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In the last paragraph it is asked ... That there shall be "free
1. election
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representatives of British nationality in "The Legislative Council of the colony
2. That there shall be a majority "in the Council of such elected representatives".
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3. That there shall be "perfect freedom "of debate for the official members, with freedom to vote according to their conscientious convictions
4. "Complete Control in the Council over "Local expenditure"
5. "The management of local affairs questions of a
6. "A consultative voice in matters of an Imperial character.
The petitioners claim their local "right of Englishmen to manage affairs, and control the expenditure of the colony.
where Imperial considerations are "not involved" "They would leave the Supremacy of the Imperial Parliament, a veto on law making.
and the power which the Crown possesses of legislating by Order in Council.
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Apparently they would like to be made a self-governing colony with perhaps not quite such extensive powers as Canada or the Cape, and the last of the clauses which I have quoted above seems to point to some scheme of Imperial Federation.
They quote Malta, Cyprus, Mauritius, British Honduras as Crown colonies to which more liberal constitutions have been granted than the one under which they are living at Hong Kong.
It is a question whether serious criticism is thrown away upon an impossible petition, but probably the Secretary of State will wish some remarks to be made.
Hong Kong has been a British possession for 58 years.
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When first taken it was a more or less desert island with some 12000 Chinese fishermen & squatters upon it. At the 1891 Census, 50 years later...