There is a further important point on which I think we should consult the Governor now, namely the proposal that two-thirds of the Councillors (total 30) of the proposed Municipal Council should be elected. The arrangements for the elections, including the preparation of electoral registers, are clearly going to involve much time and labour which will naturally delay the setting up of the Municipal Council. From the political aspect, I imagine that this delay will not matter, provided that we proceed with reasonable expedition, and that we must also face the work involved, even though it will throw a heavy additional burden on the staff when it is pre-occupied with the her and many important problems thrown up by the Japanese occupation and the other more general post-war difficulties. But, judging by the attitude of the Chinese population as described in the Governor's confidential despatch there does seem to be serious doubt whether the Chinese population will co-operate to the extent of electing their 10 members of the Municipality. I recall that in the discussions we had with the Planning Unit before the liberation of the territory, the problem of getting the Chinese to elect representatives was regarded as a serious obstacle to any constitutional advance and, X See, for example, so far as I recollect, no solution was found for folensing pape this problem in those talks. The Governor makes
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an indirect reference to this possibility in
para
54145/4/45 paragraph 29 of his open despatch, in which, however,
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he seems to dismiss the possibility of the Chinese population failing to elect members. I feel,
therefore, that we ought to get the Governor's views on this particular point, namely the prospects of the Chinese population participating in elections, and on the alternative of providing in the first instance for all the members to be nominated, leaving elections to be introduced later on, when experience has been gained of the working of the Municipal Council and there has been an interval of time in which the opportunity might be taken to attempt to induce the Chinese population to co-operate. In support of the postponement of elections, reference might be made to the Press report of the elections in Shanghai (at No.58 on Part I of 54145/4), as an indication of the present Chinese attitude towards free elections and without suggesting that the incidents which occurred in Shanghai would be allowed to take place in Hong Kong, and the possibility that the Kuomintang would make the most of a situation, created by the introduction of elections, to stir up trouble and disturbances.
The questions which I have raised in the two preceding paragraphs, namely (a) whether we should proceed with the scheme for a Municipal Council in the face of the apathy and apprehension of the population and the consequences that might follow a boycott of the scheme, including the possibility of disturbances, and (b) whether, we should provide for the nomination of all members and not attempt to set up electoral machinery, seem to me to be the fundamental questions in the consideration of this issue as it is now presented to us by the Governor.. As I have already suggested, I think that we ought to get the Governor's views on these two questions before any decision is taken. This could, or course, be done by cable, which might start off with an expression of appreciation of the Governor's despatch
and