TNAG-0201-FCO40-237-Local-government-reforms-1969 — Page 124

W(B)L 51-7433

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Y

Registry No.

HKK 18/12

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

To:-

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted. Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

DRAFT semi official letter Type 1+

Sir Michael Gass,

KCMG,

Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.

From

Mr. Carter

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

ال

Miss West-

I

Fair for sign

Jere Love

на

기

We have learned (through the Ministry

of Overseas Development) of the existence.

Bee

of a draft Report by Dickinson on

"the feasibility of improving the existing

machinery of local government in Hong Kong,

as an interim measure pending wider reform".

We have, of course, known for a considerable

time that the report of the official working

party on local government, published in 1967, has been under extensive discussion in Hong

Kong but we have not recently received any

official indication of the stage reached by

Your

in

the Hong Kong authorities in their, considera-

tions of the matter.

We have received the impression from

newspaper comment recent summaries of the Hong Kong Press,

人

that pressure may be mounting for a review

of the functions and powers of the Urban

Council.

There is, in fact, some indication

that the matter may be raised in Parliament

here, in the not too distant future. It

would help us, therefore, if you could let us

know how matters are developing in the sphere

of local government; and indeed if Dickinson's further

draft report is in a form likely to receive

official support, we should appreciate it if

we could be sent a copy.