CO537-1651 — Page 56

Kong and within the general policy of keeping

the main constitutional advance to Central Government.

In particular it would, I think, be very desirable

for the functions and matters to be dealt with by

local government, both urban and rural, to be clearly

defined.

10.

Some impatience has recently been expressed

in certain quarters here at apparent lack of

progress in formulation of proposals to give effect

to my predecessor's statement of policy in the House

of Commons on 1st May. I have pointed out, in reply,

that your proposals were received at the beginning of

November and that it is a noteworthy achievement

that such detailed consideration has been effected in

the first five months after restoration of civil

maz however be obeyed

مری

government. I am, however, anxious to make any early

the matter of if so perhaps,

statement, the terms which can,

think, be

settled fairly quickly in consultation with you,

if constitutional development in Hong Kong is to take

the course recommended in your despatch No.145.

11.

agree

If, however, you now recommend, as the result

of this telegram, that the main advance should be

made in the Central Government with some liberalisation

of existing local government arrangements short of an

elected Municipality, the terms of the statement will

require some consideration. The following draft has

been prepared to meet that eventuality If you decide

te rovise your original recommendations for constitutional

SHOULD IT ARISE

development, Blease comment as freely as you wish upon

the draft statement, which is in the form of a reply to

possibili

a Parliamentary Question)

Begins:

"On the 1st May my predecessor announced in

this House that His Majesty's Government had had

under consideration the means by which in Hong Kong,

as elsewhere in the Colonial Empire, the inhabitants

TERMS.

internes.

سدة