GRS 175 PRIORITY
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FM HONG KONG 0704152
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CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 682 OF 7 JULY.
7 JULD76
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FOR O'KEEFFE.
NICK026154/6/9 HKN011/y
I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD BE READY TO DISCUSS WITH ME AMENDMENTS TO THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS:-
(A) TO PERMIT EXPANSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
(B) TO CHANGE THE STYLE OF THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO CHIEF SECRETARY''.
2. (B) WOULD BE IN KEEPING WITH THE NEW SECRETARY SYSTEM, WOULD END A SOMEWHAT ANOMALOUS TITLE.
3. WITH REGARD TO (A) I THINK IT IMPORTANT TO MENTION THE
AND
S OF S'S CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION BY RETAINING THE POWER TO DOMINATE THE COUNCIL BY AN OFFICIAL MAJORITY: I ALSO THINK THIS POINT RELEVANT TO OUR RELATIONS WITH THE C.P.G.
HOWEVER 1 PROPOSE TO HOLD SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENTS IN RESERVE, AND FOR THE TIME BEING LEAVE AN UNOFFICIAL MAJORITY IN THE COUNCIL.
4. THE CONSEQUENT AMENDMENTS WOULD BE:-
(A) CLAUSE 11 FOR COLONIAL SUBSTITUTE CHIEF''.
* 9
(B) CLAUSE XIII FOR COLONIAL" SUBSTITUTE ''CHIEF''
**
AND FOR ''TEN SUBSTITUTE ''EIGHTEEN'
AND FOR 'FIFTEEN' SUBSTITUTE ''TWENTY THREE**
5. PARA 4 (B) WOULD LEAVE A MARGIN OF ONE SPARE SEAT FOR EXPANSION IF MY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ACCEPTED.
MACLEHOSE
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