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LETTER
Type 1 +
From
His Excellency
Sir David Trench, GCMG., MC.,
Government House,
Victoria,
Hong Kong.
Secretary of State
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
The Prime Minister was most interested in what he
was able to see of Hong Kong during his brief visit
to the Colony in January this year. He has asked me to pay particular attention to the affairs of
Hong Kong and I have been discussing the situation
with Anthony Royle.
The attitude of the Chinese People's Government is, of course, the vital factor. We cannot
contemplate the introduction of measures normally
associated with constitutional development in
dependent territories, no matter how much progress Hong Kong may make in other directions. At the same time, the more the economy grows the more difficult
it will become to administer the Colony within the
framework of a Crown Colony constitution. In this
difficult situation we have been considering whether
there are any particular problems that need special
attention.
Although on paper the constitution of Hong Kong gives the British Government full power over every governmental activity in Hong Kong that in itself is
no reason why HMG should exercise powers which they
would not want to exercise. That was the approach
adopted when consideration was given here to the proposed delegation of authority on non-cotton textiles and it is the approach that we shall follow whenever
possible. I hope to be able to send you soon the text of this delegation in the form in which it has been agreed with other departments. I think you will
find that it gives you what you want, but I shall be
glad to consider any amendments you may wish to suggest
Air traffic rights are another source of difficulty between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Here again,
/ we are