CO537-6046 — Page 144

3.

Mr. Paskin summed to be guarded against.

up by saying that the crucial issue is what is If it is to safeguard all contingencies then an unofficial majority of 1 only would be necessary. If, however, it was only the "international issues" which were to be considered, we should go much further.

Mr. Sidebotham enquired whether any of the four nominated members would be Fortuguese or Indian. The Governor replied that he proposed to /possibly nominate one Portuguese and/one Indian, but that this should not be laid

down in the Constitution.

N

Method of Election.

The Governor thought that elections by the Chamber of Commerce and to the Urban Council were by secret ballot. He wished to avoid the inclusion of methods of election in the ordinance and would prefer them to be included in the Letters Patent or the Royal Instructions. They should be made as simple as possible so that they could be dealt with with the minimum delay.

Mr. Sidebotham said that the proposal that the Governor should have an original and casting vote presupposes that he will continue to preside in the Legislative Council and that this would be contrary to our present policy. It was not usual for Governors to preside when there was an unofficial majority. Mr. Paskin said that as regards Singapore Sir Franklin Gimson had taken the line that it was essential for him to preside in the Legislative Council in present circumstances. On the other hand, in Malaya Sir Henry Gurney had decided to "fade out". He enquired whether arrangements for a vice President should be made in the Constitution so that the Governor in Hong Kong could gradually stop attending Legislative Council meetings. Sir A. Grantham thought that it was essential that in the initial stages the Governor should preside. Until the new Constitution was in working order there might be unnecessary friction and cliques. Under the 1949 proposals he thought that it would be essential for the Governor to continue to preside, but that under the new set-up it might be possible for the Governor to drop out at some later stage. He thought however that the possibility of this should not be mentioned at this stage as it would create unnecessary agitation.

Urban Council.

Mr. Sidebotham enquired why no elections in connection with the Urban Council had been carried out since the war. The Governor said that this was because of the difficulty encountered immediately after the reoccupation and subsequently because the "Young Plan" had been put forward. Elections could be carried out quickly without difficulty and he had, in fact, considered some time ago that they might be revived.

Mr. Sidebotham said that the new proposals would reduce the existing 4 ex-officio members to 2 only and enquired which these were. The Governor replied that he thought they would be the Deputy Director of Health Services and the Secretary for Chinese Affairs. The Director of Public Works and the Commissioner of Folice could be summoned as witnesses if their presence was required. He thought that the position in the Urban Council was safeguarded because they deal mainly with "sanitary matters" and that any bye-laws they made had to be approved by the Legislative Council. He was prepared to nominate a woman member if a suitable one became available.

The new proposals for the Urban Council would give the Chinese representation a definite preponderance and this was the Governor's intention.

In general, if there was any public criticism of the abandonment of the 1949 proposals, the Governor thought this could be met by replying that the present proposals give Hong Kong a great deal. He thought that if left as they are, the size of the unofficial majority would be a good point in our favour. If the unofficial majority was reduced to 1 only thus giving the Government control by the Governor's original and casting votes we might be subject to greater criticism. He thought that when

/replying