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THIS WOULD DERAIL THE THROUGH TRAIN AND THE ROSE GARDEN WOULD ONLY BE AN ILLUSION AS A NEW CONTROVERSY STARTED.
10.
WEN WEI PO SAID THE ADDRESS WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO CONVERGENCE. IT DESCRIBED THE GOVERNOR AS QUOTE IRRESPONSIBLE AND RECKLESS UNQUOTE FOR ANNOUNCING HIS CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS UNILATERALLY. THE PAPER SAID MR.PATTEN'S REAL MOTIVE WAS TO START A PUBLIC OPINION OFFENSIVE IN ORDER TO FORCE CHINA TO AMEND THE BASIC LAW. IT CONCLUDED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD BE HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF ANOTHER ROUND OF HEATED DEBATE ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT.
9 OCTOBER
11.
THE TENOR OF PRESS REACTION REMAINED BROADLY THE SAME ON 9 OCTOBER. MANY PAPERS STARTED TO FOCUS MORE ON THE GOVERNOR'S SPENDING PROPOSALS. THERE ARE CLEAR SIGNS OF NERVOUSNESS IN THE MAINSTREAM PRESS ABOUT HOSTILE CHINESE REACTION TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE.
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MING PAO SAID THAT MR.PATTEN'S MOTIVE IN INCREASING SOCIAL
SERVICES SPENDING WAS PROBABLY TO LEAVE HONG KONG WITH MANY WELFARE BENEFITS SO THAT HE WOULD BE APPLAUDED WHEN HE RETURNED TO BRITISH POLITICS. THIS MIGHT NOT MEAN THAT HE HAD ANY LONG- TERM OBJECTIVE TO IMPROVE THE SOCIAL SERVICES. SING PAO SAID HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD LEARN FROM THE LESSONS OF WESTERN WELFARE STATES, AND THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE HAD DIFFICULTY IN ADAPTING TO DRASTIC POLITICAL CHANGES. THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS SAID THAT MR.PATTEN SHOULD REALISE FROM HIS PUBLIC MEETING THAT WHAT CONCERNED PEOPLE MOST WAS THEIR LIVELIHOOD. IT REGRETTED THAT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS IN THE ADDRESS.
13. THE LEFT-WING PAPERS CONTINUED TO ATTACK THE CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE. WEN WEI PO SAID THAT MR.PATTEN'S PROPOSALS HAD CONTRAVENED THE BASIC LAW AND THE THREE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS RESOLUTIONS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SPECIAL 'ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, THE PROCEDURE FOR RETURNING THE FIRST
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, AND THE SETTING UP OF A BASIC LAW COMMITTEE. IT ASKED WHETHER MR. PATTEN HAD SOUGHT TO GAMBLE ON HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.
14. IN A LENGTHY LEADER, TA KUNG PAO SAID THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD POINTED OUT THAT MR.PATTEN'S POLITICAL REFORMS HAD EXCEEDED THE BOUNDS OF THE BASIC LAW. BY CHOOSING TO CONSULT CHINA FIRST,
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