TNAG-0327-FCO40-363-History-of-constitution-of-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 79

CONFIDENTIAL

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

HONG KONG

SCR 2/1136/72

19th May 1972

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51 - 2 JUN 1972

NICK 1/

LAST

19

HKKI/4. 13

Des Michel,

N

R.V.

2

By this bag I am sending a despatch

about appointments to Legislative Council and Executive Council. There is however a further point I should make separately.

David Trench made various moves to abolish the tradition whereby the JPS and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce were each invited to nominate for the Governor's consideration a member each for Leg. Co. (his letters of 5.6.64 and 2.3.66 refer). But he always backed away.

My objection to this custom is not that it produces bad councillors, on the contrary they have usually been excellent, moreover by tradition they have been European seats, which also is extremely useful. But sooner or later this method of selection is bound to lead to controversy and comparisons with other bodies not similarly favoured, and controversy about the method by which the Legislative Council is selected is something one wants to avoid. particularly do not want controversy that might lose some European seats.

I

The origins of the tradition are very old indeed. I believe that in 1850 Earl Grey directed the then Governor to associate two members of the civil community with the Government (I presume this was the beginning of Unofficial representation).

Instead

E.O. Laird Esq., CMG, MBE, Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

CONFIDENTIAL