FLAG B on separate volume.
Mr. Laird
Reference.
79
Delegation of authority to Hong Kong
You asked to see copies of existing entrustments for other dependent territories.
2.
The delegation of authority in Despatch No. 72 of 16 February, 1967 to Antigua is much broader than that proposed for Hong Kong since, in the case of Antigua, there is no problem about a neighbouring Government as is the case in Hong Kong.
3. Paragraph 5 of the Despatch which states that delegation of executive authority "is made subject to the understanding that the Government of Antigua will inform H.M.G. in advance of any proposal for the exercise of the delegated executive authority...." goes further than the draft despatch to Hong Kong. While the insertion of similar wording in the Hong Kong delegation would please the Board of Trade, it is not likely to be welcomed by the Governor.
4. If we send two separate despatches to the Governor of Hong Kong, the second and more public one might merely be on the lines of paragraphs 3 (with considerable amendment) together with para- graphs 5 and 6.
Naturally paragraph 9 of the existing draft despatch would also require amendment.
متك
(G. F. Kinnear) 25 August,1970