TNAG-0430-FCO40-495-Appointments-of-membership-of-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Ko-1974 — Page 17

GR 389

INMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

LAST

REF.

(40)

NE

REF.

R

хб

FM FCO 141515Z

CONFIDENTIAL

(HKK 1/9)

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 878 OF 14 OCTOBER, 1974

OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL:

YOUR TELNO 987.

1. SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS, WE AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD

PROCEED WITH BOTH THE APPOINTMENTS PROPOSED IN YOUR TEL UNDER

REFERENCE. IF BOTH NOMINEES AGREE TO SERVE, YOU HAVE AUTHORITY

TO ANNOUNCE BOTH APPOINTMENTS WITHOUT FURTHER REFERENCE TO FCO.

NICK 13/2 THE

2. OUR REASON FOR AGREEING TO THE REMOVAL OF ALEXANDER IS NOT ONLY

THE INCREASED AUTONOMY OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT

THERE ARE NOW TWO MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL ON LEGCO, WHO CAN

SPEAK FOR ITS INTERESTS AS WELL AS ANY OFFICIAL, WHILE WE ACCEPT

THE ARGUMENT IN YOUR DESPATCH OF 30 MAY THAT LEGCO MEMBERS MUST BE

APPOINTED FOR THEIR PERSONAL QUALITIES AND NOT AS OF RIGHT, THE

REMOVAL OF THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES DOES SEEM TO US TO

UNDERLINE THE DESIRABILITY OF ARRANGING IN PRACTICE THAT SOMEONE

FROM THE URBAN COUNCIL ALWAYS SITS ON LEGCO.

3. WE AGREE WITH THE BALANCE OF ARGUMENT FOR APPOINTING SLEVIN

BUT IN SOUNDING HIM THERE IS ONE POINT (ARISING FROM PARAGRAPH

7 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE) WHICH WE THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE

IN MIND. IN A RATHER DIFFERENT WAY FROM OTHER EXECUTIVE OFFICERS,

THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE CARRIES A PERSONAL AND STATUTORY

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE APPLICATION AND OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW.

TH DISCHARGING THIS, HE COMES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE LATTER'S OWN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AS CONTROLLER OF /PUBLIC

CONFIDENTIAL