TNAG-0085-FCO40-121-Reform-of-the-Administration-of-Law-1968 — Page 26

His

legislation provided in Hong Kong should have regard to the Chinese Mentality. There were no specialist draftsmen in Hong Kong and there were constant changes in staff engaged in the drafting. Association felt that whoever was responsible for legal drafting should have greater contact with the man in the street. He accepted that certain selected instances of draft legislation were sent to the Bar for comments but he thought that closer liaison should be maintained between the Legal Department and the Bar over this question. It was agreed that Mr. de Basto should on his return to Hong Kong send his written comments on this point to Sir James McPetrie via the Attorney-General of Hong Kong, with examples of what he thought was needed and of the particular difficulties that he had in mind.

10.

Unofficial Appointments to the Legislative and Execubite Councils Mr. de Basto said that his Association felt that appointments to the Legislative and Executive Councils should be made from a wider cross-section of the community. He considered that the present Chinese members of those Councils were largely inarticulate and he wondered whether the Government realised that four of those members were inter-related, eightr by blood or by marriage. He thought that an appointment from the Bar might perhaps, produce someone who was capable of expressing himself more fluently and easily then were present Chinese members of the Council. The command of mnglish of some of the present members was so poor that it was difficult at times to understand what they were saying.