(1) How does the Secretary see the present
situation in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong has passed through a most trying
time and, with characteristic resilience, has
surmounted it very well. A small minority of
extreme Communists, with their sympathisers and
supporters, has deliberately challenged the authority
of the Hong Kong Government using methods of mass
physical intimidation and violence. The efforts
have failed in the face of the determined stand
taken by the authorities to maintain law and order.
In the measures they have taken the authorities
have had the full support of the general public in
Hong Kong who have shown quite unmistakably
that they are determined to maintain their peaceful,
orderly way of life; their courage and fortitude
has been outstanding.
As I and my colleagues have
said on more than one occasion, we for our part
will continue to give them our full support and to
carry out our responsibilities and obligations to
them.
While no-one should minimise the dangers
events
or the unpleasantness of recent developments in
Hong Kong, it does no service to overstate (as has
have had sometimes been the case) the effect they are having
on the life of the Colony.
Inevitably there has been
some disruption and from time to time people have
been put to much inconvenience.
Some people have
been put in personal danger or have suffered
M
through
personal harm, a few have lost their lives
quite irresponsible and dastardly acts of violence
/and