in favour of others apparently less liberal. It is fully appreciated, however, that circumstances in Hong Kong are no exceptional that what might well be the right general policy might be attended in the case of Hong Kong `with certain dangers about which it would be extremely difficult for him to be explicit if questioned in Parliament or elsewhere. The Secretary of State therefore came to the conclusion that the best thing for him to do would be to send an open despatch, which could be published, to reach the Colony about the time of Grantham's return in October, not saying yes or no to the proposals of last year, but suggesting as from himself certain ways in which, in his view, they might be modified with advantage. Those suggestions would then pave the way for Grantham to submit formally, after discussion with the Unofficials in Hong Kong, his new proposals which the Secretary of State would then be prepared to accept.
3. Grantham thinks that probably the bast procedure would be:<
(1) Publication of his open despatch of August 1949
and of the Secretary of State's reply thæreto.
(2) After a lapse of, say, two weeks, notice of motion
of resolution in Legislative Council by senior un- official member, recommending proposals on the lines of the sketch proposals brought home by Grantham.
(3) After further lapse of two to four weeks, approval by Legislative Council (officials not voting, of resolution as in (2).
(4) Grantham's despatch forwarding copy of resolution and
recommending approval.
140