f
}
I have spoken to Mr. McPetrie about this.
It must be remembered that it is sometimes much easier to amend a draft Bill before publication than after it becomes public property, There might be political objection to amending a published clause so as to make it less liberal. This point will affect a few of Mr. McPetrie's criticisms of the draft Bill, and I consider therefore that those criticisms should be sent to Hong Kong and considered there before the Bill is published.
Further, it is not perhaps very likely that many major points will arise from Mr. McPetrie's examination of the other two draft Bills, but he is now going through them, and I think it would be as well for him to finish the job before publication, in order that any criticisms of importance can likewise be passed to Hong Kong befe publication.
Even then I do not see how the Secretary of State can be expected to approve the publication of draft Bills which he has not seen. We certainly have not been supplied with the final draft of the Bill setting up the Municipal Council, but I suppose we can assume the Hong Kong Government have adequately met our objections Further, I gather that the two supplementary Bills have not been seen here in final form, and finally there is apparently a fourth Bill which we have not heard about previously.
•
If, however, the Department wish to tell the Governor he can publish (subject to Mr. McPetrie's major criticisms on the three Bills we have here) I do not wish to object, so long as it is made clear to the Governor that the responsibility is his, as we have not seen the final drafts. I suggest that
we should also at least know what the fourth Bill is about before we agree to its being made public.
21/12/48.