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[Lord Goronwy-Roberts.] The police, as I said, escorted the coaches to the police station and charged the occupants with unlawful assembly. The 76 people concerned appeared in court on 8th January. As regards the 10 children involved, I said in reply to the Question asked by my noble friend Lord Brockway on 12th February that no charges were made against the 10 children. What I should have said was that they were charged-my noble friend was quite right -on 7th January, but that no evidence was offered against them when they appeared in court on the following day. I apologise if unwittingly I misled him or the House or others in Hong Kong on this point. As to the legal and other reasons for putting the age of prosecution at whatever point it may be, I join with my noble friend in thinking that this is a matter we would need to get into separately and on what I would call a legal basis. Otherwise I would prolong my statement beyond the endurance of this crowded House.
The 66 adults were released on bail of about £21 each until their trial on 12th Feb- ruary, when they were all found guilty as charged. Of that 66, the 56 boat people among them were given absolute discharges with no conviction recorded. The others, including a priest, two social workers and four students, were bound over in the sum of about £32 each to be of good behaviour for a period of 18 months. I do not think that all in all the magistracy took an unduly harsh line in this case. This is a matter of opinion. As to the amount of the bail, and indeed the sums in which they were bound over to be of good behaviour, that again is a matter of opinion; one could go into the relativity of the sums involved and the average monthly income of Hong-Kongesc.
I have described these events in some detail in order to make it clear that the authorities did not act hastily. The people involved were given clear warning that they were breaking the law and had ample opportunity to
to change their minds. There can be no doubt that the organisors of the demonstration on 7th January knew that their action was illegal. Well established arrangements exist in Hong Kong for obtaining permits to hold public demonstrations. The police require one week's notice, but normally issue permits provided they are satisfied that the
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Arrest of Petitioners demonstration is not to be held for illegal or immoral purposes and will not represent a threat to public order. We are dealing with Hong Kong, a crowded city colony, where the population is growing at an alarming rate, for external reasons which the local government is doing its utmost to control, often without success. strain on public services, including housing, should be apparent to us all, and so equally should the great success of the Hong Kong Government in coping with that strain to the extent it has. Also it must be absolutely clear to us that it would be an ill service to a crowded city State of this kind if there were not provision for the orderly organisation and supervision of demonstrations.
There is no reason to suppose that if a permit had been asked for on this occasion it would not have been granted. It is not necessary to obtain permission to present a petition to the Governor, provided it is not done as part of a public demonstra- tion. All residents of Hong Kong have an unqualified right to make petitions to the Governor on any matters of public or private concern. In this instance, the Governor could only have acceded to the petitioners' request at the expense of other equally deserving people.
I mentioned earlier that the Hong Kong Government have an outstanding housing programme. Under this programme, over two million people--no fewer than 46 per cent. of the population-have already been provided with subsidised public housing. I would repeat that that total includes 80,000 former boat people. New houses are now being added at a rate which will reach 35,000 houses a year in 1979. By 1985 it is the intention to provide accommodation for 65 per cent. of the population. Here is a country where two-thirds of the people will be housed in accommodation none of which is older than 35 years, and that subsidised. This programme is impressive by any standard, and it is the more impressive when one considers that it is being carried out in an overcrowded territory which suffers from an acute land shortage. I note the suggestion made by the noble Lord, Lord Elton, and I am quite sure that the Governor and the Government of Hong Kong, if they have not considered such a possibility, will most certainly give their attention to it. Many of the new
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houses are being flattening hills and
I should like to sion that is broug relentless rise in Kong, from both We have heard des stances and the Hong Kong whic said, are indeed appalling. But pe thing even worse Hong Kong, and problem of illegal Kong despite those that is commanding and attention.
Last year, some Hong Kong legally 30,000 entered illeg immigration on suc to all of us, particu in mind that the eq the size of the Unite an influx of about million immigrants i on at that rate year b ment have made rep to the Chinese Go We believe that the understand the di arrival of people from numbers is creating are making genuine numbers.
I wish that I could the Vietnamese Gover of refugees from Viet will be well aware of
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