CO_1030_1459_HONG_KONG_CONSTITUTIONAL_DEVELOPMENT_1963_1965 — Page 248

Page 248

Page 248

Every person between 21 and 60 years of age (of whatever race

or nationality) is "qualified and liable to serve as a

juror" (subject to certain exemptions) if:

4.

(i) he is a good and sufficient person resident in

the Colony"

(ii) he is "of scund mind and not efflicted with deafness,

blindness, or other such infirmity"

(iii) he has "a knowledge of the English languae

sufficient to enable him to understand the evidence

of witnessus, the address of counsel and the

Judge's summing up".

A final register of electors is published in two parts

for llong Kong and Kowloon respectively. Only some 26,000

persons registered for the elections held in April, 1963 and

of these only 5,320 actually voted.

5.

Proposals for "unicipal Council A Municipal Council

was first proposed in 1849 and the proposal was made again

from time to time. ut in 1896 Mr. Joseph Chamberlain caine

to the conclusion that a Municipal Council for Hong Kong was

impracticable because of the size of the Colony and the fact

that such a Council with enchanced powers would clash with the

Legislative Council.

6.

In 1946, as part of the post-war reconstruction of

Civil Government in Hong Kong, the "Mark Young Iunicipal

Council scheme "was produced, providing for the progressive

devolution on the Council of may of the Gov..rnment's functions

(e.. in the field of education, social welfare, town planning, public works). In 1947 a simultaneous announcement in the

Colony and in the House of Commons outlined the proposals for

constitutional reform:

(1) A unicipal Council of 30 members (to be composed

half of Chinese and half of non-Chinese);

thirds were to be elected on a uni

two-

Rage 248 of 344a

/one-third

age 249 of 344