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END OF SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR. THIS COMPARES WITH TWENTY SIX AND A HALF THOUSAND FOR THE WHOLE OF 1977. LESS THAN THO PERCENT OF THESE RETURN TO CHINA. THE RESULT IS A GROWING PROBLEM IN PROVIDING HOUSING, MEDICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER SERVICES IN HONG KONG. THE DRAMATIC INCREASE THIS YEAR, IF
SUSTAINED, WOULD CREATE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN ENSURING THE CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
UNQUOTE.
THE
4. AS BACKGROUND YOU WILL WISH TO KNOW THAT 7,016 (7,016) TRAVELLERS ARRIVED ON CHINESE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS IN SEPTEMBER.
DAILY AVERAGE OF 234 COMPARES WITH 183 IN AUGUST AND 184 IN JULY. THERE WAS, HOWEVER, A MARKED INCREASE IN PASSPORT HOLDERS WITH ONWARD VISAS (366 COMPARED WITH 48 IN AUGUST). THE DAILY AVERAGE FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, EXCLUDING THOSE WITH ONWARD VISAS, WAS:
APRIL
#
144.
MAY
$
137.
JUNE
180.
JULY
183.
181.
222.
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
(WE PASSED THE SEPTEMBER FIGURES TO NCNA TODAY, WITH APPROPRIATE
COMMENTS).
5. ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A CORRESPONDING SHARP INCREASE IN THE
NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN RECENT MONTHS, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THIS HAS BEEN CAUSED BY ANY RELAXATION IN CHINESE
SECURITY MEASURES. (WE DO NOT THEREFORE SEE ANY NEED FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO MENTION THIS ASPECT OF THE PROBLEM).
THE
TOTAL NUMBER OF ILLEGALS ARRESTED AND REPATRIATED TO 30 SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR WAS 3,631 (1,019 OF THESE WERE REPATRIATED IN SEPTEMBER).
BASED ON AN ARREST/EVASION RATIO OF 1:4 THIS REPRESENTS ABOUT 14,500 ADDITIONAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA SO FAR THIS YEAR.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
HK OGD (6):
FED
PS/ LORD GORONWY ROBERTS
MIL CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
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