TNAG-0316-FCO40-352-Reform-of-local-government-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 20

10027

C.S. 20A (Rev.)

CONFIDENTIAL

SAVING DESPATCH

From the Governor, Hong Kong

To the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Repeated to:-

Repeated to:-

Date 26 October 1971

My Reference. CR 2/511/67 V

No......

492

4 NOV 1971

No.

No.

Your Reference

HICK 18/2

White Paper The Urban Council

Further to my Saving Despatch No 728 dated 30 September 1971

ns I enclose two copies of the English version of the White Paper of the

Urban Council. (A Chinese version was also published).

2

The White Paper appears so far to have aroused only limited interest among the general public. Comment in the press has also been on the whole non-committal though, predictably, the communist press has taken the view that there is nothing in the White Paper which will benefit the people of Hong Kong.

3

Of the two political organizations which have elected members on the Urban Council the Reform Club has, so far, been silent although its Chairman, Mr Brook Bernacchi made it clear in radio and press interviews that he was generally dissatisfied with the White Paper which did not give the Council the additional powers it had been asking for and was generally inadequate in other respects. The Civic Association has also criticized the White Paper and, perhaps surprisingly, has objected both to the proposed removal of official members from the Council, which the Association regards as premature, and also to the financial proposals. The Association apparently feels that the financial controls which the central Government will retain counter-balance the autonomy which is being offered.

4

The Annual Conventional Debate of the Urban Council is due to take place on 2 November 1971 and according to our information all elected members will take this opportunity to attack the White Paper. It is therefore possible that more public interest in the subject will be aroused at this time. The attitude of nominated members is not yet known but is likely to be more favourable to the White Paper.

5

It is not intended to arrange for a Legislative Council debate on the White Paper until after Sir Murray Maclehose has arrived and his wishes have been ascertained.

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