CO_1030_1459_HONG_KONG_CONSTITUTIONAL_DEVELOPMENT_1963_1965 — Page 261

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CONFIDENTIAL

CR 1/511/6011

-13 DEC 1963

1

18th November 1963

& Garter

2127

H5-311

Kar markhir, 29/10

Thank you for your letter (FED

36/400/01), dated the 7th, drawing my attention to press reports on Healey's remarks during his visit to Hong Kong in September and to general comments you have heard on constitutional reform in Hong Kong.

We have never lost sight of the question of "improving the machinery" of Government, and I am at

Indeed, I present engaged in a series of discussions. began these last September, following a talk with R.C. Lee on his return to Hong Kong. Shortly afterwards I held a preliminary discussion with him and his Unofficial colleagues on the lines of that which I reported to you on 21st December, 1961 (CR 1/511/60 - your reference FED 36/400/01). At the September meeting 1 recapitulated the points raised and conclusions in 1961, and then drew attention to the factors which justified a review after

Incidentally, neither Lee, the passage of two years. nor any of his colleagues, pursued the idea of a panel of

It is names to be put forward by professional groups.

one I dislike and, in any case, it does not spread the net any wider - we have engineers, accountants, lawyers, doctors, businessmen, etc., on the Councils already. The general feeling among the Unofficials is that the time has come to make some changes in the composition of the Legislative Council, and I have already arranged for a further discussion, but I shall be having a meeting this week with certain senior official advisers, before

After meeting the Unofficials again on this subject.

all this, I hope to be in a position to put to you agreed proposals both on the nature of the changes which I recommend and on their timing.

Sir John Martin, K.C.M.G., C.B.,

C.V.O., 344.

Office, London, S.W.1.

巡

2/12/63

Your Ever

Romain Nam

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