
MRS. ELLIOTT (in English):- Mr. Chairman, I never suggested that the Select Committee should not decide what measures should be taken, but I am asking that they should. May I ask when these two questions can be put before the Select Committee.
DR. HU (in English):- As soon as possible.
MRS. ELLIOTT (in English): - How soon is possible?
DR. HU (in English):- May be the next meeting, but if the paper is not ready, may be a month after that.
(3) MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):
Is it intended to increase the use of Cantonese in meetings of select and sub-committees? Will the new chamber now under construction be suitably equipped to permit an increase of dual language (English/Cantonese)?
MR. JOHN MACKENZIE, CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Mr. Chairman, simultaneous interpretation (Cantonese/English) was introduced into this Council's public meetings in November 1972. It was extended to cover all meetings of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council in 1973. Directly after the introduction of the system in Standing Committee, Select Committees were asked to consider the need for simultaneous interpretation at their meetings. At that time, all Members advised that they had sufficient command of the English language to enable them to participate fully in committee meetings, and agreed that no further extension of the system was considered necessary for the time being. The question is also considered by Administration Select Committee at regular intervals.
The Administration Select Committee will continue to keep this important matter under review as it is the Council's declared policy that no person should be debarred or discouraged from becoming a Member of the Council because of any language barrier. Indeed, Cantonese and English are both accepted as official languages in Hong Kong, and we wish to be fully prepared for the day when a non-English-speaking person becomes a Member. In the meantime, it would be costly and wasteful of ratepayers' money to extend the service where this remains unnecessary.
I am happy to assure Miss YEUNG and all Members that the new Urban Council Chambers will be equipped with every facility to cope with any required extension to our simultaneous interpretation system which may be required. I would also remind all Select Committees and Sub-committees of the desirability of adopting "Decision Minutes" in preparation for the day when full translation of papers may become necessary.
MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese): - Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Mr. MACKENZIE for his reply. But I would also like to know more about his assurance. He said that there will be full facilities in the new Urban Council Chambers, does he mean that there will be simultaneous interpretation facilities for all Select Committee meetings?
MR. MACKENZIE (in English):- Mr. Chairman, under current circumstances, each Member of this Council has indicated proficiency in ability to communicate in the English language and, formally, of course, all our meetings were conducted in English. As I have said in this paper, we have taken steps to ensure that simultaneous translation is available to Council Members whenever this is required. At the present time, we provide this in this meeting, the monthly meeting, and also in the Standing Committee meetings. In the new Urban Council Chambers, we will have improved facilities and we will increase the number of staff as necessary to cope with any increasing demand from Members. It is really a decision of the Select Committees how they
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(2) MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question (in English):
Would the Council reconsider the mandatory sentence of confiscation of the goods of unlicensed hawkers, provided the goods are not prohibited for sale by street hawkers?
DR. HENRY H. L. Hu, CHAIRMAN OF THE HAWKERS SELECT COM- MITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, my answer to the question is "Yes", but it is up to the Hawkers Select Committee to decide what measures should be taken. I propose to put the question to the Select Committee for consideration.
MRS. ELLIOTT (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I never suggested that the Select Committee should not decide what measures should be taken. but I am asking that they should. May I ask when these two questions can be put before the Select Committee.
DR. HU (in English):-As soon as possible.
MRS. ELLIOTT (in English): -How soon is possible?
DR. HU (in English):-May be the next meeting, but if the paper
is not ready, may be a month after that.
(3) MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):
Is it intended to increase the use of Cantonese in meetings of select and sub-committees? Will the new chamber now under construction be suitably equipped to permit an in- crease of dual language (English/Cantonese)?
MR. JOHN MACKENZIE, CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Mr.
(Cantonese/
Chairman, simultaneous interpretation English) was introduced into this Council's public meetings in November 1972. It was extended to cover all meetings of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council in 1973. Directly after the introduction of the system in Standing Committee, Select Committees were asked to consider the need for simultaneous interpretation at their meetings. At that time, all Members advised that they had sufficient
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
command of the English language to enable them to participate fully in committee meetings, and agreed that no further extension of the system was considered neces- sary for the time being. The question is also considered by Administration Select Committee at regular intervals. The Administration Select Committee will continue to keep this important matter under review as it is the Council's declared policy that no person should be debarred or discouraged from becoming a Member of the Council because of any language barrier. Indeed, Cantonese and English are both accepted as official languages in Hong Kong, and we wish to be fully prepared for the day when a non-English-speaking person becomes a Member. In the meantime it would be costly and wasteful of rate- payers' money to extend the service where this remains unnecessary.
I am happy to assure Miss YEUNG and all Members that the new Urban Council Chambers will be equipped with every facility to cope with any required extension to our simul- taneous interpretation system which may be required. I would also remind all Select Committees and Sub- committees of the desirability of adopting "Decision Minutes" in preparation for the day when full translation of papers may become necessary.
MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese): -Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Mr. MACKENZIE for his reply. But I would also like to know more about his assurance. He said that there will be full facilities in the new Urban Council Chambers, does he mean that there will be simultaneous interpretation facilities for all Select Committee meetings?
MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, under current circumstances, each Member of this Council has indicated proficiency in ability to communicate in the English language and, formally, of course, all our meetings were conducted in English. As I have said in this paper, we have taken steps to ensure that simultaneous translation is available to Council Members whenever this is required. At the present time, we provide this in this meeting, the monthly meeting, and also in the Standing Committee meetings. In the new Urban Council Chambers, we will have improved facilities and we will increase the number of staff as necessary to cope with any increasing demand from Members. It is really a decision of the Select Committees how they
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