CO537-6046 — Page 106

Sunt 16/8

54145/4/50.

The Church House,

Great Smith Street,

London, S.W.1.

11th August, 1950.

The draft despatch about the Hong Kong Constitution incorporating the various amendments which have been made in the course of our discussions and correspondence, was submitted to the Secretary of State for approval the other day but, in a conversation with Lloyd, he said that he would very much prefer not to be put in the position of himself suggesting, in a despatch which will be published, that Hong Kong should explore the possibility of the adoption of a system for the selection of unofficial members of Legislative Council, which would involve a process of election by "representative bodies". We do not understand, if such a proposal comes back from Hong Kong with the full support of (and preferably on the initiative of) the unofficial members, that he will not be prepared to approve it. But he does not want to be on public record as himself having suggested it.

To meet this objection I have made a few amendments in the draft despatch which the Secretary of State has now approved. But before sending it to Nicoll I have thought it desirable to let you have a copy in its revised form in case you have any further comments.

For this purpose I do not think I can do better than to send you a flimsy of the draft which was originally submitted to the Secretary of State with the amendments

/ shown

Sir A. Grantham, K.C.M.G.