493
August 1894 Lord Ripon stated that he
could hold out no hope that Hongkong
will cease to be a Crown Colony.
Neither can I hold out any such hope,
for I conceive that in the case of Hong
Kong, Representative Government on what-
ever form of franchise it might be
based, and with whatever supposed safe-
guards as to the Executive power would
be wholly out of place.
4.
There remain, practical points to be decided.
The first is whether the present constitu-
tion of the Legislative Council should
be in any way modified. The second is
whether an unofficial element should be
introduced into the Executive Council.
5.
On the first of these two points
my view is as follows:- I gather that
the Legislative Council, as at present
constituted, is large enough for prac-
tical purposes, and that an increase to
its