The Mayor's plan was endorsed yesterday during the council committee's five-hour hearing by many good-government groups and by a number of city and state officials.

The whole stew was aired at an extraordinary five-hour Congressional hearing on Aug. 1.

"It is our country that is suffering," Mr. Stello said at the close of a five-hour hearing.

"People ought to pay their debts," Jonathan B. Mintz, the city commissioner of consumer affairs, said during a break in the five-hour hearing.

The 3-to-2 vote followed a five-hour hearing at which more than 50 speakers supported the so-called living wage law, which the board had approved unanimously on Oct. 16.

Last month, the New York City Council held a five-hour public hearing on this issue, at which dozens of prominent business leaders and public officials testified.

After a five-hour hearing on Tuesday, Judge Varner granted her a week to prepare a brief attacking the constitutionality of the Federal committal statute.

Mr. Fernandez's face reddened at times during the five-hour hearing, but he kept a professional demeanor, taking notes, even dealing with school correspondence.

The five-hour hearing, in a committee room jammed with about 500 people, had little practical effect beyond giving each side a chance to make its case to a larger audience.

Yesterday's five-hour hearing was scheduled on short notice, and there were times when that short notice and the legislators' little preparation were apparent.