C.
I do
As you know most of the notepaper says 'colonial secretal.
not wish to see any change in constitutional provisions, but in terms of
the image we present and the attitude of the third party, might not these
natters be matters that should be further considered? A. We certainly
his
vill do this. I wish to add this is constitutional position and but
mblicly we tend less to refer to the colony of Hong Kong.
C. He would be referred to as the deputy covermor? A. Yes, in theory.
Any change in Hong Kong is always seen to have necaing beyond that which
we would wish to give then.
C.
We were very interested by the activities on the border and the
effectiveness with which people who wish to leave China vere prevented
But
from doing so. This was different from the previous trip of the Committee
which was to Berlin there those crossing the wine or vall were treated
differently. Does the British Goverment feel there is any inconsistency
in this approach? A. (Hr Horley) I think one has to look at each case on
(In
Whe
its own merits. I would not like to draw any comparison between the tiro
cases. Would you like me to develop the Hong Kong case a little.
question of illegal immigrants has been raised many time in Parliament.
In 1974 Hong Kong received about 33,000 legal immigrents from China, and
the present strains on housing end the social services in Hong Kong are so
severe that in November of that year, 1974, the Hong Kong Goverment had to
re-introduce thepolicy which had been in abeyance since 1967 of refusing
entry to those without permission to leave China. It is a question of
necessity.
C. Could you tell us what is the percentage of these immigrants to
the natural growth of population in Hong Kong? A. (Mr O'Keeffe)
and illegals?
Lecals
C. Yes. I understand there is a rapid natural growth of population and
the marginal number of imigrants in relation to the natural growth of
the population would suggest this is not a major problem. A. As fe as