54145/4/50.
Secretariat S/1136/49.
SECRET
Colonial Offioc,
63
The Church House,
Great Smith Street,
London, S.W.1.
5th January, 1951.
Would you please refer to my letter of the 1st December, 1950, explaining that we were sending the draft reply to your despatch No. 155 of the 25th August, 1949, about the new Constitution, to other interested Departments for their comments.
The only comment on the proposels as such comes from the Common ealth Felations Office. They are somewhat concerned about the possible effect on the Goverment of India of the original suggestion in paragrah 31 of your despatch No. 155, that one of the nominated members should be of Fortuguese race if the elected members did not include a Portuguese without there being any corresponding suggestion for the inclusion of an Indian nominated meɛber. They are fully aware of the back- ground to this suggestion, but say that it would help them to soothe the Government of India if the words "e.g. Indian" could be deleted from the last sentence of paragraph 31 of the despatch before it is published. The deletion of these words does not in any way alter the sense of the sentence and we should be grateful if you would consider the suggestion, and, if you agree, send us a new original of your oper despatch No. 155 of the 25th August, 1949 with the word "e.g. Indien" omitted, for substitution for the copy at present on our official file.
The only other comment comes from the Forein Office anci is of more moment. I enclose a copy of their letter on the subject. You will see that they have no comments on the proposals as such, but they do consider it undesirable to
Sir Alexander Grantham, 4.C.M.G.
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