TNAG-1719-FCO40-2399-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 86

SECRET

3

(b)

(c)

traditional political apathy among the populace, coupled with the transient nature of society and lack of a sense of belonging, among refugee Chinese and expatriates alike; and

"the danger that, in a democratically elected legislature, the politics of China - as distinct from those of the Colony would be a constant issue, which would have a most disturbing effect".

The 1960s

8.

-

For the next fourteen years there were no further attempts at constitutional reform, partly perhaps because of the "difficulties and dangers" described by Grantham, but also because Hong Kong was preoccupied with the problems of absorbing continuous waves of refugees and adjusting economically to the loss of its entrepot trade with China, as a result of the Korean War embargo. In 1966, however, the debate was reopened when Sir David Trench set up a study group to examine how to provide some form of local government for the new emerging towns of the New Territories. The Urban Council promptly set up its own committee to look at the question, and produced proposals that went far beyond the Governor's intention: they were in effect an enhanced Young Plan, involving an expanded Urban Council with an elected majority and territory-wide responsibility for a very broad range of functions.

It

was,

as one academic has put it, a take-over bid for the New Territories and about half of the central government. The Government's own plans were very different. The study group proposed the abolition of the Urban Council and the division of local government over the whole territory among a number of smaller councils.

9.

Once again external events intervened: this time the Cultural Revolution and the consequential 1967 riots in Hong Kong which again threatened the very existence of the territory. When the dust settled the eventual White Paper of 1971 was a cautious document. No new government structures were set up. But the Urban Council was given financial autonomy; and half its membership became directly elected on a limited franchise. The present process of developing Hong Kong's system of representative government had begun.

The establishment of District Boards

10.

The next ten years saw further change. This took account of varying pressures: rapidly expanding new towns in the New Territories which made traditional structures of local government out-dated;

an

SECRET

/increasingly