11
Q. Would you not agree that their unhappiness is being aggrivated by the
suspension of these people without pay?
A. No I don't think so. It's a very unusual thing for people to be paid for
not working. In the commercial sector it would never happen. But the
relationship of Government to staff is rather different and there is the
question of mutual trust and Govt does not immediately suspend pay in the
way that the private sector would. I think in this last case there was
something like a fortnight before Govt acted.
Q. More and more people are petitioning to London for help.
Do you think this is the right way?
A. Well it's for the petitioners to say.
Q. Does it destroy the HK Govt decision?
Whether it is
A. This has never happened. It's a legitimate thing to do.
very helpful or not I don't know. It would be considered by the HK Govt
just as seriously if it were sent to London first as if it were sent to
the Govt first.
Q. Does HK have any comment to make about the Vietnamese incursion into
Thailand and does these activities any way affect the security of HK? Economially?
A. The answer to the second question is no, the answer to the first is I
am governor of HK not Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Q. Do you think you could comment on the relationship between the HK Govt
and Britain over various issues which have cropped up in the past few
months like students, the nationality act and so on? and the air battle?
A. I don't know if your question is a partly political one but I would first
of all say that my experience, and after all we have had Governments of both parties, there is bi-partisan support for HK which has been, I have found extremely helpful. In these particular issues that you have mentioned certainly the Govt of the UK has listened carefully and sympathetically to our
representations and I think in the air battle as you called it no doubt our
representations were taken into account, but in fact as you saw from the Secretary for Trade's announcement he took his decision on other grounds than the
political ones on which we made representations. I was delighted that CPA got the route and I think that the philosophy of some fresh air in competition on this route will benefit the travelling public. But certainly the response
On University fees we have made of course very strong representation.
was helpful.
/We thought