Y. HINDLE: IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR CHARGES WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO DO7
MR. SILLARS: WELL, I THINK THE BRITISH COVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT OUGHT TO TAKE ON BOARD THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG. IT'S THE FORGOTTEN COLONY AND IT'S MADE UP OF FOUR MILLION PEOPLE, THAT'S A VERY GREAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TO FORGET ABOUT. I THINK THAT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS SET UP A ROYAL COMMISSION TO ENCUIRE INTO LABOUR AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG AND TO MAKE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ALONG THE LINES OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 1.L.0. CONVENTIONS, A BASIC MINIMUM WAGE AND THE REMOVAL OF VERY SERIOUS OPSTACLES AT THE PRESENT TIME TO WORKING PEOPLE ORGANISING THEMSELVES IN TRADE UNIONS, TO EFFECTIVELY BARGAIN WITH THE GOVERNMENT. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD TELL THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO STOP SENDING ITS BUDGET SURPLUS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND START SPENDING IT ON THE PEOPLE OF THE COLONY WHO ACTUALLY PRODUCE IT..
K. HINDLE: OF COURSE THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG DOES SPEND VAST AMOUNTS OF MONEY ON HOUSING PROGRAMMES AND OTHER SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES.
MS. SILLARS: YOUR YARDSTICK FOR WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT SPENDS VAST AMOUNTS OF MONEY OR NOT, SHOULD BE HOW MUCH OF ITS BUDGET DOES IT SPEND IN RELATION TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT TAKES IN AND IF THAT'S YOUR YARDSTICK - AND I BELIEVE IT'S THE CORRECT YARDSTICK - THEN IT DOES NOT SPEND ENOUGH MONEY INSIDE THE COLONY. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, IT'S ASTONISHING, GIVEN THE DEGREE OF POVERTY IN THE COLONY, ACTUALLY HAS A BUDGET SURPLUS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, WHICH IS AN ASTONISHING FEATURE OF MODERN LIFE, WHEN MOST GOVERNMENTS ACTUALLY HAVE A BUDGET DEFICIT, TRYING TO IMPROVE THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE PEOPLE.
K. HINDLE: WHO THEN ARE YOU SAYING IS EXPLOITING WHO IN THE COLONY OF HONG KONG, IS IT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, OR WHO?
MR. SILLARS: WELL, LET ME MAKE IT PERFECGLY CLEAR THAT I'M NOT SAYING THAT WHAT WE HA VE HERE IS WHITE PEOPLE EXPLOITING YELLOW PEOPLE. WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT IS A ERITISH GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS LACKED CONCERN FOR THE COLONY OF HONG KONG AND WITHIN THE COLONY OF HONG KONG WE HAVE THE OWNERS OF INDUSTRY, SOME WHO ARE EUROPEAN, SOME WHO ARE CHINESE, EXPLOITING THE VAST MASS OF THE POPULATION OF HONG KONG. SO IT'S A CLASSIC SITUATION OF CAPITAL AND LABOUR IN THE COLONY. NO RACIAL OVERTONES OR UNDER-TONES ENGAGED IN IT WHATSOEVER.
D. STUART: JAMES SILLARS M.P. TALKING TO KEITH HINDLE.
SENT 1145/6/9/74
HONGAID LONDON
OK?
JFLI
YES THANK YOU VERY MUCH
TKU BIB10