CO129-556-17 Appointments to Legislative Council 4-12-1935 - 31-12-1936 — Page 71

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2.

already acted in the Executive Council on no less

than seven occasions since 1929. Although of Parsee

ancestry he is a fine Chinese Scholar and is

recognized by the Hong Kong Chinese as one of

themselves and as eminently qualified to represent

their views.

(ii) In place of Sir William Shenton I would

choose Mr. J.J. Paterson, the local head of Jardine

Matheson & Company, Limited, who has been a member

of the Legislative Council for two years.

(iii) To replace Sir Henry Pollock would be a

more difficult matter. I have reported in my

despatch No.78 of the 6th February current that

the Justices of the Peace have again recommended

him for nomination to the Legislative Council, on

which he has served since the 17th January, 1906,

and that I have provisionally so re-appointed him.

I should be naturally reluctant to lose their

nominee from my Executive Council, and there is

the added consideration that Sir Henry Pollock

was appointed thereto in 1921 before the Royal

Instructions were amended so as to impose a time

limit to membership. I also think that the

inclusion of a lawyer (Sir Henry is a King's

Counsel and, as you will be aware, was once

appointed Attorney-General, Fiji, and has acted here for considerable periods in the same capacity)

facilitates the consideration by Executive Council

of draft legislation, deportation cases and

disciplinary proceedings.