7.11.63.
Date....
DRAFT LETTER
SIR ROBERT BLACK, GCMG
OBE.,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
VICTORIA,
|:
HONG KONG.
FURTHER ACTION
R
Page 322
(Q2411) 57024/8314 2MP 1/62 AT&S. 768
For signature by Sir John Martin
CONFIDENTIAL
I have just been looking at some interesting
press reports of remarks attributed to Dennis
Healey during his visit to Hong Kong in September
and in particular what he said about there being
"scope for movement" in the administration of the
Colony. He seems to have been quite clear about
the danger of a move in the direction of
representative Government, but suggested that the
advice the Government now gets through the
Legislative Council comes from a small number of
people representing a very narrow section of the
community and said "I would hope to extend the
range of groups from which the Government takes
advice".
Healey no doubt heard while in Hong Kong
something of the ideas on this subject which seem
to be in the air. For example, as Ian Wallace
reported to you at the time, when R.C. Lee saw the
Secretary of State in July he mentioned a
suggestion that various professional groups
(lawyers, accountants, engineers, etc.) should be
invited to put forward a panel of names from
which the Governor would make appointments to the
Legislature.
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