Council.
conli
This would be done quickly, thus avoiding further sterile delay. (Para. 8)
(b) the amendment of the Urban Council Ordinance (copy
behind (11/53577/50)) to extend the franchise to British subjects who did not qualify under section 3. New elections to the Urban Council would then take place and two new members of Legislative Council would be chosen by the revised Urban Council. Official members of the Urban Council would be entitled to vote but would not be entitled to become elected members of Legislative Council (para. 11). If this proposal is accepted the Governor agrees that para. 5 of the draft despatch should stand and the idea of proceeding in two stages would be put up by the unofficials in Legislative Council and in due course be publicly accepted by the Secretary of State (para. 9)..
(4) The Governor encloses a revised copy of the Secretary of
State's proposed despatch which includes the amendments he wishes made (behind (52)). I have marked the points at which this differs from the draft behind (38) and also (at A on p. 3) the passage in para. 5 to which Mr. Nicoll objected in paragraph 5 of (43), but which the Governor is now prepared to accept provided the procedure described in (3) above is agreed.
when
has been
? the revised draft is approved by Higher Authority we may now clear it with the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence.
J.J. Auturam.
15.11.50%
F/H.
Mr. Anderson's minute summarises the points made by Sir A. Grantham in his letter at (52).
I think we can accept the suggestion that the additional unofficial member (mentioned in para. 2 of Mr. Nicoll's letter at (43)) should be nominated by the Governor.
The other point made is that the Urban Council proposals should be tackled in two stages summarised in para. 3 (a) and (b) of Mr. Anderson's minute above. This too I think can be accepted.
Copies of the Hong Kong despatches at (57) and (58) on the '49 file were sent to the F.0., C.R.O., Ministry of Defence and Treasury vide (63A-D) on that file. The draft despatch behind (52) here is the proposed reply to the open despatch at (57) on the '49 file and the intention is that these two despatches should be published in due course. If the draft is now agreed I think we ought to send copies to the F.O., C.R.O., Ministry of Defence and Treasury to see before it goes to Hong Kong. I doubt if they will have any comments at this stage but I think they ought to be put in the picture.
Hell
15. 11. 50.