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SECRET
Paragraphs 13 to 15
8. The Governor clearly fears that there may be further trouble of this kind in the coming months because of a number of unpopular decisions which will need to be taken. (One being a decision on the Defence Contribution). But apart from" threading a way as warily as circumstances will permit through all these problems" the Governor does not come up with any proposals for remedying the situation.
9. We know only too well the problems which the Governor faces for example in broadening the basis of unofficial representation on Executive and Legislative Councils. The Governor has always maintained that the difficulty of doing
this arises from the absence of a sufficiently large number of literate, intelligent, sufficiently prosperous and experienced persons from whom to choose candidates for appointment to those councils. This may well be so but to my mind an equally urgent, if not more urgent, need is for a re-organisation of the administrative structure of the Colonial Secretariat. Unless and until this is done the dust will continue to collect on the papers dealing with admittedly very involved problems which, however, unless they are dealt with within a reasonable period, are bound eventually to lead to trouble.
10.
The Governor suggests that we may wish to use his letter to bring Mr MacLehose up to date and I think it important that the Governor-Designate should see the letter.
11.
Sir Leslie Monson will no doubt, wish to reply to the Governor and I will prepare a draft for this purpose when comments on the Governor's letter have been collated.
30 April 1971
- 3 SECRET
Att. Ammia
A W Gaminara
Hong Kong Department
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