CONFIDENTIAL
Reference...
Sir L. Monson
There is a good deal in the thoughts mentioned
in Mr. Laird's minute, but I doubt if we should be
wise to volunteer to the Governor suggestions for the
reform of his machine tout court. I think that it
would be impractical to introduce into Hong Kong the
system which worked in Malaya simply because the
regime in Hong Kong can never aspire to independence.
You cannot therefore create an incipient political
hierarchy whether as "members" responsible for
aspects of bureaucracy or simply as future politicians.
Hong Kong is sui generis and we must accept this.
2. The idea of grouping of departments under
official heads (or permanent secretaries, or what you
will) is attractive with an overlord to control each
group seems possible. But the pp behind significantly
seem to ignore housing and education which seem to
me to be important.
3. My preference would be for a discussion with
the Colonial Secretary when he comes to see you and
then to proceed cautiously from there - possibly
only on Sir H. Norman-Walker's return. Alternatively
if we could work up our ideas they might form the
basis of discussion when Mr. Laird gets a trip out
to Hong Kong.
no
(K.M. Wilford)
19 June, 1970
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