CONIDENTIAL
5. THE COMMUNIST PAPERS HIGHLIGHTED THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS ON THE
PROMOTION OF STEADY PROGRESS COMBINED WITH STABILITY AND CONFIDENCE
ON A SMOOTH TRANSITION. THE WEN WEI PO OBSERVED THAT THE PEOPLE
HOPED THAT IT COULD BE PUT INTO PRACTICE. THE HONG KONG COMMERCIAL
DAILY FELT THAT THIS INDICATED THAT HONG KONG HAD BEEN DEVELOPING STEADILY SINCE THE CONCLUSION OF THE SINO BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION. IT NOTED THAT THE HOPE OF PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
WAS FOR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DO THEIR UTMOST TO MAINTAIN THIS BALANCED DEVELOPMENT. THE CENTRE DAILY NEWS DESCRIBED THE POLICY ADDRESS AS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC WHICH CONTAINED NOTHING NEW.
OTHER REACTIONS
6. APART FROM Y.F. HUT WHO EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS DID NOT GIVE SUFFICIENT COVERAGE TO WELFARE
MATTERS, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS RESPOND FAVOURABLY TO THE ADDRESS. THEIR COMMENTS RANGED FROM ENCOURAGING, VERY SATISFIED
TO VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
7. THE SPEECH WAS CRITICISED BY A NUMBER OF DB MEMBERS AND
POLITICAL COMMENTATORS AS LACKING IN SUBSTANCE AND FOR FAILING
TO GIVE A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE DIRECTION AHEAD FOR HONG KONG.
8. THE SOCIAL SERVICE SECTOR ECHOED Y.F. HUI'S SENTIMENTS ON THE
ABSENCE OF SOCIAL WELFARE MATTERS. THE PROPOSALS FOR A THIRD
UNIVERSITY AND A CHINESE TEXTBOOK COMMITTEE WAS SUPPORTED BY
EDUCATION CIRCLES. ALTHOUGH THE ESTIMATE OF A 4.5 PERCENT
5 PERCENT ECONOMIC GROWTH WAS DOUBTED BY THE FINANCIAL SECTOR,
REACTION TO THE POLICY ADDRESS WAS GENERALLY FAVOURABLE.
YOUDE
LIMITED
нко
COPIES TO! HKGO,
LONDON.
FED
MR WILSON
CONTIDENTIAL