TNAG-1259-FCO40-1599-The-Future-of-Hong-Kong---special-study-by-FCO--August-1982--1983 — Page 222

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7. IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO SEEK THE VIEWS OF A RANGE OF INFLUENTIAL ORGANISATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS. ALTHOUGH ITS STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES COVER ONLY MUNICIPAL SERVICES THE URBAN COUNCIL IS PARTLY ELECTED AND PARTLY APPOINTED AND CAN REPRESENT A RANGE OF OPINION IN THE URBAN AREA. THE HEUNG YEE KUX SPEAKS FOR THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES. ITS MAIN AIM IS TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF PROPERTY HOLDER THERE BUT ITS MEMBERSHIP COMPRISES ELDER STATESMEN OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF RURAL COMMUNITIES. IT WOULD ALSO BE POSSIBLE TO TAKE THE VIEWS OF NUMEROUS COMMERCIAL ORGANISATIONS, MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATIONS AND THE MORE SENIOR ADVISORY BOARDS WHICH COVER A

WIDE RANGE OF HONG KONG LIFE.

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COULD BE TESTED

8. FROM SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR GRASSROOTS OPINION THROUGH CONSULTATION WITH THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF DISTRICT BOARDS. AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME IS TO EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN

ADMINISTRATION BY HOLDING ELECTIONS TO THE BOARDS ON A CONSTITUENCY BASIS. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARDS ARE ADVISORY AND CONFINED TO LOCAL ISSUES: BUT THEY COULD NEVERTHELESS BE USED AS A VEHICLE FOR THE EXPRESSION OF OPINION ON WIDER ISSUES. ELECTIONS FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES BOARDS WERE HELD IN MARCH 1982 AND THOSE FOR THE URBAN AREA WILL BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER JUST BEFORE THE P.M.'S VISIT. ABOUT ONE M LLION PEOPLE HAVE REGISTERED AS ELECTORS.

9. CONSULTATION ON THIS SCALE COULD FAIRLY BE SAID TO HAVE COVERED

A WIDELY REPRESENTATIVE RANGE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG. ANYTHING GOING BEYOND PARAS 2 TO 5 ABOVE WOULD INEVITABLY BECOME PUBLIC

KNOWLEDGE AND WE SHOULD IN CONSEQUENCE NEED TO CONSIDER THE

TIMING VERY CAREFULLY. MOREOVER SINCE IT WOULD INEVITABLY PRODUCE THE CONCLUSION THAT MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WOULD PREFER THINGS TO STAY AS THEY ARE WE SHOULD ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER THE REACTION OF THE CHINESE WHO MIGHT WELL INTERPRET IT AS AN ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE

THEIR POSITION IN ANY DISCUSSIONS WHICH MAY BE IN PROGRESS.

10. THE PROPOSITIONS ON THE BASIS OF WHICH THE CONSULTATION WAS

TO BE CONDUCTED WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE DRAFTED WITH EXTREME CARE. THERE WOULD BE NO POINT IN CONSULTING THE POPULATION ON OPTIONS WHICH WILL NOT BE OPEN TO THEM: AND WE ARE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO WILL BE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF SOVEREIGNTY, JURISDICTION, ADMINISTRATION ETC AS WE UNDERSTAND THEM. WE ARE

UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO FRAME THESE PROPOSITIONS UNTIL THE

DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS.

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