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CONFIDENTIAL
Note No, 2
VISIT OF MINISTER OF STATE
(LORD SHEPHERD)
TO HONG KONG, MAY/JUNE 1969
Copy on HKK, 1/16.
CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
Possibilities of Constitutional Change
Three unofficial seats on the Legislative Council fall
vacant on 30 June this year. The Minister has approved the
Governor's proposal to extend the terms of two of the serving
members concerned Messrs. SZETO Wai and Wilfred WONG.
Mr. Herries, the third member, is the nominee of the Chamber of Commerce and no doubt the name of a successor will by now have
been communicated to the Governor,
2.
in conveying the Minister's approval Sir A. Calsworthy wrote to the Governor (with the Minister's agreement) about giving further thought to the intractable problem of broadening the basis of appointments to Councils (copy attached). It is doubtful whether the Governor will have had any fresh ideas on this subject, but there may be scope for further discussion of the possibilities in the context of discussions on developments in the field of local administration (see Note No. 3).
Background
Much thought has been given since 1962 to ways of improving the representative character of the administration, short of introducing an electoral system. The possibilities under
consideration have been :
(a) The Enlargement of the Unofficial Element in the
Legislature
The 1964 increase in membership gave unofficials a majority, but not control because of the Governor's original and casting vote. If official control of the Legislature is to be maintained (as we think it must given China's attitude to constitutional advance) any further increase in unofficial representation is limited by the possibility for pari passu increase in the official membership.
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CONFIDENTIAL
/ (b).