TNAG-0430-FCO40-495-Appointments-of-membership-of-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Ko-1974 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 560 FRIORITY

TOD

CORY

CYPHER CAT/A REF.

RECEIVED IN

FREGISTRY No.52

ntis

FM HONG KONG Ø30750Z

-20CT 1974

CONFIDENTIAL

गगन

Souletted.

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TO PRIORITY F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 987 OF 3 OCTOBER. 1974

OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

PA

AS YOU ARE AWARE, CANNING RETIRED AS DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION ON 2 SEPTEMBER AND HAS BEEN SUCCEEDED BY K.W.J. TOPLEY,

2. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF TOPLEY'S APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WITH EFFECT FROM THE OPENING OF THE NEW SESSION ON 16 OCTOBER

1974.

3. IN VIEW OF THE CHANGED NATURE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE GREATER AUTONOMY GIVEN TO IT, IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE TIME S HAD COME FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SINCE MOST OF THE MATTERS WHICH- WERE FORMERLY DEALT WITH BY HIM OUGHT NOW TO BE RAISED IN THE

URBAN COUNCIL ITSELF.

4. I THEREFORE RENEWED HIS PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENT ONLY UNTIL THE END OF THE LAST SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND IT IS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO APPOINT AN OFFICIAL MEMBER TO

REPLACE HIM,

5. AFTER CAREFUL CONSULTATION WITH MY OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL ADVISERS, I HAVE DECIDED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE VACANCY BE FILLED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF B.F. SLEVIN THE PRESENT COMMISSIONER

OF POLICE.

5. THE APPOINTMENT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO LEG CO WOULD NOT BE NOVEL FOR HONG KONG. THE COMMISSIONER WAS A MEMBER OF LEG CO BEFORE THE WAR AND FOR A SHORT PERIOD AFTER THE WAR. I AM ALSO INFORMED THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF PRECEDENTS, IN OTHER FORMER OVERSEAS TERRITORIES FOR THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

BEING A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURENTIAL

17.

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