CO537-6046 — Page 136

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elected members and that in the meantime the Young Plan to provide for a

Municipal Council should be held in abeyance. These proposals would be satis-

factory as far as European members were concerned but would not be so good as

regards the Chinese members who might well become stooges for whatever Chinese

Government was in power. The Legislative Council had however agreed to

nominate members who could combine to out-vote the Chinese members. Although

Sir A. Grantham had forwarded these proposals and recommended them, there still

remained the danger that the Chinese members would put forward views contrary

to Hong Kong's interests and if these were turned down they could make political

capital out of it by saying they only were the true representatives of the

people and their proposals were being turned down by an undemocratic Governor

assisted by his hirelings. After giving the matter very careful consideration

the Governor had spoken to his Executive Council about this and they had seen

the danger and agreed that indirect election would be a better proposal. If

the proposals he had now brought with him were accepted there would still be a

substantial unofficial majority which could not be overcome by the Governor's

original and casting votes. The result of this would be that in non-political

matters, such as taxation, the unofficial majority could carry the day. In

political matters however he thought that he could rely on the vote of the

Unofficial J.P.s, the Member for the General Chamber of Commerce, and the

officials and nominated members. The Urban Council members would also be

reasonably reliable and the only "dangerous" member might be the member for the

These proposals had been discussed with Sir C.

Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Jeffries, Mr. Paskin and Mr. Sidebotham vho agreed with them in general.

Mr. Sidebotham had suggested an unofficial majority of one only (thereby giving

the Governor control with his original and casting vote). The Governor agreed

that this was desirable if one wished to safeguard against all eventualities.

It was not necessary however if we only wished to safeguard politico interna-

tional issues. Just before the Governor left Sir Arthur horse had suggested

that the Social Welfare Association should also have a member and Sir A. Grantham

welcomed this, if it was found to be practicable, as it had the advantage of

giving the 'submerged tenth" representation. He did not know whether the member

would be a European or a Chinese.

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