The motion proposed
proposed the reversal of the timing of the Young Plan by advocating that a new Legislative Council be first established and that this new Legislative Council, with its unofficial majority should develop the Urban Council towards a Municipal Council somewhat on the lines proposed by Sir Mark Young. As regards the composition of the Legislative Council, the Young Plan recommended eight Unofficial and seven Official Members, excluding the Governor. All the eight Unofficial Members would be nominated, some by the Municipal Council, others by public bodies such as the Chamber of Commerce and some by the Governor. There were to be no elected members and therefore the question of franchise did not arise. The Councillors would have to be British subjects because they would have to take the oath of allegiance.
The new proposals of the Unofficial Members envisage eleven Unofficial Members and five Official Members, exclud- ing the Governor, but the most radical departure from the proposals of Sir Mark Young is the introduction of elected members in the Legislative Council. The motion advocates four Chinese elected members and two non-Chinese elected members, two Chinese nominated members, one Portuguese and two other non-Chinese nominated members; so that the team of eleven Unofficials would be made up of six Chinese members, at least one Portuguese member and not more than four other non-Chinese members. The franchise would be restricted to British subjects.
At the close of the debate the Governor undertook to forward to the Secretary of State a copy of the debate together with other proposals which had been made in the columns of the Press or had reached him through other channels and his own comments and recommendations.
Development and Welfare
Under the terms of the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1945, the sum of £1,000,000 was allocated by His Majesty's Government for the development of the Colony's resources and a separate sum was set aside to enable individual Colonies to participate in approved central schemes such as research projects. A Committee composed of official and unofficial members was appointed in June, 1946, to produce a comprehensive and detailed plan for the development and welfare of the Colony during the period 1946-1956 bearing in mind the principle that the cost of such a plan should be borne partly from the £1,000,000 grant and partly from such funds as the Colony might be able to set aside for this purpose. In general the con- tribution of Hong Kong has been the provision of staff to plan, supervise and operate the various approved projects.
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