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8.
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Unsettled conditions followed the advent of a Communist
Government in China in October, 1949, notably a considerable
influx of refugees and the imposition of controls on Chinese
immigration from the mainland. Relations with the Chinese
Government were difficult and its intentions towards the
Colony uncertain. Proposals for constitutional changes were therefore dropped. But at the end of 1951, when the
Secretary of State visited Hong Kong, representations on the
matter were made by the Reform Club and the Governor
recommended further consideration.
In 1952 the Cabinet
authorised the Secretary of State to proceed with
constitutional reform but later that year the Secretary of State had to report to the Cabinet that moderate responsible opinion had now swung against making any change and that there was no real demand for change. In announcing an increase from 2 to 4 in the number of elected representatives on the Urban Council, the Secretary of State informed the House of Commons that the time was inopportune for other constitutional changes of a major nature. In the Legislative Council, the Governor supplemented the Secretary of State's statement with an assurance that he was at all times ready to consider further proposals for constitutional changes, provided they were not of a major nature. These decisions appear to have been generally accepted in Hong Kong as being wise and appropriate in the existing circumstances.
9.
In 1953, the Reform Club petitioned The Queen for the inclusion of 2 elected members in the constitution of the Legislative Council. Some 12,000 signatures were obtained, representing a very small proportion of the total population (then about 2.25 million). It was decided that sufficient grounds did not exist for making any change in the policy on constitutional issues (i.e. that no changes of a major nature should be made for the time being), although legislation to widen the franchise for the Urban Council elections was enacted
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/10.
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