Flags
& B
Mr
Ecett
block frrice
27-7
Parliamentary
6
1. We discussed last week the Question put down by Mr Ben
Ford about Hong Kong and Typhoon Lucy.
The proposed reply
is based on Hong Kong telegrams Nos. 504 and 511.
There can
be no doubt that the Hong Kong Government have evolved over
the years most satisfactory arrangements for dealing with the
effects of typhoons. For example there is a Civil Coordination
Centre which is always manned during civil disturbances and
typhoons. I think therefore that we should take this
opportunity to congratulate the Government.
2. The Question is for written answer; there is therefore
no need for any Notes for Supplementaries.
3.
Because typhoons are such a day to day occurrence in Hong
Kong at certain times of the year they are puzzled by our enquiries and concern on this occasion. I propose therefore
to write to explain that Typhoon Lucy evidently had a strong
write up and that it must have been thought at one time that
the centre of the typhoon would pass over the Colony. Certainly, possibly largely as a result of a broadcast by the BBC, we in the Department had 3 enquiries last Thursday about
conditions in Hong Kong.
27 July 1971
Maria
E o Laird
Hong Kong Department