CO129-462 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1920 [7-10] — Page 132

saging that thire súd be

the anumber of Leg. Cal.

сливы

that the terms of office shot be

incean

Le grand

CONFIDENTIAL,

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Ch

Leg.

Al is a case

2

Ex. Cal.

4/11/20

See 56467

26577

My Lord,

رہنے

HONGKONG.

REC

50384

Res 12 JCT 20

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

29th July, 1920.

124

A

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's confidential despatch of the 22nd June, 1920, in which you state that before coming to a final decision with regard to the question of appointments to the Executive Council of this Colony you propose to await my report on the general question of the representation of the community in the Legislative Council.

2.

I regret that I have delayed that report so long. In the first instance I desired to become familiar with local conditions and to ascertain the views of the community and for the last few months I have been endeavour- ing, with little success, to find some satisfactory proposals to put before Your Lordship.

3.

The fact of the matter is that there is no general demand for any constitutional change and no real interest in the matter. The general indifference of the community to all matters of public life is almost unbeliev- able. Anything that affects the interest of the individual will probably produce a momentary spasm of criticism of the Government but even such matters are rapidly forgotten and any sustained interest in public affairs will be looked for in vain. The Constitutional Reform Association is a farcical body which, so far as I can 'ascertain, now consists of a few dozen persons, most of whom take no part in its proceedings

LIGHT HONOURABLE

and

¡

VISCOUNT MILNER, G.C.B.,

&c.

&C..