TNAG-0588-FCO40-721-Publications-on-Hong-Kong-affairs-in-UK-Fabian-Society-pamph-1976 — Page 90

CONFIDENTIAL

THING TO DO BUT IN THE PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES IT

WOULD BE MOST PRACTICAL AND HONOURABLE UNQUOTE.

3. TO ACHIEVE ANYTHING, BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD

HAVE TO HAVE REGARD FOR ATTITUDE OF CHINA TOWARDS

SOCIAL REFORM BUT QUOTE ASSURANCES TO PEKING ON

THIS MATTER COULD READILY BE GIVEN UNQUOTE.

SECOND PROBLEM IS LARGE DEGREE OF AUTONOMY WHICH

HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION ENJOYS. AS A MATTER OF

URGENCY, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET UP A COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY INTO CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG, WITH WIDE RANGING TERMS OF REFERENCE AND FULL

POWERS TO CALL EVIDENCE ETC. A FURTHER IMPORTANT

STEP AFTER THE COMMISSION HAD REPORTED ITS WORK,

WOULD BE THE APPOINTMENT OF A HOUSE OF COMMONS

PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON HONG KONG, TO

EXAMINE THE ANNUAL AND OTHER REPORTS OF THE HONG

KONG GOVERNMENT AND CONNECTED MATTERS. THE

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE SHOULD ALSO CALL

UPON THE HONG KONG COVERNMENT TO COLLECT AND

PUBLISH MUCH FULLER GOVERNMENTAL, SOCIAL AND

ECONOMIC STATISTICS THAN IT DOES AT PRESENT

(THE PAMPHLET DISLIKES THE ANNUAL REPORT).

4. THE PAMPHLET SAYS POWER STRUCTURE WITHIN THE

COLONY ITSELF MUST BE TACKLED. BRITAIN MUST

TAKE ITS RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS PEOPLE OF HONG KONG MUCH MORE SEPIOUSLY THAN IT HAS DONE IN THE

PAST. BUT CERTAIN CHANGES CAN BE MADE.

1. AS POST OF GOVERNOR IS OBVIOUSLY A KEY

ONE AND POWER STRUCTURE WITHIN COLONY CANNOT DETERMINE WHO HE SHALL BE,

BE, BRITISH

GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE CARE TO APPOINT A STRONG

AND RESPECTED FIGURES WELL-KNOWN IN WHITEHALL AND

ABLE TO GO THROUGH TRADITIONAL POMPOSITIES.

2. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE MADE MORE

REPRESENTATIVE AND INCREASED IN SIZE BY GIVING SEATS

TO HEADS OF ALL MAJOR GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THUS PERMITTING 'LARGER NUMBER OF UNOFFICIALS BUT RETAINING OFFICIAL MAJORITY. UNOFFICIALS SHOULD BE ELECTED.

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13.

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