TNAG-0081-FCO40-117-Public-Order-legislation-1968 — Page 104

Mr. Rushford

Reference..

HWB 14/34

29

A

I am addressing this minute to you since I understand that Sir Arthur Grattan-Bellew is away at the moment.

You are acquainted with circumstances in which the Hong Kong Public Order Ordinance was recently enacted and you will recall the meeting at which the telegram at (8) on the attached Wolume was drafted.

Since the enactment of the Ordinance on 15th November, we have received:

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2.

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(a) A petition addressed by the Reform Club of Hong Kong to

the Queen asking for the Ordinance to be disallowed.

(b) The Governor's comments on (a).

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(c)

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13

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22

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(a)

(e)

(f)

(g)

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26

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(h)

aw Temp Jacket.

13.

A petition by Mrs. Elsie Elliott, also addressed to the Queen, supporting (a) above.

A petition in similar terms to (a) above addressed by the Reform Club direct to the House of Commons and presented to the House by Mr. Rankin on 12th December. The petition now lies upon the Table of the House and I understand that any further action on it is unlikely.

A petition addressed to the House of Commons by a gentleman named Tang Bing, of unknown address in Hong Kong, in support of the Ordinance.

A letter dated 15th December addressed to Lord Shepherd by the London office of "Justice". This letter enclosed a legal appraisal of the Ordinance which appears to have been prepared in something of a hurry.

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A further letter, dated 27th December, addressed to Lord Shepherd by "Justice". This letter enclosed a lergé

and more detailed memorandum on the Ordinance which had been prepared by the Hong Kong branch of "Justice".

A letter from Mr. Roberts, Attorney-General in Hong Kong, addressed to Sir James McPetrie and asking if notification of non-disallowance of the Ordinance may be speeded up.

I had minuted to you on 22nd December on this subject, but my minute was overtaken by the arrival of (f) above. I have accordingly removed my original minute from the file and have embodied it in this minute.

Action now required (not necessarily in order of

performance) appears to be:-

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(i)

Replies to (a) and (c) above.

|(ii)

A reply to (f) and (g) above.

(iii)

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(iv)

5.

A reply to (h) above.

Notification of non-disallowance of the Ordinance.

As regards (i), the purpose of the petitions is to secure disallowance of the Ordinance. However, the Governor's comments seem to deal with these petitions very adequately and I suggest that a formal reply through the Governor to the effect that the Secretary of State sees no reason to advise Her Majesty to exercise her powers of disallowance is all that is required.

6. As regards (ii), I do not know whether it is customary when Healing with comprehensive communications of this kind from