CO_1030_1459_HONG_KONG_CONSTITUTIONAL_DEVELOPMENT_1963_1965 — Page 110

Sir David Trench, K.C.M.G., F.C..

Government House,

Hong Kong.

FED. 36/400/01/PQ.2

FED/AB.232

FURTHER ACTION

Page 110

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I feel it is time to let you know that we may

need soon to consider again the possibilities for

further constitutional change in Hong Kong.

2.

You will recall John Rankin's question of the

..69.7....

26th November last year about political and economic

development in Hong Kong. In our savingram No..

you were authorised to inform the Hong Kong Labour Party

that Mrs. White's reply to this question represented the

present Government's policy. The reply ran as follows:·

"In the special circumstances of Hong Kong,

there are obvious limitations on political

development. My Hon. Friend will be aware

that additions to the rembership of the

Legislative Council were made in July of this

year. My Rt. Hon. Friend has no immediate

plans for further change, but we shall, of

course, consider any ways within the present

framework in which the people may be more

closely associated with the government of the

territory."

Later, in answer to a supplementary question,

....

Mrs. White said: " I think we had better wait a

little longer before ary further charges are made."

3.

This year, as you know, there has been a

/further Page 116 of 344

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

furthePage$tipofb34Rankin (11th February) about the Civic AssociatioPage 111 of 34

plan for turning the Urban Council into a "House of Representatives"

(your tels Nos. 90 and 169 refer).

Since then there has been

14 +16+ Pol

FED 175/400/04

correspondence between Rankin and the Secretary of State about

the petition to the Prime Minister from the London Action

Committee of the U.N.A.H.K. (copies of which are being sent

to you separately) containing a demand for an elected

Legislative Council.

4.

Although only this one l'ember has recently shown a

close interest, we think that Ministers may come under increasing

any case

im

pressure on this issue. We anticipate that they will also

wish to be quite sure in their own minds that all ressonable

and safe steps towards constitutional advance in Hong Kong are bema

Thurik

have beer taken. I consider therefore that we should examine

delay

afresh and without further det any possibilities there may

be of introducing changes that are not likely to rock the

boat or, if they might rock it, involve a risk that it is

perhaps acceptable to take. We might examine this under two

heads:-

(a) Extension of the Urban Council functions and

franchise.

(b) A widening of the field from which members of the

5.

Legislative Council are selected for appointment

(including the possibility of appointing

elected Urban Council members).

On the face of it Urban Council responsibilities

cover a very limited and perhaps humdrum field. Moreover

they have little or no financial responsibility, their

financed

services being met from Central Government revenues and their estimates being subject to approval in detail (I

Services gather you have had a little storm over the Urban-Souneil

estimates recently). Their work within the furstion's allocated (e.g. resettlement, provision of public amenities)

is undoubtedly growing in volume but is there enough of

sufficient interest and importance in it to make them

feel that they are doing a worthwhile job? I realise