Extract.
Colonial Office,
Downing Street,
S.F.1.
13th November, 1946.
Many thanks for your letter of the 25th October.
I have not yet seen the details of the proposed con-
stitutional reforms in Hong Kong, but I gather they are
rather unusual. For that reason it is a little difficult
for me to comment on the appropriate procedure. I under-
stand that certain powers are to be handed over to a
Municipal Council: such a Council would, as you contemplate,
normally be constituted by Ordinance, in which case the
drafting would fall to the lot of the local law officers.
I assume, however, that the reforms will in part at least
have to be brought into effect by Letters Patent or by
Order of His Majesty in Council, and such documents are
usually drafted by the legal staff in this office. Even
if the whole Constitution were to be set up by Order in
Council or Letters Patent it would be in accordance with
our present pratice to leave electoral machinery to be dealt
with by local Ordinance which would be drafted by the legal
staff in the Colony.
It seems, therefore, that there will be some work for
the Hong Kong law officers to do, and I enclose some Pre-
cedents which may help them.
T. Hazelrigg, Esq., C.B.E.
K.0. Roberts-Wray.
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