GS 800
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONTIDENTIAL
TO DESKBY 27100OZ FCO
TELNO 2030
OF 27090OZ SEPTEMBER 85
yours Julian
TOP COPY
AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING,
AND TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA, HKGO'S GENEVA, NEW YORK, BRUSSELS, AND TO IMMEDIATE HKGO WASHINGTON
HONG KONG ELECTIONS
THE FOLLOWING TELEGRAM PROVIDES AN OVERALL VIEW OF YESTERDAY'S
ELECTION AND LOCAL REACTION TO BOTH THE ELECTORAL PROCESS AND
THE RESULTS.
SUMMARY
2. GENERALLY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ELECTIONS WORKED EXTREMELY
SMOOTHLY AS DID ARRANGEMENTS FOR PRESS COVERAGE. TURN-OUT WAS VERY
HIGH AND THOSE EVENTUALLY RETURNED WERE LARGELY MODERATE
PROFESSIONALS WITH SOME EXPERIENCE OF PUBLIC LIFE. PRESS COMMENTS
HAVE BEEN FAVOURABLE.
TURN OUT
3. TURN-OUT WAS VERY HIGH, ALMOST 100 PERCENT FOR THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES. AMONGST THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES,
THE SOCIAL SERVICES WAS THE HIGHTS WITH 97.2 PERCENT CLOSELY
FOLLOWED BY THE LEGAL CONSTITUENCY WITH 86.4 PERCENT. THE LOWEST
WAS THE INDUSTRIAL I CONSTITUENCY WITH 45.2 PERCENT.
-
ARRANGEMENTS
4. IN ALL CASES VOTING WAS CONDUCTED IN AN ORDERLY MANNER WITH
NO CONFUSION OR APPARENT ILL-WILL EVEN WHERE REPEALED BALLOTS
WERE REQUIRED. MEDIA INTEREST WAS VERY HIGH AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES
SEEMED SATISFIED WITH THE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS MADE TO FACILITATE
REPORTING.
CANDIDATES RETURNED
5. URBAN AREA: MOST OF THOSE RETURNED WERE PROFESSIONALS,
INCLUDING A CHARTERED ENGINEER, A DOCTOR, A BANKER, 2 LAWYERS,
3 EDUCATORS, 3 BUSINESSMEN AND 1 BUSINESS EXECUTIVE. ALL ARE
WELL KNOWN PERSONALITIES WITH CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY
SERVICE.
6. NEW TERRITORIES: THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FEATURE WAS THAT NONE
OF THE THREE MEMBERS RETURNED BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE ARE MEMBERS
OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK. AGAIN, ALL THREE ARE PROFESSIONALS.
LOSERS
CONFIDENTIAL
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