Governor
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been finally decided upon and brought into operation. Then, in a clear field, it may be possible to create a municipal body with some prospect of success.
The second difficulty, to which allusion has already been made, is that of separating municipal from Colonial matters. I am not confident that that difficulty can be overcome, nor am I confident that a municipality would be welcome to and work harmoniously with the military authorities. Still it is possible that the Sanitary Board might be developed into a satisfactory Municipal Council controlling all or some of the revenue which is now derived from rates. Whether any scheme of the kind is feasible I would ask you carefully to consider at your leisure, and in the meantime you are at liberty, if you see occasion to do so, to give publicity to this despatch.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Şir W. ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.,
Fc.e
&c.,
&c.
Your most obedient,
humble Servant,
RIPON.
HONGKONG.
No. 119.
SIR,
(Despatch from the Secretary of State to the Governor.)
DOWNING STREET,
29th May, 1896.
I have had under my consideration the correspondence which has passed in consequence of the petition for an amendment of the constitution of Hongkong which was addressed to the House of Commons in the year 1894 and on which my predecessor had not given a final decision before he left office.
2. I should have been glad to be able to communicate with you on the sub- ject at an earlier date but, as you are aware, the pressure of business at this
Department has been exceptional for some time past.
•
3. In his despatch of the 23rd of August, 1894, Lord RIPON stated that he could hold out no hope that Hongkong will cease to be a Crown Colony. Neither can I hold out any such hope, for I conceive that in the case of Hongkong, Repre- sentative Government on whatever form of franchise it might be based, and with whatever supposed safeguards as to the Executive power would be wholly out of place.
4. There remain two practical points to be decided. The first is whether the present constitution of the Legislative Council should be in any way modified. The second is whether an unofficial element should be introduced into the Execu- tive Council.
5. On the first of these two points my view is as follows:-I gather that the Legislative Council, as at present constituted, is large enough for practical pur- poses, and that an increase to its numbers is hardly likely to add to its efficiency to any appreciable extent. As Hongkong is to remain a Crown Colony no useful purpose would be served, but on the contrary a considerable amount of needless irritation would be caused by balancing evenly the unofficial members and the officials. But having regard to the fact that, in the absence of the Governor, the