From: Stan Newens, M.P.
HOUSE
0118 COMMON S
LONDON SWIA oaa
10:20
IN'
PA
Action Texen
See
(12) (20
19th November, 1978.
The Rt. Hon. Dr. David Owen, M.P., Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall,
London, S.W.1.
Dear David,
1. Acknowledmoment
2. S
3.
7 of State
has not seen
Akr 9. Department for
G....
draft reply from Lord Soronwy - Roberts
12 13)..
I have received a copy of a letter sent to you on 16th October, 1978, by Mrs. Elsie Elliott, C.B.E., Dr. Denny Huang, and Tsin Sai-nin, all of whom are independent Urban Councillors in Hong Kong. These Councillors suggest that the British Government recognises that changed should be made but continually makes excuses for not implementing any. They point out that at a later stage this could have serious repercussions.
I am very much against a policy of waiting until a campaign is launched resulting in clashes in the streets, arrests, sentences, imprisonment, declarations of states of emergency, etc., and am anxious that progress should be made more sensibly.
The Councillors put forward at the end of their letter some
simple proposals -
(i)
A Legislature of which one third is directly elected, one third appointed, and one third indirectly elected by professionals, as is the case in the neighbouring Portuguese colony of Macao;
(ii)
A gradual phasing out of appointed members on the Urban Council at the rate of four every two years;
(iii)
of Hong Kong;
(iv)
An expanded franchise to include all long-term adult residents
Expansion of Urban Council jurisdiction to include housing, education, social welfare, town planning, etc.
I should be grateful if you would let me know the policy of the Government towards this approach.
Yours sincerely,
Stan Nevers
Stan Newens.