CO537-2188 — Page 473

c.q

REGISTERED No.

DRAFT AND RECORD COPY

Colonial office

Downing Street,

1.

DATE

27th February, 1947.

LETTER

SENT 2

27

INBOEDIATH

54245/4/47

DRAFT

Dear Holsby,

MR.

Mayle

MR.

MR.

ENCLOSURES

Copies of tels.

.Nos.329 and 330 and duplicate copy of Gov. Hong Kong's despatch No.145 of 22.10.46.

FURTHER ACTION

3 copies to Accts Sept.

To

Mong Long Constitution

Lost May an announcement was made in the House of Commone here by Lord Hall, and in long ong by the Governor, Bir Mark Young, to the effect that it was the policy of His Majesty's Government that the Constitution of Hong Kong should be rovised

The on a more liberal basis as soon as possible. statement went on to say that the Governor had been instructed to examine the whole question in consultation with represontatives of all scotions of the community and to mention one possible method of carrying out the policy, namely the handing over of certain functions of the internal administration, at present exercised by the Central (overnment, to a Municipal Council, constituted on a fully representative basis.

Sir ark Young has held these discussions, and in a despatch dated 22nd October, submitted his proposals for constitutional changes which were:

會

(a) The creation of a Municipal Council

constituted on a fully representative basis which will gradually assume as many of the present functions of the Central Government as can appropriately be assigned to it, and Certain modificatione in the constitution of the Legislative Council for the purpose

(b)

L.N. HALSBY, ES

of

{4264A] Wt. 11439/415 50m. 5/45 C.N.Ld. 748