CONFIDENTIAL
VISIT OF DEPUTY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE
(SIR LESLIE MONSON)
TO HONG KONG, OCTOBER, 1969
CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS
Note No. 3
Much thought has been given since 1962 to ways of improving the representative character of the administration. In Hong Kong's special position it is not possible to think of normal self-government in terms of an elected Legislative Council. The possibilities under consideration have been:
(a) The Enlargement of the Unofficial Element in the
Legislature
(b)
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 pas su increase in
the official membership.
Broadening the Basis of Selection of Unofficial Members
The possibilities of broadening representation in
the Legislature are strictly limited. In recent
selections the Governor has cast his net a little
wider and has appointed a woman to the Legislature
for the first time. It is inherent in the nomination
system that the Governor should make appointments from
people who have made their mark in the community;
these are people from industry, commerce and the
professions. If he were to appoint comparative
nonentities to handle the affairs of the community,
the process of selection would have a random and
arbitrary nature that would satisfy nobody. Because of the cleavage in the Trade Unions (between Communist
CONFIDENTIAL
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