CO537-6046 — Page 66

Crook 28/9/50

Miss Storar

Dear Britten,

F.4185/14

DRAFT LETTER

SECRET, PERSONAL

R. G. Britten, Esq.,

New Delhi.

IV.P.

Will you please refer to a letter

Pol.17247/49 of the 26th October, 1949 which sent from this office to the Government of India about the contemplated constitutional changes in. Hong Kong; it described new proposals embodied in a resolution passed by the Legislative Counc in June, 1949 and indicated that these were under consideration.

We have not written to the Government of India since our letter referred to above but sira then we have several times been asked by them. what further progress has been made; their interest centres on the desire of the Indian community in Hong Kong for special representation in the Legislative Council.

Correspondence has

hitherto been direct with the Government of India but we should prefer it to take place in future through you. We should therefore be grateful if you would reply to the Government of India's latest letter, a copy of which is attached together with a copy of their previous letter.

Your reply should be limited in substance to

a mere statement that the whole problem of constitutional reform in Hong Kong is at present under review, that the interest of the Government of India in this matter is not being overlooked and that further information will be sent to the Government of India as soon as possible. For

privati

I may add th your low information/the problem has recently

been discussed in London with the Governor of

purposed

Hong Kong, and it is anticipated that a despatch, which will be made public, will shortly be sent

/to the