Ed (4206)
Reference.
HWB 18/65
(284) Flas
A
(23) Flag B.
(25/E) FRay C
(2+) Flags &
Mr. Carter.
251428 эв
The Heung Yee Kuk delegation (Rural Consultative Council) from the New Territories, Hong Kong returned to the colony from the United Kingdom at the end of February. On 21st February the delegation had a meeting with the Secretary of State followed by a meeting with the Minister, Lord Shepherd. The latter meeting was continued the following evening at the Hong Kong Government Office in London.
2.
The meeting with the Secretary of State lasted about 20 minutes and at the end, the leader of the delegatin presented a memorandum to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State said that he would give careful consideration to the points made in the memorandum in consultation with Lord Shepherd and would convey a reply to the delegation through the usual channels, i.e. via the Governor.
3.
is
The meetings with Lord Shepherd were longer. No official record was taken since the meetings were informal but at the request of the delegation a record was taken by lir. Yeung, an officer of the Hong Kong Government from the New Territories administration who was accompanying the delegation. This record substantially accurate although it contains certain words which it attributes to the Minister and which the Minister did not in fact use. I have shown these words in the record in square brackets. The delegation were sent a copy of the record by the Hong Kong Government Office but I am very doubtful whether we should query it, particularly the amendment to paragraph 11, since to do so would only draw attention to it. The delegation also hande a memorandum to Lord Shepherd. This memorandum was longer than the one presented to the Secretary of State and in fact includes the points raised in the latter memorandum. Lord Shepherd assured the delegates that he would give careful consideration to the points that they had raised both orally and in the memorandum.
4.
The Attached is a draft saving despatch to the Governor of Hong Kong. The draft sets out our views on the two memoranda presented by the delegation and seeks the Governor's advice as to the reply to be sent to the delegation by the Secretary of State and Lord Shepherd.
/Paragraphs