ADMINISTRATION OF HONG-KONG
Changes Approved
From our Political Correspondent WESTMINSTER, WEDNESDAY.
Efforts to give the people of Hong- Kong a greater share in the management of their own affairs are described in detail in correspondence, published 'to-day, which has passed between the former governor, Sir Mark Young, and the Colonial Secretary.
Mr. Creech Jones (the Colonial Secre- tary) told the House of Commons in March that he agreed generally with pro- posals for the re-establishment of a municipal council, and a change in the constitution of the Legislative Council which will increase the non-official representation. On July 3, Mr. Creech Jones gave the officer administering the Government of Hong Kong, authority to start at once with detailed preparations for the changes, and this dispatch is one of the documents now published.
Mr. Creech Jones has accepted the plan for the Legislative Council which will substitute seven official and eight unofficial members for nine official members (excludng the Governor) and The un- eight unofficial members. official members," wrote Sir Mark Young, when commending the change, "if unanimously opposed to a measure which the Government had proposed, would thus command a majority in the Council, and the measure could only be carried by the exercise on the part of the Governor of his original and his casting vote."
On the municipal council, seats are to be divided equally between the Chinese and non-Chinese communities. Non- British European and American com- munities will be represented along with the British community, and the repre- sentative members of the council will include two trade unionists. Sir Mark Young had dwelt on the difficulty of securing proper representation of the working classes and suggested that trade union nominees would be best. Mr Creech Jones, in his dispatch of July 3, says he has given most careful thought to this question He agrees that it is not "opportune," when the trade unions are passing through a formative stage, to permit more than two repre- sentatives. "The possibility of an increase in that allocation should, how- ever, be kept carefully in mind."
is to An "experienced town clerk be sent out from this country to the Hong-Kong municipal council for two years.
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Manchester Guardian
24 JUL 194/
No: this is au evor.
We are
getting
on with this.
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