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Sir D Watson
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HONG KONG: SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
1.
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The Governor has asked for immediate advice on a passage on the size and composition of the Legislative Council which he is thinking of including in his statement to LegCo on 8 October (Hong Kong telegrams nos. 992 and 993 refer). I attach a copy of Sir Duncan Watson's letter of 8 August as well as the relevant extract from Dr Chung's statement last year (Hong Kong telegram no. 992 and paragraph 5 thereof refer).
2.
From reading telegram no. 992 I had expected to find a rather more forward looking passage about the Legislative Council than I find that in telegram no. 993 to be. I read the passage mainly as a rationalisation and even a justification of the status quo. As far as I can see, it does not touch, even indirectly, on the question of a possible increase in the size of the Legislative Council. I therefore think that the passage could be open to an unfortunate misinterpretation in certain quarters here as well as, perhaps, in Hong Kong itself. In view of this risk, as I see it, and since the Governor himself is, on balance, inclined not to use the passage, I recommend that we should advise him not to do so. I submit a draft telegram.
ageel a
6 October 1975
7/10
Dan Watz
6/10
D.F.Muller
D F Milton
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
Para. 3 of lete gran us. 992 is satisfactory
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expersed wishes. But starch the Govenor camot anonce this intentia jet. I agree
liked, that the propred statement is counter-productive so for as opmin. here
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