1952 Hong Kong municipal election

Overview

It was the first Urban Council election after the Second World War. Prior to the election, the former Governor Sir Mark Aitchison Young suggested a further constitutional reform by a new elected Municipal body replacing the Urban Council. The Young Plan was strongly opposed by the conservatives and the then Governor Sir Alexander Grantham. At the end, the Governor restored the election for two seats in the Urban Council which had existed before the war after the Young Plan was shelved.

The polling station was held at the Murray Parade Ground. Some 3,368 men cast ballots, about one-third of the 9,700 registered voters, lower than expectations. The China Mail said it could "scarcely be regarded as a convincing sign that the Colony is desperately anxious to enjoy extended franchise." Brook Bernacchi of the Reform Club of Hong Kong and William Louey of the Kowloon Residents' Association, chief manager of Kowloon Motor Bus, were elected out of nine candidates. Pro-Communist barrister Percy Chen, son of former Foreign Minister of the Republic of China Eugene Chen, was on the ballot. He urged voters to treat the election as a referendum to press London for a further constitutional reform promised by Young. He ranked sixth of the nine candidates, getting 461 votes. The other Reform Club candidate Woo Pak-chuen lost the race by only 38 votes.

Results

|reg. electors = 9,700

Citations

References

• Pepper, Suzanne (2008). Keeping Democracy at Bay:Hong Kong and the Challenge of Chinese Political Reform. Rowman & Littlefield.

References

1. (31 May 1952). "Council Election". China Mail.
2. Reform Club of Hong Kong. (1949). "Memorandum and articles of Association of the Reform Club of Hong Kong : incorporated the 20th day of January, 1949". Ts'o & Hodgson.
3. (30 May 1952). "Steady Stream Of Voters At Urban Council Election". China Mail.