It was the first Urban Council election after theSecond World War. Prior to the election, the former Governor SirMark Aitchison Young suggested a further constitutional reform by a new elected Municipal body replacing the Urban Council. TheYoung Plan was strongly opposed by the conservatives and the then Governor SirAlexander 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 theMurray Parade Ground. Some 3,368 men cast ballots, about one-third of the 9,700 registered voters, lower than expectations. TheChina Mail said it could "scarcely be regarded as a convincing sign that the Colony is desperately anxious to enjoy extended franchise."[1]Brook Bernacchi of theReform Club of Hong Kong andWilliam Louey of theKowloon Residents' Association, chief manager ofKowloon Motor Bus, were elected out of nine candidates. Pro-Communist barristerPercy Chen, son of formerForeign Minister of the Republic of ChinaEugene 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 candidateWoo Pak-chuen lost the race by only 38 votes.[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.
^"Steady Stream Of Voters At Urban Council Election".China Mail. 30 May 1952.
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