CO129-433 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [5-6] — Page 226

One is, in fact, forced to believe that such almost automatic and decidedly arbitrary employments of the Official Vote, as are referred to above, most decidedly would not take place if the Unofficials were not in a permanent and hopeless minority, being unable any possible powers of persuasion or argument to obtain a majority of votes. In short. Officials can defeat the Unofficials with neatness and despatch every single time, no matter w strong the weight of public opinion is behind the latter, and the so-called representatives of the public on the Council have no real power whatever to give effect to the wishes of the public.

10. I am forwarding the Petition with the original signatures thereto and a copy of this covering letter to the Colonial. Secretary here for transmission to His Excellency The Governor, and I am at the same time asking, and I submit that my request is a perfectly reasonable one, that I should be furnished with a copy of every Despatch of His Excellency The Governor and of the Hongkong Government to you, upon or in any way connected with the Petition, and of any enclosures therein, in order that I may have, in consultation with others, an opportunity of replying to such Despatch or Despatches and enclosures (if any).

With many apologies for the length of this letter.

I 2101, Sir,

Your Most Obedient Servant,

brigued, 24.8.barted

Fondosure 3. [

PETITION

32610

REC REG 11 JUL 16)

For Greater Representation of the Public

Executive and Legislative Councils.

The Right

To The

on the

Right Honourable The

Secretary of State for the Colonies.

The Humble Petition of the under- signed British Residents in the Colony of Hongkong Showeth as follows:-

1. Your Petitioners most respectfully submit for the gracious consideration of His Majesty The King that it is fitting and proper that the number of Unofficial Members on the Executive and Legislative Councils should be increased, and that the principle of election should be extended.

2. In the first place, in regard to the Executive Council, Your Petitioners would point out that there are only 2 Unofficial Members on that Council out of a total of 9 Members and also that those 2 Unofficial Members are appointed on the recommenda. on r nomination of the Governor of this Colony, instead of being elected by bodies representative of the Public.

The Chamber of Commerce and the Non-Official Justices of he Peace for this Colony have long been recognized as representa- tives of the Public for electoral purposes, those bodies having, since 1884, exercised the privilege of each of them electing 1 Unofficial embe- the Legislative Council; and we now petition that there 'ditional Unofficial Members on the Executive Council,

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