CONFIDENTIAL
22
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CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO.786
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
6 OCTOBER 1969
YOUR TELEGRAM DATED 3RD OCTOBER RECEIVED 5TH OCTOBER NO. 671.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION.
2. I HAVE NO COMMENTS ON YOUR PROPOSED REPLY SAVE THAT I SUGGEST THE DELETION OF THE WORDS FOR THE REORGANIZATION OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION'' (7GPS OMITTED) FOR A DEGREE OF RE-ORGANIZATION OF THE LOCAL ADMINSTRATION''. THE REASON IS THAT THE PROPOSALS I AM CONSIDERING DO NOT AT PRESENT EXTEND TO THE NEW TERRITORIES OR OUTSIDE THE FUNCTIONAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL PURVIEW OF THE URBAN
COUNCIL.
3. I NOTE THAT THE QUESTION IS FOR WRITTEN REPLY SO THAT THE PROBLEM OF SUPPLEMENTARIES WILL NOT ARISE. THIS IS SATISFACTORY AS IT WOULD BE EMBARRASSING FOR ANY DEFINITION OF THE PROPOSALS TO BE MADE IN LONDON BEFORE I PRESENT THEM TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. IN OPENING THIS SESSION OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL A WEEK AGO I SAID "A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS ARE NOW IN A FAIRLY ADVANCED STATE OF PREPARATION FOR PRESENTATION TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY, AND PERHAPS TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE THE END OF THE PRESENT SESSION DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY OF WHATEVER ACTUAL LEGISLATION TURNS
OUT TO BE NEEDED.
IN FORMULATING THESE PROPOSALS, ACCOUNT WILL NATURALLY BE TAKEN OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE URBAN COUNCIL'S REPORT, SO FAR AS IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACCEPT THEM''. INCIDENTALLY THE PROPOSALS ARE NOT DESIGNED RADICALLY TO INCREASE THE STATUS OF THE COUNCIL NOR DO THEY INVOLVE A CHANGE IN ITS NAME.
SIR D. TRENCH
FILES
HONG KONG DEPT. F. EASTERN DEPT.
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CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN RECISTRY NO.5
-609059
MICK 18/12