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File No. FED 36/400/01
Page 216
Mr. Higham 193 Willance ✓
Mr...
Mr.......
Mr..
Sir
JZL1913
Permt. U.S. of S.
Parly. U.S. of S.
Minister of State
Secretary of State
Your Reference...
DRAFT
MINUTE
Date.
20th March 1964.
For signature by the Minister of State
Secretary of State
HONG KONG
The Governor also frefore, to increase
the
ive
Sir Robert Black has proposed that the Legislature Council
should be increased by 5 nominated unofficial and 3 official members.
This would make 13 unofficials and 12 officials (excluding the
Governor). The Governor's original and casting vote would ensure that
We and there with
the official view could if necessary prevail.
This is of course a very minor change.
It was accepted by
your predecessor that future changes to the constitution of Hong Kong
can only take the form of improvements of the machinery of Government
ki unoffical member and that we should not indulge in the pretence of appearing to of the Voban Concil
G2 dected and
2 nominated
members. (Where ca
altresent 5
official and 16
Ци
official members.)
also help met
ni This
advance, by constitutional reforms towards self-government.
,
It has been made clear by Ministers in the past that there can be no
question of elections to Legislative Council.
t
Parlament
This position is generally accepted on both sides of the House and also Kapart from a vociferous but insignificant minority, in Hong Kong).
FURTHER ACTION
of the change
The
object fis
is to widen the range from which unofficial members are
selected.
There has been justified criticism that the present
Legislature is too narrowly based.
7
1만
Sir R. Black leaves the Colony on retirement on the
April.
His unofficials are particularly anxious that the changes (which have
been agreed by Sir David Trench the new Governor) should be announced
}
before then. While it is somewhat unusual to announce changes so
soon before a Governor's departure, I see advantage in giving the
new Governor an opportunity of bringing new blood into the Legislature
Page 216hy in his term of office.
(Q2411) 57024/8314 2MP 1/62 AT&S. 768
Page 216
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