TNAG-0201-FCO40-237-Local-government-reforms-1969 — Page 64

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

0003230

G.F. 323

CONFIDENTIAL

e)

f)

16

the essential dilemma is that we can neither

discourage them from appearing at all nor

provide the growing constitutional scope for

their ambitions which other former colonies have

provided) then the system advocated would be

much more likely to produce informed and

responsible politicians than the further

development of the Urban Council which has an entrenched tradition of irresponsibility,

probably as much because of the system as of

the calibre of the would-be politicians who

have been attracted to it.

If the elective principle as such ought to be

developed then elections to a number of functional

boards would offer a chance of finding some fields

in which the public might be interested in casting

votes, and could lead even to the inclusion in

the legislature at least of indirectly elected

representation.

If it is thought that some constitutional changes

ought to be introduced quickly then any of the

unofficial members of the present Urban Council

could be invited to join suitable functional

bodies without undue delay as a sort of rudimentary

transitional step.

g) If on the other hand policy dictates that such

innovations should be slow and carefully considered at each stage, the proposals I have tried to outline

would offer much more flexibility than a simple stop-go development of the Urban Council.

25th April 1969

DRH/ma

Голов

(D.R. Holmes ) Secretary for Home Affairs

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