Mr Royle was in Hong Kong. The Governor forwarded
this letter with a minute dated 6 June suggesting
two alternative replies. A reply to Mr Vine's
letter is outstanding.
Research Department have now done a good deal of
Flag E
work on this (Miss Warman's minute giving an account
of their findings is attached).
Flag F
bruchi
S. The system was first put into effect in Hong Kong
in 1883-4 by Sir George Bowen His intention was
to give Hong Kong a semblance of "popular election"
without the disadvantages which were usually held
to accompany it. In informing the Chamber of
Commerce of his proposéls in May 1883, Sir George
Bowen said that the nominations would be called for
"as a general rule and in his despatch of 14 May
1883 to the Secretary of State, he said: "of
course, the final appointment would continue in
every case, to rest absolutely with the Governor,
to
subject to the approval of the Crown".
The pro-
posal had a mixed reception at the Colonial Office
but. the scheme was in the end accepted. The a
understanding
Colonial Office then fully understood that the
system was not designed to give the Chamber of
the clear
Commerce or the JPs "an absolute right of nomination.
The general conclusion is that the practice was The
never enshrined in the constitution of Hong Kong
the practi and wee simply a convention. Since that eonvention
is now anachronistic and, in the Governor's view,
contains the seeds of political discord which could
thar
there is no
Obly it won to continues. to Hilla follow it
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