CO537-1651 — Page 73

Municipal Franchise

4

ally. The

If Government would reform the Legislative Council and allow the Urban Council to acquire gradually the responsibility for our municipal services, there would be less difficulty in devising electorates for both bodies. The effort to convey, |} by the establishment of a Muni-t cipal Council, a grand gesture of conferment of self-govern- ment involves Government in a delicate and complicated task. Much easier, safer, and more appreciable, to give the com- munity more voice in the ar- rangement of its affairs by popularising the Legislative Council composition. All that would be necessary would be for Government to accept on the

electorate for the Legislative Council the nominees

Municipal Council would no of public bodies, existing or to

longer be а major problem. be set up-which would amount The electorate could be rate- to a "corporation" or "electoral

payers, principal rent-payers college" system. The nomina- and qualifying residents. They tions could be made by the need not be British subjects, Chambers of Commerce, the though the Councillors should Justices of the Peace, the Jurors, be both British subjects and 2 Landlords' Association, a English-speakers. The nomina- Tenants' Association and the tions should be on the ward combined Labour Unions. Seven system-which would have the members would thus be avail- effect of reaucing the fear of able (or more, according to corruption. Otherwise it would number of colleges set up) be easier for a domineering and would represent every re-element to force its "ticket" into sident of the Colony, since every power: and it would be difficult resident would be eligible for to ensure the representation of one or other of these groups. every district. The suggestion That a few residents would that the Chinese community technically have two or more should be left to elect its own re- votes would not constitute serious drawback.

a

Eura-

presentatives in its own fashion must certainly be opposed: that way, any powerful Chinese organisation would sweep the polls.

In the outcome, of the seven members five would probably be Chinese and two would be non- Chinese. If so, the Governor The electorate would be could then nominate, say, predominantly Chinese, and five more non-Chinese (pro- Chinese would top the polls. viding at least one

There would still remain the sian, an Indian and a problem of non-Chinese repre- Portuguese) and two more Chi- sentation, the necessity for nese, to balance the representa- which would vary

upon the tion: and the fourteen, plus an powers transferred to the Muni- equal number of Official mem- cipal Council. A simple plan bers, would constitute a sufficient would be to appoint to and effective "Parliament." The the Council a sufficient scheme would have the great number from among the virtue of modifying the "com- non-successful non-Chinese can- munal representation" obsession, didates to constitute a desir- with its mischievous suggestion able non-Chinese representation. of planned discrimination. The Thus, if the Council consisted of adjustment of the balance of eight Officials, eight Chinese and numbers as required would be eight non-Chinese members, all justified morally by the purpose the sixteen Unofficials would be of giving representation to chosen by the same electorate, minorities insufficiently repre- but the eight Chinese and the sented. It also would avoid the eight non-Chinese receiving the serious difficulty of deciding, as most votes would be declared in the preparation of separate elected. The eight non-Chinese electoral rolls, just who is a should include at least one Eura- Chinese, and who is a European. sian, one Portuguese and

one The Municipal Council-en- Indian. In effect this would largement of the Urban provide an unexceptionable con- Council-would then be sub-solatory correction of the sidiary and relatively harmless, inevitably overwhelming Chinese having little voice in the formu- vote. Again it would obviate lation of official policy but being the discord that must attend all concerned primarily

efforts to set up separate elec-

eration of the publ

the