TNAG-1365-FCO40-1811-Hong-Kong-Legislative-Council-(Powers-and-Privileges)-Bill-1-1985 — Page 30

(E) THE POLITICAL OPPONENTS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM ARE ARGUING THAT

THE BILL SHOULD NOT BE PASSED UNTIL THE NEW ELECTED MEMBERS

ARE PRESENT. IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS INDEED TO CONCEDE THEIR

CLAIM THAT THE PRESENT LEGCO LACKS AUTHORITY. LEGCO MEMBERS, WHO UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORT THE BILL, ARE APPOINTED WITH THE

APPROVAL OF MINISTERS TO ADVISE GOVERNMENT ON THE BEST INTERESTS

OF HONG KONG. MINISTERS HAVE ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS MADE

CLEAR THEIR SUPPORT FOR UNOFFICIALS AND RELIED ON THEIR SUPPORT

FOR THE JOINT DECLARATION. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE DEBATE IN THE

HOUSE OF COMMONS ON 15 MAY 1934 THE SECRETARY OF STATE PAID

A TRIBUTE TO THE VERY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION THAT UNOFFICIAL

MEMBERS MADE TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND LIFE OF HONG KONG.

(F) NOW THAT THE BILL HAS BEEN HEAVILY AMENDED, AND THERE ARE NO

MORE POINTS OF SUBSTANCE TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE REVISED BILL,

LOCAL CRITICISM HAS SWITCHED IN PART TO GENERALITIES AND

IN PART TO MATTERS WHICH GO WELL BEYOND THE BILL.

(G) FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF HONG KONG IT WOULD OF COURSE BE

MOST UNWELCOME WERE THIS QUESTION TO BECOME A POLITICAL

FOOTBALL IN THE UK.

THE GENERAL OBJECTION IS BASED ON A CALL FOR DELAY UNTIL THE NEW LEGCO MEETS (PARA (E) ABOVE). THE LEGAL POINTS RAISED BY THE

LEGAL ASSOCIATIONS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE GROUP OF UNOFFICIALS.

OTHERS E.G. THE PROPOSED REVIEW OF STANDING ORDERS AND REPLACEMENT

OF THE GOVERNOR AS A SPEAKER, GO BEYOND THE PRESENT BILL (THE LATTER POINT IS IN ANY CASE SCHEDULED FOR REVIEW IN 1987: SEE PARAS 34 TO 36 OF THE WHITE PAPER).

3. A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION BY MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION

(1.E. JUSTICE, THE LAW SOCIETY AND THE BAR ASSOCIATION) HAS BEEN

SENT TO YOU BY FACSIMILE THROUGH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

IN LONDON.

YOUDE

LIMITED

HKD

PS

PS/MR LUCE

SIR W HARDING MR WILSON

ཉ

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

MR FI FOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

HKGO, LONDON

!

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