GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 198
OF 160955Z JANUARY 87
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
14
CONR
040 11
IN REGISTRY
14 JAN 1987
KFICER
PA
RY
raken
A
DIST ?
OUR TELNO 157: KOWLOON WALLED CITY
1.
TUR PROMISED A FULLER REPORT ON THE PRE-CLEARANCE SURVEY. SORRY FOR THE DELAY. WE STILL DO NOT HAVE COMPLETE DATA AND WILL NOT HAVE FOR SOME DAYS YET. AS OF 1.00 P.M. LOCAL TIME ON 16 JANUARY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAD VISITED 8,881 FLATS AND REGISTERED 8,971 FAMILIES, TOTALLING 31,512 PERSONS. TWENTY-TWO FAMILIES HAD REFUSED REGISTRATION (A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN CLEARANCES AND THIS PROPORTION IS LESS THAN THE AVERAGE. WE WOULD EXPECT THEM TO RELENT IN DUE COURSE).
2.
HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO ENTER 591 PREMISES,
IN SOME WHICH WERE LOCKED WITH NO SIGN OF ANYONE IN RESIDENCE. CASES THERE WILL BE AN INNOCENT EXPLANATION, FOR EXAMPLE ABSENCE FROM HONG KONG OR AWAY AT WORK. HOWEVER, SOME WILL NO DOUBT HAVE
NEFARIOUS CONNECTIONS.
3.
IT NOW LOOKS AS THOUGH THE FINAL POPULATION FIGURE WILL TURN OUT TO BE AROUND 33,000, 1.E. MUCH LESS THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY
THOUGHT.
NO INCIDENTS OF ANY SIGNIFICANCE HAVE OCCURRED. IMMIGRANTS HAVE SURFACED.
NO ILLEGAL
THE POPULAR REACTION THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY HAS BEEN GENERALLY POSITIVE, AS REFLECTED IN THE PRESS COVERAGE, ON WHICH WE HAVE REPORTED SEPARATELY.
5.
CONFIDENTIAL
17
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