10.
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Representations by the Reform Club were renewed when the
Secretary of State visited Hong Kong in 1955. On his return
the Secretary of State stated in the House of Commons that
he had come to the conclusion that there was at present no
general demand or need for the introduction of elected
representation in the Legislative Council. Again this was
followed by changes in the constitution of the Urban Council
an increase from 4 to 8 in the number of elected members and
6 to 8 in the number of nominated unofficial members.
11.
In 1960 a delegation representing the Reform Club and
Civic Association held discussions with officials in the
Colonial Office and were later heard by Lord Perth when he
visited Hong Kong. Their proposals were:
(a) 8 more elected members on the Urban Council.
(b) Elected representation on the Legislative Council
(0)
with parity between elected and appointed seats.
The Executive Council to be "similar to a cabinet"
with a proportion of the elected members of the
Legislative Council appointed to it.
(a)
The electorate to be enlarged by stages by
Kat
increasing the categories of eligible voters
(to include e.g. nurses) and not by a complete
reorganisation of the system.
Page 241
12.
At the conclusion of his visit Lord Perth issued the
following statement:
"What I have to say and here I speak with the authority
of the Secretary of State who has considered the se
representations is that H.M.G. considers it
undesirable that there should be any radical or major
changes in the present constitutional position in
Hong Kong. This does not, however, preclude the
possibility of minor modifications within the framework
of existing principles in the composition of the
Legislative Council or Urban Council".
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