CO537-1651 — Page 159

the 15 preceding nomination for membership of the Council,

and 6 years out of the preceding 10 for the franchise.

(c) Special provision relating to the period of the

Japanese occupatio n respect of the residential qualification period (paragraph 25)

I agree that, in connection with the proposed residential

qualification for members of the Chinese community, some

special provision should be made, on the lines proposed in

paragraph 25 of Sir Mark Young's despatch No. 145 in order that

those persons who left Hong Kong during the period of the

Japanese occupation should not be penalised. In conformity with

my comment in sub-paragraph (b) above, however, I consider that

this concession should equally be extended to members of the

non-Chinese communities.

(a) Minimum qualifying age for Councillors and Voters

(paragraphs 17 and 24). In paragraph 17(a) of his despatch

No. 145 Sir Mark Young recommended that the minimum qualifying

age limit for election as a Councillor should be 30, and, in

paragraph 24(1) of his despatch, that the minimum qualifying

age limit for voters should be 25. Subsequently he felt able

to recommend that the minim qualifying age for Councillors

should be reduced to 25, and advised that the weight of local

opinion would not et present favour any further reduction in

the minimum qualifying age limit for both Councillors and

voters. In the light of this advice I am prepared to accept

the age of 25 as the minimum qualifying age for both, but I

trust that a reduction in both cases to 21 will not be lung

delayed.

(e) Other electoral qualifications (paragraph 24).

I agree to the proposed literacy and residential qualifications.

As regards the proposal that voters should, in addition,

possess a property or the Jury Service qualification, I accept

the