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W(B)L 51-7406
Flag B
were the same persons as those who comprised
the original ad hoc Committee which produced
the Report summarised at Annex B. The Select
Committee's Report in effect reviews the
earlier Report of the ad hoc Committee in
the light of subsequent views and proposes
a phased programme for the re-organisation of
the Urban Council. But it adheres to the
fundamental concept envisaged in the original
Report that District Councils, if and when they
are established, should be subordinate to the
reconstituted Urban Council which would be
responsible for allocating funds to them.
The Report is therefore open to the objections
mentioned in paragraph 4 above.
8. The Governor is of the definite view that
caution must be exercised over any developments
in the field of local government. The dangers
are that:
(a) China may react to local government
changes (although we do not think
this is likely if the changes are
cautious)
(b) Local Communists may seek to control
or disrupt local authorities with
a large number, if not a majority,
of elected members (they made an
attempt to gain control of the
New Territories Advisory Council
in the late fifties).
It seems likely, therefore, that the Governor's
conclusions will be nearer to the proposals
likely
in the Dickinson Report than to any of the
other proposals.
In fact, it appears t that
his proposals will be confined to those
outlined in paragraph 3 of his telegram, No.
457. It is clear from paragraph 4 of the
/telegram
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