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Mr Galsworthy
HONG KONG
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RARY AD. 51 7 MAY 1976
NICKOR/Svd
1. Thank you for sending me a copy of your Submission of 16 March to Lord Goronwy Roberts.
2. It represents an interesting point of view and points out some risks which, of course, we are very well aware of. However, the Planning Paper was based upon the proposition that any policy has risks and we try to steer a way through towards a policy of least risk.
3. Where we differ is, I think, that you are prepared to hazzard a guess as to what wage-earners want, whereas I am not except insofar as to say that their views on an acceptable urban environment are likely to differ from those of the richest members of local society. The object of widening the social basis of LogCo is threefold:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Because it is right in itself, that advice given to the Governor on the needs of the local population should be more widely representative of the popule- tion as a whole;
That this advice could well make more rapid progress in such matters as labour conditions possible (is it really tenable that Hong Kong workers do not want a six-day week and some paid annual leave?); That to satisfy ourselves that when we talk of dong Kong opinion being opposed to some measure which we consider desirable, we are sure that it is indeed Hong Kong opinion which is speaking and not the opinion of a narrowly-based class with vested interests in the status-quo.
In other words we are posing a policy of government by consent which certainly has risks, but less risks than a policy of imposition which I personally consider to be a non-starter. To impose against the wishes of Exco and Lego as it is at
SECRET & PERSONAL
/present