TNAG-0606-FCO40-754-Monitoring-progress-made-on-planning-papers-on-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 59

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

time to settle down before injecting further new blood. I think that we can probably hold the position here on the basis of the welcome new appointments that you made last year, provided that any individual appointments that you may propose this year cannot be construed as a departure from the agreed objective of widening the social composition of the Council. I would not wish the credit that was rightly earned by last year's appointments to he lost by an untoward step this year, and I am sure this is your view too.

I was interested in your proposal à appoint the Chairman of the Neung Yee Kuk to the Legislative Council, subject to his recovering from his recent illness and I realise that the appointment of Chan Yak-san would be very welcome to the Kuk, so I am prepared to give it my blessing. Hevertheless, the appointment of the Kuk's Chairman will not, I imagine, be seen locally as an appointment of the same nature as those you were able to wake last year. Nor do I think that it will excite much enthusiasm amongst those who follow your affairs at Westminster.

I understand that Mr P Biliaus, who has served on the Legislative Council for some five years, wishes to retire and that you are thinking of a replacement for him. Stewart tells me that you are thinking of appointing either David Newbigging or Michael Sandberg to Williams! place. I must say that I was disappointed to learn of the kind of appointment you have in mind. I have no personal objection to either Newbigging or Sandberg, but the appointment of either could be seen as a move away from the concept of broadening the social composition of the Legislative Council to which ve are both committed. I wonder if you could try to replace

Williams

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CONFIDENTIAL.

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