CO537-2188 — Page 36

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Chinese nominated seats.

Paragraph (f) of Sir M. Young's reply at No.19 advised against this suggestion, pointing out that the trade unions in Hong Kong are still only passing through the formative stage; but in paragraph 5 of our savingram at No.30, we pressed Sir Mark Young to reconsider this question. His telegram at No.49 shows that he adheres to his original view, and promises a further memorandum on the subject. The telegram suggests, however, that our official despatch should contain a reference to the possibility of this development after the first Council period.

The further memorandum which we are promised will no doubt explain in greater detail why Sir M. Young was unable to depart from his original view, but meanwhile I venture to suggest that we should now accept Sir M. Young's original recommendation, but that we should at the same time include a reference in our official despatch in the sense he has proposed.

(e) Qualifications for the franchise.

In paragraph 5 of No.30 we pointed out how restrictive in operation will be the present property or juror's qualifications for the franchise, since, except where there is a property qualification, there would be excluded from the franchise females, persons afflicted with blindness or deafness or other like infirmities, all persons over 60 years of age and those ignorant of the English language, however well they speak, read and write Chinese. We therefore asked Sir M. Young to consider whether some alternative qualification could be devised.

His reply is that he can think of no other qualification that could be substituted for the present proposals, and his suggestion is that we should meet the point as proposed in paragraph 2(d) of No.4, i.e. by stating in the official reply that it should be understood that the present qualifications for the franchise are to be kept under review as education spreads and literacy is reduced, and will in any event be reconsidered before the second elections to the Council.

The

In all probability our savingram at No.40 enclosing the suggestions of the China Association had not been received in Hong Kong at the time when the telegram at No.49 was despatched. most important of the China Association's suggestions was that the system of electoral colleges should be used, rather than that of the ballot box, for the election of Councillors, until such time as the general standard of literacy and political maturity is such that a form of general franchise can be introduced. We have asked that serious consideration be given to this particular suggestion, and if it is' adopted it may be that it would be possible to broaden the basis of the franchise even at this stage.

Until therefore we have the Acting

Governor's