Vol. XXI
No. 106 HKC Slender Monday, April 20, 1970
Stewart hedges
on reforms for Hongkong
MR. MICHAEL Stewart, Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, said yesterday he would “hesitate very much to pronounce on" the question of elected representation in the Colony "without a clearer voice from Hongkong itself".
Mr. Stewart said he received advice both in favour of and opposed to more power, for elected officials.
He said the entire question of the constitutional status of the Colony was raised during his talks here.
He was speaking to the press before his departure from Kaitak.
Mr. Stewart said Hongkong will know the name of its next governor before the British general election is held.
But he said he does not favour an Ombudsman for Hongkong without "further consideration" of the alternatives.
Mr. Stewart said:
"Constitutionally Hongkong a dependency, not an independent member of the Commonwealth as are some other states with less population and wealth than Hongkong.
Fullest consideration
"On the other hand, there are a number of matters on which no, British government ought to reach a decision without the very fullest consideration of Hongkong opinion and interests.
Observers, however, believe Mr. Stewart was referring only to the question of trade agreements in which Hongkong frequently "goes on its own" from Britain.
Another observer said Mr. Stewart could be referring to the status of two large business firms whose London offices function as "advisers" to Whitehall on Hongkong affairs.
As to expansion of the powers of local government, Mr. Stewart said he will look at the proposals "with very great care when they come to me.
He said he had been holding conversations with "a good many people to inform myself of your hopes and your problems."
Asked to list a few of the hopes, he replied social welfare, local government, "improved methods of transportation" and growth of the economy.
Sino-British relations
Cool and unruffled under the lights and questions of a 25-minute news conference, the foreign secretary said he was cautiously optimistic on the future of Sino-British relations.
"We find political relations on a more satisfactory basis than they were," he said pointing out, however, that British subjects remain imprisoned "without any proper reason so far as we can see.
Although he promised to consider "wishes and feelings here and there," Mr. Stewart said that the ultimate responsibility for advising the Queen on the next governor "has to be nine".
Commenting on Mr. Stewart's statement on the Ombudsman, a spokesman for Justice said it was almost the same words the Governor, Sir David Trench, used in his rejection of the Ombudsman idea.
But "the foreign secretary, unlike the poor, will not always be with us," the spokesman said.
This was an obvious reference to the fact that the secretary of Mr. Edward Heath's conservative working marty on Hongkong has been making cigulies about an
nusman,
MR, STEWART