TNAG-1352-FCO40-1793-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 86

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GRO 150

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTTALP COPY

FM HONG KONG 1109152 FEB 25

TO INMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMSEP 219 OF 11 FEBRUARY

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

onli KKK Onl

39

MY TELNO 013 REFERS.

св

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL

FURTHER TO PARA 5 OF MY TUR, I SHOULD EXPLAIN THAT EXCO WERE

CONCERNED THAT SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES SHOULD ENJOY AN ABSOLUTE

MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST AND NOT SIMPLY BE ELECTED ON A FIRST

PAST THE POST BASIS. IN OTHER WORDS, EXCO FAVOURED AN ABSOLUTE

MAJORITY SYSTEM BECUASE IT IS A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY OF ENSURING

THAT CANDIDATES WITH A LARGE DEGREE OF CONSENSUS SUPPORT IN THE

ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES ARE ELECTED.

A SIMPLE MAJORITY SYSTEM MIGHT RESULT IN CANDIDATES WHO RECEIVE

A COMPARATIVELY SMALL PROPORTION OF THE VOTES CAST BEING ELECTED.

2. AS TO THE ACTUAL ELECTORAL PROCEDURE, REPEATED BALLOTS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST STRAIGHT-FORWARD AND PRACTICAL METHOD

FOR THE ELECTROAL COLLEGE BECAUSE THE SIZE OF THE ELECTORATE IN

THOSE CONSTITUENCIES WILL BE SMALL ABOUT 40 IN EACH CONSTITUENCY.

BUT THIS WOULD NOT BE A PRACTICAL METHOD IN THE FUNCTIONAL

CONSTITUENCIES BECAUSE THERE ARE LIKELY TO BE SEVERAL THOUSAND

ELECTORS IN SOME OF THOSE.

YOUDE

LIMITED

HKD

FED

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR BICKFORD, LEGAL ADVISER

CONFIDENTIAL