TNAG-0103-FCO40-139-Briefs-and-background-notes-for-Lord-Shepherd-1967 — Page 77

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electoral system. The possibilities under consideration have been:-

(a) The enlargement of the unofficial element in the

legislature. The 1964 increase in membership gave

Unofficials a majority (though not control because of the

Governor's original and casting votes). If official

control is to be maintained, any further increase is

limited by the possibilities for pari passu increase in the

official membership.

(b) Broadening the basis of selection of unofficial members

(and in doing so to dispense with the "closed" seats for

representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Justices of

the Peace). In recent selections the Governor has cast

his not a little wider and has recently appointed a woman

to the Legislative Council for the first time. It is

inherent in the nomination system that the Governor should

make appointments from people who have made their mark in the

these are people from industry, commerce and

community;

the professions.

If he were to appoint comparative nonentities

in the affairs of the community, the process of selection

would have a random and arbitrary nature that would satisfy

no one. It is clear that the Trade Unions do not form a

suitable field from which representatives could be drawn for

reasons which are set out in Background Notes No. 12. Moreover,

service on the Hong Kong Councils takes a great deal of time

and is unpaid. The possibility of making nominations from

certain representative organisations (e.g. the Kaifong

Associations* and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries)

/has

* These are unofficial neighbourhood associations

practising self-help and local Community development.

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