TNAG-0269-FCO40-305-Reform-of-local-government-of-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 67

CONFIDENTIAL

- 4

THAT ORTHODOX LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS NO REAL PLACE OR PURPOSE

IN A COMMUNITY SUCH AS THIS.

霉

SINGAPORE IT WILL BE RECALLED, CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION ON INDEPENDANCE AND DISSOLVED A. SOMEWHAT SIMILAR MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. IN THE ABSENCE OF A REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WE NEED HERE SOME INSTITUTION IN WHICH THE FEW WHO LIKE TO PLAY ORTHODOX POLITICS CAN FIND AN OUTLET FOR THEIR PROCLIVITIES SEMICOLON WE NEED TO MAKE IT AS USEFUL AS WE CAN WITHOUT OVER-RATING ITS PRACTICAL VALUE AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLEMENT. A PROPERLY ORGANISED COUNCIL CAN DO MUCH USEFUL WORK IN A COMPARATIVELY NARROW FIELD, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN AND IS UNLIKELY TO BE PARTICULARY SUCCESSFUL IN DEALING WITH DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX PROBLEMS AND ITS FIELD MUST REMAIN SOMEWHAT LIMITED.

SIR D. TRENCH

BUT

+

FILES

H.K.D. F.E.D.

P.S.. TO MR. ROYLE P.S. TO P.U.S. SIR L. MONSON

a ต

MR. WILFORD

CONFIDENTIAL