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INWARD TELEGRAM
COPY FOR REGISTRATION
AMENDED COPY (words "confirmed on pages, 2 and 3,
amendment to on page 4).
? Copy Сори
already anfile
FROM HONG KONG (31r 4. Young)
TO S. OF 3.. COLONIES.
D. 7th February 49470 R. 7th
N
T
19.25 hrs
No. 255 Secret.
Constitution..
Following are my views on points raised in your telegram No. 152. They have been discussed with the following officials, Hazlerigg, Handougall, Todd and Megarry, to whom I had shown my confidential despatch as well as my open despatch, and they are in agreement,
20 I remain strongly of the opinion that the tast course of constitutional development in Hong Kong is by the establishment of Municipal Council constituted d functioning &s proposed in my despatch, and that adoption of the alternative course suggested in your telegram would be unsatisfactory in operation and disappointing to the great majority of those who have a proper desire to participate more fully in the administration of the affairs of the Colony, and who have already expressed their opinions on the subject.
3. There is one peculiar difficulty inherent in any proposal to establish in this Colony a legislature of which the whole or a part is elected on a popular franchise, 算命 has to be decided at the outset whether membership of the Legislative Council is to be restricted to British subjecta The same question also arises in regard to the electorate.
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There are strong objections both to the restriction and to the absence of the restriction. course would confine the prospects of increased participation in public affairs, whether as councillors or as electors, to about 20 per cent of the inhabitants and as compared with proposals which have been formulated here
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