before May 13.

An amended Independence Referendum Act 1994 is set for debate when the House of Assembly resumes on Friday, and Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said he planned to proceed at the earliest opportunity with his motion rejecting Government's call for a Commission of Inquiry on Independence.

Both Government business and Opposition motions normally take precedence over private bills. If both went ahead on Friday, there almost certainly would not be time to debate the Criminal Code 1907, Amendment Act 1994.

Meanwhile, United Bermuda Party backbencher the Hon. John Stubbs, who tabled the bill to legalise homosexual sex between adult males in private, said yesterday a Cabinet Minister had asked him to change the wording of the preamble to his private member's bill.

Deputy Premier the Hon. Irving Pearman requested the slight changes, Dr.

Stubbs said.

Mr. Pearman's suggested amendment would replace the words "Her Majesty'' in the preamble with "the United Kingdom,'' as well as expanding a reference to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Dr. Stubbs' bill now says Article 8 "protects the right of privacy''.

Mr. Pearman suggested changing the wording to "respect for...private and family life'' -- the wording used in the text of Article 8.

Dr. Stubbs said he planned to discuss the proposed change with the Attorney General, but either wording was acceptable to him.

The Hon. John Stubbs.