FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
Simplex
TO HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
FED 36/400/01
Sent 18th June, 1964. 14.45 hrs.
IMMEDIATE CONFIDENTIAL
No. 975
Personal for Governor from Martin.
Your letter of 5th June.
Legislative Council appointments.
We are grateful for this full background and, though we suggest reconsideration of certain aspects, we recognise that your approach is the same as ours and that you are of course closer to the problem.
2. We agree about importance of adequate representation for manufacturing interests and that this should be recognised by asking P.Y. Tang and H.C. Fung to serve. We also agree about Y.C. Tae in view of his Kaifong associations. While Watson and P.C. Woo are of course personally suitable please consider further in the light of paragraphs 4 and 5 below.
3. We are glad that you have opened up the question of the "right of nomination" by Chamber of Commerce and J.P.8 and that you have no objection in principle to the appointment of elected members of Urban Council. We have just received your recommendation for the re-appointment of Gordon for 2 years and of Ross for 1 year; if these are approved would it mean that you would feel unable to reach a conclusion on changing present practice for 2 years? While we accept that change should not be made immediately, might it not be better to restrict Gordon's re-appointment to 1 year? I note that you have not consulted J.P.s about possibility of change, but action of this kind now might perhaps indicate your intention to give the present system a thorough re-examination.
4. We accept of course that British business interests should be represented on the Council, but we wonder whether there is sufficient justification for a European appointment in the additional seats having regard to the number of European official members. It seems to be accepted that for the present at least the Chamber of Commerce nominee will be European (paragraph 5 of your letter).
5. However, our principal difficulty is the one that has obviously given you concern, i.e. that you are not able to go further in breaking new ground. We realise that it is difficult for someone without established reputation to find acceptance. We should however like you to consider further whether you could not make an experiment with someone of
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