THE TOTAL OF DOLLABS 1083 MILLION FROM DIRECT TAXES WAS 25 PER CENT
OF RECURRENT REVENUE UNQUOTE.
(F) QUOTE THE PRESENT NUMBER OF THOSE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE (WHICH INCLUDES MOST RATE PAYERS, ALL TAX PAYERS, ALL WITH A SECONDARY OR HIGHER EDUCATION AND MANY OTHER CATEGORIES OF PRIVATE PERSONS) IS ABOUT 250,000 300,000 ADULTS, OF WHICH OVER 34,000 HAVE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE 1975 ELECTIONS. THE ESTIMATED SIZE OF
THE ADULT POPULATION IN THE AREAS COVERED BY THE COUNCIL IS ABOUT
1.7 MILLION UNQUOTE BRACKETTED PORTION COULD BE OMITTED.
(G) QUOTE FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION WAS INTRODUCED IN ALL GOVERNMENT AND AIDED CHINESE AND ANGLO-CHINESE LANGUAGE PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN 1971. IN A WHITE PAPER ON SECONDARY EDUCATION IN HONG KONG OVER THE
NEXT DECADE TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 16TH OCTOBER FIRM
PLANS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR THE EXPANSION OF JUNIOR SECONDARY
FORMS 1 TO 3 TO PROVIDE PLACES FOR 100 PER CENT OF CHILDREN IN THE
AGE GROUP 12 TO 14, AND FOR 40 PER CENT OF THE AGE GROUP 15 TO 16
IN FORMS 4 AND 5 BY SEPTEMBER 1979. THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION HAS STATUTORY POWERS TO ORDER ATTENDANCE AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL, BUT IT IS NOT PROPOSED TO MAKE SECONDARY EDUCATION COMPULSORY AT THIS STAGE.
ALTHOUGH SECONDARY LEVEL EDUCATION IS NOT FREE, IT IS HEAVILY
SUBSIDISED AND FEE REMISSION ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN FORCE WHICH ARE
DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT NO CHILD IS DENIED SECONDARY EDUCATION ON FINANCIAL GROUNDS UNQUOTE COPIES OF THE WINTE PAPER WERE FORWARDED BY BAG UNDER COMPLIMENTARY NOTE, AND MY SAVING TELEGRAM NO. 249 OF 28TH OCTOBER HAS RELEVANCE.
"
(H) QUOTE PROPORTIONS OF THE GROSS DOMESTIC (REREAT: DOMESTIC) PRODUCT REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC SPENDING IN 1974-75 WILL BE HOUSING 2 PER CENT, EDUCATION 3 PER CENT, SOCIAL WELFARE 6 PERCENT, RAILWAY LESS THAN 0.5 PER CENT, AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT 0.5 PER CENT, 1. WATER 1.6 PERCENT, TOURIST DEVELOPMENT (NEGLIGIBLE) UNQUOTE.
(1) QUOTE HONG KONG IS COOPERATING WITH THE U.N., INTERPOL, AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION IN TACKLING THE NARCOTICS PROBLEM. TWO SPECIFIC MEASURES HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED GOOD RESULTS. THESE ARE FIRSTLY, THE POSTING OF A LIAISON OFFICER FROM THE HONG KONG POLICE TO THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN BANGKOK IN NOVEMBER 1973 FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING THE FLOW OF INFORMATION FROM THOSE COUNTRIES
ne
3
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CONFIDENTIAL
WHICH ARE