TNAG-0316-FCO40-352-Reform-of-local-government-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 105

CONFIDENTIAL

The next step will be to get Finance Committee's endorsement later this month. Meantime we have promised Ex.Co. that we will produce a draft White Paper on these proposals, for their consideration; we would hope to return to Ex.Co. on this basis in about two months, and thereafter the White Paper would be tabled in Legislative Council and so made public. Copies would as a courtesy be sent to Urban Councillors shortly before tabling.

The only other point I might mention is that the date of April 1972 mentioned in the Ex.Co. paper as a possible commencement date is most unlikely to prove a starter as some very complicated legal drafting will be needed, and 1973 seems to be much nearer the mark.

Чеш

ever,

Sen him

(I.M. Lightbody)

CONFIDENTIAL

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