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13. The suggestion had been made to me from more than one quarter
that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Municipal Council should be
members of the Legislative Council by virtue of their office. I came to
the conclusion that this would not be practicable in view of the possibility
that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman might not be British subjects, in which
case they would acquire membership of the Legislative Council but would be
unable to take their seats. It might be possible to provide that the
Chairman and Vice-Chairman should be members of the Legislative Council
only if they were British subjects, but I think that
.
the preferable course
is to allow the Municipal Council to nominate or elect its two
representatives on the Legislative Council and to provide in the Instrument
amending the Constitution of the Legislative Council that in the case both
of the Municipality and of the two other nominating bodies the nomination
of a person not qualified to take his seat in the Legislative Council
would be invalid.
14. I have considered whether it should be stipulated that of the two
members representing the Municipality on the Legislative Council one should
be Chinese and one non-Chinese. It is probable that this will in fact be
the usual arrangement, since the Municipal Council will consist of Chinese
and non-Chinese members in equal proportions, and I think it is perhaps
innecessary to legislate for it. Four of the unofficial members of the
Legislative Council will still be appointed on the recommendation of the
Governor, who will be able in making his recommendations to ensure the fair
representation of each community.
15. I trust that you will approve of the proposed alteration in the
relative numbers of official and unofficial members in the Legislative
Council. It constitutes a change which will undoubtedly give satisfaction
in most quarters, and I think it will hardly be considered as unduly
hazardous even by those who are most apprehensive of the effects of transfer
of power from the Government to the representatives of the unofficial
community.
The retention in the hand of the Governor of the power to
recommend the appointment of four of the unofficial members, and the