TNAG-0117-FCO40-153-Constitutional-developments-1969 — Page 13

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CONFIDENTIAL

15-

Note Ney 2

Note No. 3

Seporty throws Secretary

VISIT OF MINISTER OF STATE

(LORD SHEPHERD) (Sir Leslie Flouson)

Octly

TO HONG KONG, MAY/JUN 1969

CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

Possibi es of Constitutional Change

Three unofficial sects on the Legislative Council fall

vacant on 30 June this year. The Minister has approved the Governor's proposal to extend the terms of two of the serving

members concerned Messrs. SZETO Wai and Wilfred WONG. Mr. Herries, the third member, is the nominee of the Chamber of

Commerce and no doubt the peme of a successor will by now have

been communicated to the Governor,

2. in conveying the Minister's approval Sir A. Calsworthy wrote to the Governor (with the Minister's agreement) about giving farther thought to the intractable problem of broadening the basis of appointments to Councils (copy attached). It is doubtful whether the Governor will have had any fresh ideas on-

this-subjeet, but there may be scope for further discussion of the possibilities in the context of discussions on developments in the field of local administration (see Note No. 3).

Be

ael round

of improving

Much thought has been given since 1962 to ways in Hong Kong's special the representative character of the administration,

of in terms of law elected position it is not possible to think of normal self-government en heeft

introduéing an electoral system, The possibilities under Legistative

359

consideration have been :

(a) The Enlargement of the Unofficial Element in the

Legislature

council.

The 1964 increase in membership gave unofficials a majority, but not control because of the Governor's original and casting vote. If official control of the Legislature is to be maintained (as we think it must given China's attitude to constitutional advance) any further increase in unofficial representation is limited by the possibility for pari passu increase in the official membership.

C

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/ (b).