CO537-6046 — Page 128

NOTE OF A MEETING IN STR CHARLES JEFFRIES'

ROOM ON 13TH JULY

K

Present:

Sir Alexander Grantham

Sir Charles Jeffries

Mr. Paskin

Mr. Sidebotham

Mr. Hall

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

Sir Charles Jeffries opened the discussion by suggesting that

the next step was to draft a despatch in reply to the Hong Kong despatches

of August, 1949. Mr. Sidebotham stated that he had discussed the

constitutional reform question briefly with Mr. Cook. Mr. Cook thought

that the conditions in Hong Kong were so different from those in other

there might be justification for not bringing

wxbringxeunstitutional reform in

Colonies that

Hong Kong into line with His Majesty's Government's generally accepted

elsewhere. views as to the form which constitutional progress should take

could

He,

as it were therefore, thought that Hong Kong's case x be considered/"in vacuo".

Sir Charles Jeffries said that Sir A. Grantham had been present at

a meeting of the Small Colonies Committee, and their view was that in

"City States" and the smaller Islands the parliamentary model should not

be followed, but that we should envisage something similar to a County

ultimately

Council. If we developed/along these lines the Legislative Council

would become not only a Legislature but also possess executive functions.

The executive work would be done by Committees, e.g. a Works Committee, etc.

In the initial stages these Committees might be presided over by the

Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary, etc., but as experience was

gained the Chairman could be elected from any member of the Committee.

He thought there was a great deal in this idea, but agreed that it could

not be introduced merely by a stroke of the pen. The Small Colonies

Committee were not concerned with the immediate problems facing Hong Kong,

but we must ensure that anything which is done in Hong Kong now should

/ not