!
The Governor, in the course of our discussions, appreciated the reasons for standing firm on the proposed widening of the Urban District Council franchise to include all British subjects not at present eligible to vote at Urban Council meetings.
It is desirable that this letter should get off as soon as practicable, and I suggest that it should now be submitted for the Secretary of State's concurrence. Sir A. Grantham, I think, mentioned the matter fo the Secretary of State in his final talk with him.
JB1
27.9.50.
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eve turnk
prequable
Secretary of State
There is only one point, I think, needing special comment. You will remember that we agreed to the Governor's proposals for a substantial unofficial majority on the strength of his assurance that in what he called "politico-international" matters there would be a sufficiency of reliable unofficial votes to secure support for Government policy. If an additional un- official member is appointed, the possible "combinations" have to be re-examined. Mr. Nicoll proposes to drop the Governor's } "original" vote as unnecessary if the additional unofficial is nominated (and presumably reliable). But if the additional member is elected (and possibly unreliable), the necessary margin of safety can be preserved only by retaining both the Governor's votes and possibly even adding a further official member, as the following analysis shows :-
Governor's Proposals
Members
Reliable Votes
1 Governor (original)
1
1
(casting)
4 Officials
1
4
2 elected by J.P's.
1
1
tt
General Chamber of Commerce
1
1
11
#
Chinese Chamber of Commerce
17
Urban Council
I
2
4 nominated
16
181~
2
A.
B.
If Governor loses original vote and 1 additional nominated (reliable) member is appointed, the balance remains 10 reliable out of 16.
If Governor loses original vote and 1 additional elected (unreliable) member is appointed, the balance is reduced to 9 reliable out of 16.
C. If