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the Executive Council. It is improbable in either case that representatives emrging from the lower income groups will be able to undertake the duties of LegCo and ExCo membership without payment; and it may be that the two bodies could become more effective with

effective secretarial help and research assistance. Government expenditure for these purposes will need to be regarded as a necessary burden on the taxpayer. It would in any case be small compared with the cost

of the Government Service as a whole which absorbs

38% of total revenue.

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Supp

There may be opposition in Hong Kong to changes of this nature and the process will need to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary in character; but if the Governor manages to effect the first step in June without difficulty (by the appointment of a number of members drawn from a wider social background than heretofore) we must look for some acceleration in the

process over the next few years. It may not be possible to move at a pace sufficient to contain the widespread criticism in this country of the present institutional framework in the Colony; and indeed some of those who criticise the non-elective system of government without sufficient regard to the "China dimension" will never

be satisfied. But it could certainly be made more credible by the inclusion of LegCo members drawn from the independent trade unions. It would be desirable, for optical reasons alone, for the Governor to appoint such a figure to the Legislative Council in June; and, indeed, it is our judgment that the present carefully conceived system for reform might well be at risk in Britain without it. Further appointments of members

min lachgodine would seen diflicet drawn from the trade unions must, in our view, be conditional upon the growth of effective, and independent, trade unionism. The low-profile study of industrial relations referred to in paragraph 19 of Annex C may point the way forward on the development of trade unionism. generally: or alternatively produce convincing sociological and political explanations for their failure, so far, to gain popular support.

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