CO537-2188 — Page 374

Saving.

54145/4

From the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

To the Officer Administering the Government of

Date........

....1947....

No......

33.____.Saving.

SECRET PRIORITY PRIORITY

HONG KONG

te

1.

CONSTITUTIONAL #HANGES

With reference to my Secret Savingram No. 32 of the

29th April, I attach a copy of a letter dated 28th April,

1947 from the China Association and should be glad to have

your observations on it and your advice as to the reply

that should be returned to the Association.

2. Some of the Association's representations appear to

necessitate or justify any modification of the various

proposals as they stand at the moment (that is as formulated

in your despatch No.145 of 1946 and qualified by the

comments in my telegrams No.152, 329 and 406) with the

possible exception of that concerned with the machinery

for representation. During the course of the preliminary

consideration that was given to the constitution in this

office prior to the liberation of the Colony it was suggested

that nomination by representative guilds or electoral

/colleges