THE MPS ALSO BELIEVE THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT ONLY MEAN THAT ''PEOPLE IN TOUCH TO THE COMMON MAN'S ASPIRATIONS WILL GET A
CHANCE OF BEING MEMBERS OF LEGCO BUT IT WILL LET THE HONG
KONG GOVERNMENT OFF THE HOOK SINCE THE QUESTION OF AN ELECTED
LEGCO IS A SENSITIVE ISSUE BETWEEN HONG KONG, BRITAIN,
AND CHINA,
JAMES JOHNSON, MP, WHO HAS BEEN INDENTIFIED AS A MAN
CHAMPIONING HONG KONGS INTERESTS TODAY WELCOMED THE MOVE.
HE IS AMONG THOSE MPS WHO REGULARLY RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT WIDER
REPRESENTATION IN LEGCO. HE HAD IN FACT SPOKEN TO THE
GOVERNOR ABOUT THE NEED TO HAVE URBAN COUNCILLOR ELSIE ELLIOTT
''A WOMAN IN TOUCH WITH THE PAVEMENT OF HONG KONG''IN LEGCO.
** THERE MUST BE NEW AND EXTRA BLOOD IN LEGCO AND IT COULD BE
DONE QUITE SIMPLY BY THE GOVERNOR APPOINTING ELECTED URBAN
COUNCILLORS TO IT "'. HE SAID.
HE ADMITTED THAT THE FRANCHISE IN THE URBAN COUNCIL
ELECTION WAS VERY SMALL INDEED'' BUT ADDED THAT WAS NO POINT IN ATTACKING THE ONLY SYSTEM AND OPENING AVAILABLE.
HE SAID THAT IF THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE URBAN
COUNCIL WERE TO BE APPOINTED TO LEGCO THE GOVERNMENT COULD THEN
CONSIDER WIDENING THE FRANCHISE TO BETWEEN FIVE AND 10 PER CENT
OF THE POPULATION.
''BUT FIRST A START MUST BE MADE IN LEGCO,'' HE SAID. HE ADDED
THAT SINCE THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE URBAN
COUNCIL WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE MEN IN THE STREET IT WAS
IMPORTANT THAT THEY SIT IN LEGCO TO ADVISE AND ASSIST THE
GOVERNOR.
MEANWHILE, THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE DECLINED
TO COMMENT ON THE URBAN COUNCILLORS' MOVE. A SPOKESMAN
SAID IT WAS UP TO THE GOVERNOR TO MAKE A COMMENT, IF HE WISHED
SO.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
HKIOD
GIRD
NEWS D
MR. LARMOUR MR STANLEY
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