TNAG-1355-FCO40-1796-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 33

GRS 700

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 1709OOZ FCO

TELNO 2192

OF 170655Z OCTOBER 85

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY (410)

ннн alll

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 2 1 OCT 1985

INFO DESKBY 17090OZ PEKING

ME GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF DRAFT INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS.

BEGINS

DSCRY

PA

ion Taken

1. IT IS AN HONOUR FOR ME TO PRESIDE OVER THIS, THE FIRST MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. IN ITS NEW CHAMBER. NOT ONLY HAS THE

MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY ENLARGED BUT, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY, AN IMPORTANT PART OF ITS MEMBERSHIP HAS BEEN CHOSEN BY INDIRECT ELECTION. THE OPENING OF THE 1985/86 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THUS MARKS ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN THE STEADY EVOLUTION OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

IN HONG KONG.

2. THIS EVOLUTION HAS BEEN IN PROGRESS FOR SOME TIME. THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS HAD ELECTED MEMBERS FOR MANY YEARS. IN 1983, THE NUMBER OF ELECTED MEMBERS WAS INCREASED TO 15, THE FRANCHISE WAS GREATLY EXTENDED, AND MEMBERS WERE ELECTED FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM DISTRICT CONSTITUENCIES. DISTRICT BOARDS, ESTABLISHED IN 1977, FIRST HAD A PROPORTION OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP ELECTED IN 1982: THE NUMBER OF ELECTED DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WAS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED EARLIER THIS YEAR. ELECTIONS FOR THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL WILL BE HELD

IN MARCH NEXT YEAR. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS LOOKED FOR PROGRESS COMBINED WITH STABILITY. IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. IN THIS FAST DEVELOPING WORLD, ALL SOCIETIES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE: AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS MUST ADAPT TO MEET THE CHANGING REQUIREMENTS OF THE SOCIETIES WHICH ESTABLISHED THEM. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE MUST BE DUE REGARD FOR STABILITY. HONG KONG IS SUCCESSFUL ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY BECAUSE IT IS A STABLE SOCIETY. THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL RECOGNISES THAT PROGRESS AND STABILITY

MUST GO HAND IN HAND.

3. AS REGARDS THE FUNCTIONING OF THE COUNCIL, I AM CONFIDENT THAT HONOURABLE MEMBERS, WHETHER ELECTED BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE OR BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, WHETHER APPOINTED OR OFFICIAL, WILL RECOGNISE THAT, WHEN IN THIS CHAMBER, WE ARE ALL PART OF ONE COUNCIL. EACH MEMBER MAY HAVE HIS OR HER INDIVIDUAL ALLEGIANCE, BUT ALL OF US HAVE A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THE POLICIES WE ENDORSE AND THE LEGISLATION WE SHALL PASS WILL AFFECT THE DAILY LIVES, NOT ONLY OF THE SECTORS WHICH INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS MAY REPRESENT, BUT OF EVERYONE IN HONG KONG. WHILE I EXPECT ISSUES TO BE VIGOROUSLY DEBATED IN THIS CHAMBER, WILL BE INCUMBENT ON US ALL NEVER TO LOSE SIGHT OF THAT COMMON

RESPONSIBILITY.

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