CO537-1651 — Page 105

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10. The fear has been expressed that Municipal Government in Hong

Kong may lead to wholesale jobbery and corruption. It has even been said,

with reference to this expectation, that "the worst enemy of British rule

in Hong Kong could not wish for anything better than the kind of 'democratic

rule' that Municipal Government would bring".

The risk must be admitted. There is corruption under the present

system of Government, far too widespread for my peace of mind, and that

there will be corruption when the people of this Colony take a larger share

in the administration of their own affairs is beyond all doubt or question.

But that is clearly not a sufficient reason for withholding opportunities

for political advance. On the contrary there is in my judgment a bare

possibility that some improvement in public morality may result from the

contemplated political change, accompanied as it will be by the extension

over a wide section of the public of opportunities for acquiring some sense of

civic responsibility.

11.

One of the recommendations contained in my despatch which has been

and may continue to be adversely criticised is that relating to the question

whether membership of the Municipal Council should be confined to British

subjects. I have given reasons in my despatch for answering this question

in the negative and I will add here one further consideration.

It is my

belief that, if membership of the Council were to be reserved for British

subjects, an opportunity would be afforded for effective propaganda on the

part of the Kuomintang against the whole scheme of constitutional development

for Hong Kong, and that the outcome would very possibly be a boycott by the

Chinese or at any rate a very general abstention from participation.

should regard this as unnecessary as well as unfortunate, for there is to my

mind no justification for restricting to British subjects either membership

of the Council or the right to vote in the elections, provided that a reasonable

safeguard is introduced in the form of an adequate residential qualification.

12.

I

I have the following additional comments to make on the

recommendations relating to the constitution of the Legislative Council

which were contained in paragraphs 42 to 44 of my despatch.

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