8.
(c) By Order in Council.
This procedure would not rep
reference to Hong Kong and would thus not involve the Members who could dissociate themselves from it.
is no Parliamentary procedure involved in the mak In such an order, but once it became known that such an order had been made a Member of larliament might ask a question about it or try to initiate a debate.
T
There have been no recent precedents for any of the above com! of action. We believe that the last time the Governor acted aminaḥ the Legislative Council's advice was in 1946 on a taxation issue even then he did not have to use his official majority in the i Council for several unofficial members changed sides in midst However, the circumstances existing in the Colony in 1946 wore different from those of today that this can hardly be conside precedent.
9. Any attempt to impose the United Kingdom's view, partiend such an unpopular issue as that of the defence contribution, c risk the resignation of many if not all of the Unofficial memi with the consequent disruption of the system of Government ang of disorder in the Colony. The Governor could expect 14461 popular support on such an issue and even if a constitutions i was avoided his position in the Colony could be seriously ePor
The Informal Arrangements
10. The Unofficial members of the Executivo and Legislative form a coherent (though not constitutionally recognised) body is UMELCO, which sees itself as "the popular" representatiyo Hong Kong.interests. The functions of UMELCO are more akit bo of Ministers than back-benchers although the analogy amet too far. They work very closely with senior officials behin scenes and in public, both on the preparation of legislation
wide field of administrative activity and policy formation. also have an Ombudsman function, having an office to deal with representations from the public.
CONFIDENTIAL
The d
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