the remainder are of local origin, so that expatriates form a smaller proportion. This is as it should be.
The Unofficial J.P.'s give an enormous amount of time to public service, and their names are to be found over and over again on the Councils, Boards and Committees that make Hong Kong tick. Their collective experience of Hong Kong's needs is very great, and it seems strange that Government should be considering the abolition of the J.P seat at a time when it is trying to get closer to the people. I feel sure that most J P.'s would regard this as a retrograde step.
I have heard it suggested that the Nev Territories J.P 's might wish to put forward a candidate, and that this would be a divisive element. There is no particular reason why the N.T J.P.'s should not do so, but an examination of the sponsors to my nomination in April 1968 will show that the great majority of the New Territories J.P. 's gave me their support, and their reasons for doing so would include :-
(a)
Messrs. Lawrence and Horace Kadoorie were amongst my sponsors. I have helped them in a minor degree with the K.A.A.A. Experimental Farm at Paak Ngau Shek, and the embryo Agricultural Development Foundation with which the Director of Agriculture, Mr. Jack Cater, and Mr. Riddell-Swan, are also connected.
(b) The four largest New Territories Tongs
approached me about four years ago, and did
me the honour of asking me to be Tong Manager of Tong land scattered throughout
A
./.
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