SECRET
by
Constitutional Reform
Love
Larsdown
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of
The last public statement on this subject
was made by Lord Perth at a press conference at Kai Tak
Airport on 29th October, 1960, when he stated:
"Her Majesty's Government considers it undesirable that
there should be any radical or major change 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 the
Urban Council."
On 21st December, 1961, the Governor wrote at
length to Sir John Martin. This letter was discussed
with Mr. Wallace during his visit on 13th February 1962
following which Sir John Martin replied formally on
16th April 1962 conveying the Secretary of State's
approval to the main recommendation that any future
changes to the constitution of Hong Kong (insofar as they affect the Executive and Legislative Councils) should
be considered only in relation to the necessity for the
improvement of the machinery of Government in terms of
benefit to the community as a whole, and that, since
representative Government with eventual independence
was an impossibility for Hong Kong, the pretence of
appearing to advance, by constitutional reform, towards
such a goal, should be avoided. The second recommendation,
that there should not at the present time be any change
in the membership of Legislative Council by an increase
in nominated members, was also accepted, subject to
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