CO537-2188 — Page 123

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REPLY

FOR WEDNESDAY, 23RD JULY, 1947.

MR. REES WILLIAMS,

J

To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, what is the present position with regard to the proposed constitutional changes in Hong Kong.

MR. CRLECH JONES:

VERGREENBATTERIERA ALERT POMONA JE

ANSWER

I informed the Hou se on March 5th of my general

agreement with the recommendations of the late Governor,

Sir Mark Young, for the establishment of a Municipal

Council and a modification in the constitution of the

Legislative Council. Earlier this month I sent to the

Acting Governor of Hong Kong a despatch containing my

detailed comments on these recommendations, and authorised

him to proceed at once with all preparations necessary

to put them into effect. I have arranged for copies of

the despatches in question to be placed in the Library

of the House.