CO_1030_1459_HONG_KONG_CONSTITUTIONAL_DEVELOPMENT_1963_1965 — Page 214

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HOT ROME

Sir Robert Black has proposed that the Legislative Council be

increased by 5 nominated unofficial and 3 official members. +This

would make 13 unofficials and 12 unofficials (excluding the

Governor). The Governor's original and casting vote would ensure

that the official view could if necessary prevail,

This is of course a very minor change. It was accepted by

your predecessor that future changes to the constitution of Hong

Kong can only take the form of improvements of the machinery of

Government and that we should not indulge in the pretence of

appearing to advance, by constitutional reforms, towards self-

government. It has been made clear by Ministers in the past that

there can be no question of elections to Legislative Council.

This position is generally accepted on both sides in

Parliament and also, apart from a vociferous but insignificant

minority, in Hong Kong.

The object of the change is to widen the range from which

unofficial members are selected. There has been justified

criticism that the present Legislature is too narrowly based,

The Governor also proposes to increase the unofficial membership

of the Urban Council by 2 elected and 2 nominated members.

(There are at present 5 official and 16 unofficial members,)

This will also help meet the criticism.

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/singRobert Black

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