CONFIDENTIAL
A
B
4.
In accordance with the advice of Executive Council, the Bill
was published in July, 1969, for general information and comment prior to further consideration by the Executive Council in the light
of public comment prior to its introduction into the Legislative
Council.
5. The Governor at the same time asked for his Attorney-General
to be given the opportunity to discuss the Bill with the Secretary
of State's advisers in London. The first of these discussions
took place on 8 September, 1969. A revised Bill was submitted to the Executive Council on 18 November, 1969, together with a
survey of public opinion received through City District Officers,
a summary of comments in the Chinese and European press and a summary
of comments received from various interested parties including the
FCO Advisers, as reported by the Attorney-General, Hong Kong.
The comments, so far as they were considered valid, were included
in the new draft Bill.
6.
The bodies whose comments were summarised in the Memorandum to the Executive Council were (apart from the FCO) :-
7.
The Exchange Banks Association
The Hong Kong Bar Association
The Hong Kong Law Society
Members of the Judiciary
The Hong Kong/Chinese Civil Servants Association
The Association of European Civil Servants
The Senior Non-Expatriate Officers Association
The District Commissioner, New Territories.
The Executive Council advised that the revised Bill be
introduced into the Legislative Council. This was followed by :-
(i) Talks between the Department and the Governor in
(ii)
December, 1969.
Further correspondence with the Attorney-General, Hong Kong,
in December, 1969, and January-March, 1970, in which the
Hong Kong authorities were warned that certain features
of the Bill would require submission to Ministers.
CONFIDENT IAL
/ (iii)