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tituency may be found in the long run to represent himself, his family, his firm, or his clique rather than the general public; and that is a danger to which small democracies are peculiarly liable. Even as regards Hongkong itself it has been said the only things in the job line ever perpetrated have been done, not by the Official but by the Unofficial Members of Council, whom it is desired to place in a permanent majority.
HONGKONG.
No. 135.
SIR,
(Despatch from the Secretary of State to the Governor.j
DOWNING STREET.
23rd August, 1894.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 133 of the 5th of June last enclosing a petition addressed to the House of Commons by various residents at Hongkong praying for an amendment of the constitution of the Colony.
2. This petition was forwarded to you by Mr. WHITEHEAD, Member of the Legislative Council, and though, among his colleagues in the Council, Mr. KESWICK and Mr. BELILIOS have refused to sign it, it hears the signatures of Mr. CHATER and Dr. Ho KAI, both Members of the Council, of Mr. JACKSON, Manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, and of other leading residents. I am therefore bound to assume that it is the matured conviction of at least a considerable propor- tion of the most influential members of the community that constitutional changes are desirable at Hongkong and that for the present Crown Colony System should be substituted some measure of self-government. It is my duty to examine the arguments which have been brought forward, with care and attention; and I should be wanting in courtesy if I did not give a full answer to a petition, which is far reaching in its scope, and which has been strongly supported.
3. The petitioners have addressed themselves to the House of Commons, as they have of course every right to do. From this it is natural to infer that they consider that they have grounds for discontent, which the Secretary of State is unwilling or unable to remove, and that they wish to emphasise in a suitable and reasonable manner the objections which they feel to the existing system.
4. They ask that, subject to Imperial checks and safeguards, they may be granted-
(a) "The free election of representatives of British nationality in the
Legislative Council of the Colony."
(b) "A majority in the Council of such elected representatives."
(e) "Perfect freedom of debate for the Official Members with power to
vote according to their conscientious convictions."
(d) "Complete control in the Council over local expenditure."
(e) "The management of local affairs."
(f)
“A consultative voice in questions of an Imperial character." They quote the Colonies of Malta, Cyprus, Mauritius and British Honduras as enjoying more liberal forms of government than that under which they are them- selves living at Hongkong. They lay stress upon the commercial energy which has raised the Colony to its present position of importance. They claim "the common right of Englishmen to manage their local affairs and control the expen- diture of the Colony where Imperial considerations are not involved."