TNAG-0284-FCO40-320-Appointment-of-Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 60

HK

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Sus. Pusots

(LRI

DAILY TELEGRAPH

Cutting dated

4 JUN 1970

PA

ANG

8.6.70

Britain's man in Hongkong

By FRANK KÖBERTSON

INT reappointing Sir David which

could result in large

Trench as Governor of profits-or losses for that Hongkong for another matter-for their firms. There

en.

year from next October a Labour Government is dorsing a form of govern- ment contrary to Labour's most basic tenets. It is sup- porting a system of taxation without representation, all the more remarkable because this is happening in Asia, where the unmistakable trend is to the Left.

So amid all the turmoil in the Far East the traditions of 19th century British colonialism will 30 forward, at least for a time, unflurried: plumed hat, pomp and strictly observed protocol.

For more than six years Sir David has been a most able Governor and his personal in- tegrity is beyond question. But he is by nature a traditionalist and, while he has furthered such projects as more low-cost hous ing, better working conditions in the factories and improved technical education facilities, he has attempted no radical change. Indeed he successfully opposed the efforts of Lord Shepherd, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, to have an Ombudsman appointed in Hongkong.

Sir David runs Britain's largest remaining colony through an Executive and Legis- lative Council. The former con sists of the Governor and the six leading civil servants and eight appointed unofficial mem- bers, while in the Legislative Council there are 13 official and the same number of appointed unofficial members.

The only elected persons in the Government are 10 members -a minority-of the Urban Council, which deals with such mundane matters as sanitation, running markets and licensing hawkers. The leading British businessmen, the so called Tai- pans, traditionally belong to either the Executive or the Legislative Council.

There is quite strong feeling in the colony that these business men have a voice in decisions

is no question of impro- priety-but it is felt that the normal impulses of human nature could influence opinions.

When I asked a senior Taipan about this he was quite indig. nant: "We built this bloody place. Why shouldn't we have

a say how it is run?"

For some years there has been agitation

for reforms which would allow elected politicians a voice in the real business of government but nothing has come of it. The leaders of the reform movement are dismissed airily by Government and busi ness leaders as cranks, but most of them are very far from that.

No radical reform

A number of reform petitions have been sent to London over the years. When he was in Hongkong recently Mr Stewart, Secretary for Foreign and Com- monwealth

Affairs, said the matter of constitutional reform was under review." But

64

although he met most of the un- official members of the Execu- tive and Legislative Counci.s during his weekend stay he did not have serious discussions with any of those persons ad- vocating change.

no

Certainly there will be radical reform in the fore- seeable future. Yet it must be said that this is no matter of great concern among a majority of the Chinese, who constitute almost 99 per cent. of the colony's population of four mil lion. They are too engrossed in the unremitting business making a bare living to give much thought to what goes on in Government House and the massive Colonial Secretariat.

of

Curiously enough, Peking almost certainly would not favour constitutional change. The Chinese Communists are bound to take over Hongkong sooner or later, and they would much prefer to replace a Government they could brand "imperialist" than one popu-

Sir David Irench

larly elected and socialist-inclined,

pore.

Possibly

as in Singa-

The business and academic community generally welcomed the extensiou on Sir David's appointment, which means he will have been Governor for seven-and-a-half

years, after which it is predicted he will be inade a life peer.

Although he is an exceedingly remote figure to the man in the street, he was described as "the most popular Governor Hong- kong has had" by a leading Chinese industrialist. Yet al

though persons of this calibre

welcomed the extension there are plenty of other critics, apart from the reform activists who find distasteful the autocratic way Hongkong is governed. One aspect frequently criticised the official censorship at source, and the Government's indirect control of Press and radio.

a

is

Commenting on statement Sir David Trench made last week that the colony has a free Press and that those in govern- ment are used to exposing, ourselves to scrutiny," the Fai Eastern Economic Revicw coms

或者

mented; "The words read strangely to some locai cb- servers; the Governor's message apparently has never percolated through to his senior civil ser- vants. Journalists here are only too well aware that there is a

dividing line which they cross at the peril of losing their jobs.

"Those with the temerity to crusade ог satirise have on several occasions found that their editor's backbone dissolves. And when the editors backbone stays intact he has been known to disappear completely. Senior officials will bring maximum pressure to bear when they feel that their dignity has been hurt."

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