0003240
G.F. 324
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TOWN
TOWN TALK
DDS]
SECRETARIAT FOR HOME AFFAI
176
14th October 1971
TOWN TALK is written for senior officers who are familiar with the general background of life in Hong Kong. It is prepared weekly for Friday morning from material gathered by City District Officers. This is what we hear or are told-not what we think. A detailed note on the preparation and significance of TOWN TALK will be forwarded on application.
GENERAL CRITICISM OF THE INCREASE IN DEFENCE COSTS
6/1
STRAY DOGS : MORE VIGOROUS ACTION URGED
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT : CALLS BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS
WIDELY ENDORSED
DEFENCE COSTS
Whilst many expressed their appreciation of the importance of
having British troops stationed in the Colony even for internal
security, most of the comments heard were critical of the amount
of increase in defence costs to be shouldered by Hong Kong. The two
comments most frequently heard were that the increase in defence
costs would affect adversely the development of social services
and that the huge bill would eventually be passed on to the community
through increases in taxation.
2.
Some teachers thought that the most serious security problem
at the moment was the need to curb the current crime wave and that
the extra money should be spent on strengthening the Police Force.
Some teachers and university students maintained that despite the
heavy defence costs, there could still be no guarantee for the long-
term future of Hong Kong. At the same time some businessmen pointed
to the significant British commercial interests in Hong Kong and suggested
that this should be a factor for consideration by the United Kingdom
Government, quite apart from the fact that Hong Kong is after all a
British colony and is in their view entitled to protection by the
mother country.
3.
Commenting on the amount of land which would be handed back
to the Hong Kong Government by the Armed Forces as a result of the
new arrangement a number of Kaifong leaders, teachers and office
workers have maintained that this concession is not as generous as it
appears because when the new arrangement expires in five years' time
the Armed Forces will not be able to offer similar concessions for
the renewal of a further agreement. There were also comments on the
' expensiveness' of the British garrison, including the 'extravagant'
fringe benefits enjoyed by the British troops in Hong Kong.
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/Stray Dogs