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10. The fear has been expressed that Municipal Government in Hong
Kong may lead to wholesale jobbery and corruption. It has even been said,
with reference to this expectation, that "the worst enemy of British rule
in Hong Kong could not wish for anything better than the kind of 'democratic
rule' that Municipal Government would bring".
The risk must be admitted. There is corruption under the present
system of Government, far too widespread for my peace of mind, and that
there will be corruption when the people of this Colony take a larger share
in the administration of their own affairs is beyond all doubt or question.
But that is clearly not a sufficient reason for withholding opportunities
for political advance. On the contrary there is in my judgment a bare
possibility that some improvement in public morality may result from the
contemplated political change, accompanied as it will be by the extension
over a wide section of the public of opportunities for acquiring some sense of
civic responsibility.
11.
One of the recommendations contained in my despatch which has been
and may continue to be adversely criticised is that relating to the question
whether membership of the Municipal Council should be confined to British
subjects. I have given reasons in my despatch for answering this question
in the negative and I will add here one further consideration.
It is my
belief that, if membership of the Council were to be reserved for British
subjects, an opportunity would be afforded for effective propaganda on the
part of the Kuomintang against the whole scheme of constitutional development
for Hong Kong, and that the outcome would very possibly be a boycott by the
Chinese or at any rate a very general abstention from participation.
should regard this as unnecessary as well as unfortunate, for there is to my
mind no justification for restricting to British subjects either membership
of the Council or the right to vote in the elections, provided that a reasonable
safeguard is introduced in the form of an adequate residential qualification.
12.
I
I have the following additional comments to make on the
recommendations relating to the constitution of the Legislative Council
which were contained in paragraphs 42 to 44 of my despatch.
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