งง
A & B
3) भू
دی
Mr Wilford
Mr Logan/
CONFIDENTIAL
Miss Kis
in clowin
fareed.
4.R.
COMPOSITION OF THE HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
15
9 shall and
Foder
abde Paten
1. In May this year, the Governor asked us to consider the
2
2
future of the Chamber of Commerce and JP seats on the Legislative
Council (his letters of 19 and 23 May and further letter of
2 June are attached).
2. The Governor is thinking of changing the practice of calling
for nominations from the JPS and the Chamber of Commerce.
All his senior advisers, both official and unofficial, say that
there is no objection in law to the abrogation of the practice
and that he should therefore go ahead and get rid of what has
become an anomalous tradition. However, the Governor has
asked for our assurance that we approve so that he can, if
necessary, say that the Secretary of State has agreed he need
no longer follow the practice. The Governor's aim is to bring
about the change quietly, through discreet lobbying. He also
suggested that Research Department might investigate the
history of the practice and confirm that they knew of nothing
that placed him under an obligation to call for such
nominations.
3. Mr P AL Vine, Legal Adviser to Hutchisons, wrote to
Mr Royle on this subject while Mr Royle was in Hong Kong.
The Governor forwarded this letter with a minute dated 6 June
suggesting two alternative replies. A reply to Mr Vine's
letter is outstanding.
CONFIDENTIAL
/4.