CO537-1651 — Page 114

OY

actual Councillors relatively small and building up the Committees by the

co-option of persons who are not members of the Council. I do not favour

the suggestion that persons outside the Council should be co-opted to the

Council's Committees. am doubtful whether suitable non-members would

come forward and, even if they did so, they would lack the prestige of

Councillors and this very lack of prestige by the individuals might in the

public mind detract from the prestige of the Committees themselves.

The

case against any very substantial reduction in the numbers is, I think,

strengthened by the fact that in its early days the Council will necessarily

comprise many who have little or no experience of local Government in any

form. Thus the number of experienced men for service on Committees is

likely to be extremely limited and the best for which one can hope is that

there will be a sufficient number to act as mentors for the inexperienced

members.

Nevertheless I recognize the force of the argument that a

Council consisting of forty-eight members would be unwieldy, and that it is

essential to aim at workability'. I have in mind also the consideration

that if the original Council consists of a number which proves to be

unmanageable it will be difficult to make any reduction, whereas if it

proves desirable to increase the numbers after the Council has gained

experience and essumed its full functions, an alteration in this direction

should present no great difficulty. On these grounds my revised

recommendation is that the Council should consist of thirty members.

15. As was to be expected there have been some divergences of views

as to the proportion in which the different races should be represented.

My original proposal was that the Council should represent the Chinese and

the non-Chinese communities in e qual proportions. I am glad to say that

this view has met with a considerable measure of agreement. Suggestions

have been made that in view of the fact that the Chinese constitute ninety

eight per cent of the population they should fill a much higher proportion

of the seats in the Council. On the other hand it has been proposed that

the non-Chinese should be in the majority. It is of interest to note

that the exponents of these two differing views have been by no means