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Constitution and Administration
HONG KONG is a British Crown Colony, and this chapter describes the organisation of the Hong Kong Government by which it is administered. The policy of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom is that there shall be no major consti- tutional change; nor is there much popular pressure for it.
The Governor
The office of Governor is the central feature of the Government of Hong Kong. The Governor is the representative of the Queen and is in a real sense the head of the government. He presides at meetings of the Executive Council, whose advice he must seek on important policy matters. He is also the President of the Legislative Council, where he possesses both an original and a casting vote. All bills passed by the Legislative Council must have his assent before they become law. With strictly defined exceptions, he is responsible for every executive act of the government.
The Governor is appointed by the Queen and derives his authority from the Letters Patent passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom. These Letters Patent create the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Hong Kong, and require him to observe its laws and such Instructions as may be given him by the Queen or Secretary of State. Among the more important of these are the Royal Instructions and Colonial Regulations.
Executive Council
The composition of the Executive Council is determined by the Royal Instruc- tions, which provide that it shall consist of five ex officio members (the Commander British Forces, the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney General, the Secretary for Home Affairs, and the Financial Secretary) together with such other persons as are appointed by the Queen, or by the Governor on the instructions of the Secretary of State. At the present time, one official member and eight unofficial members have been appointed in addition to the five ex officio members.
The Executive Council usually meets once a week throughout the year but addi- tional meetings are held if necessary. The Governor presides at meetings of the council, although he is not a member of it. The council's function is to advise the Governor, who is required by the Royal Instructions to consult it on all important matters of policy except:
(a) those of such immediate urgency as to preclude prior consultation (in which
(a) those of such immediate urgency as to provide pro
case the Governor must inform the council as early as practicable of the measures adopted and the reasons for them);