TNAG-0225-FCO40-261-Ministerial-meetings-on-internal-affairs-of-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 13

C.F. 326 0003260

CONFIDENTIAL

Charlatin

ů

bette

450,005

goor questiondi.)

Wa

Paras 12396

550,000

3.

000 squatters on land not needed for development

if geographical and other physical problems could

be overcome. They could, of course, always apply for low cost housing (as opposed to resettlement)

if they wished.

6.

Ombudsman

The Governor said that the strengthened

Eshader b AKK1/8 UMELCO Office had got off to a good start (he in

In

fact arranged for me to be shown in detail some

of the work in hand at a meeting I had with the

Unofficial Members on 12 October). But the

strengthened UMELCO Office had only been working

for two months, was making its mark, and he was

anxious lest its development might be prejudiced

by starting a new experiment at this stage.

his view, the Hong Kong experiment was likely to

result in a better and more flexible and effective

solution than an Ombudsman. I said however

that I did not want reconsideration to stand over

without a time-limit. It was agreed that the

question would be looked at again in nine months

time. I suggested that one possibility which might

be considered in the light of experience would

be to build on to the UMELCO Office the functions

envisaged for the Ombudsman in the draft Bill, and

give the Secretary of the Office an appropriately

CONFIDENTIAL