INWARD TELEGRAM
15
X
MAY
XI XII
1947
COPY FOR REGISTRATION
Cypher (0.T.P.)
PROM HONG KONG (Sir M. Young)
1 ΠΛ
IIA TA
Λ
IN
RECEIVES
TO S. OF S. COLONIES.
SĢISTRY
D. 13th May, 1947. R. 13th
16.00 hrs.
54145/4
49.
No.817 Secret
30
Your savingram No.32 of 29th April, 1947.
Constitutional changes received 12th May.
Following are my comments.
Referencea are to your peragraph numbers,
Paragraph 1. I raise ne objection te your
expressing the view that decision must be regarded as subject to review. I am convinced that to go further than this and give anything in the nature of an assurance that the proportion of Chinese seats to be increaead in future, would have a most unsettling effect in Hong Kong and would satisfy no ene, It would, therafore, be positively harmful,
Faragraph 2, I agres,
Paragraph 3.
I appreciate the ressons for your decision and accept it. I consider it mest undesirable (repeat undesirable) that the period of residential qualification should be reduced for all so as to admit the small number of nen-British Europeans and Americans involved.
Paragraph L. I am afraid that I still see the greatest Objection to allocating to Trades Unions three sut of the five nominations which Chinese bodies are to exercise. Further memorandux on this point is being
/prepared