SECKE1
+
action.
6.
2.
He claimed to be surprised at the press tention it had attracted.
I think that politically he is probably a much more naive person than his hard-headed approach to more familiar subjects would make one think.
7.
The difficulties of the situation created in their name have now impinged on Unoffials, who are upset with Dr. Chung. Both Dr. Chung himself and his colleagues naturally now look to me to get them out of the mess they have got themselves into. The Government's formal reply to Dr. Chung was made by the CS and the text " is also annexed. This was a temporising reply to gain
time. I assure you it was not intended to pass the buck to IMG, and will not do so - obviously any change in the Royal Instructions involves HMG, and obviously a proposal such as Dr. Chung's would require consultation with HMG.
8.
Being temperamentally an activist my personal and initial reaction to Dr. Chung's intervention was to push on with the introduction of a member system, and I discussed this with Sir Y.K. Kan. The latter strongly advised against anything of the sort. Ile said be thought the member system was the right direction in which to move, but against the background of what Dr. Chung had said, it would look far too much like a diversionary tactic and be discredited. He firmly recommended that I should sit tight and let interest in Dr. Chung's proposals blow itself out.
9.
It was also quite clear that he would be reluctant to participate himself in a member system Government in present circumstances.
10.
One has, to see this against the background of a situation dominated now not by political but economic considerations, including the impact on Hong Kong of recession in its major markets and uncertainty about how long this will continue. The impact on our budgetary position is depressing, and this makes an unhappy background against which to ask Unofficials to accept new responsibi- lities vis-vis the public.
11.
+
I hope that eventually the Mutual Aid Committees will throw up personalities from strata of society different from present members of Leg. Co., who would be suitable for appointment. I already have a short
SECRET
}
י
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.